Bhopal, Dec 22 (NationPress) Madhya Pradesh has acquired two Asiatic (Gir) lions—one male and one female—from Sakkarbaug Zoological Park located in Junagadh, Gujarat, on Saturday. The lion pair has been placed at Van Vihar in Bhopal.
The forest department of Madhya Pradesh indicated that the lions were transported from the Junagarh Zoological Park as part of an animal exchange initiative between the two neighboring states, MP and Gujarat.
After a journey of over 900 kilometers from Junagarh, the lion and lioness arrived at Van Vihar National Park in the evening and are currently in quarantine for medical checks under the supervision of veterinarians.
The age of both lions is approximately three years. They are being monitored in quarantine for health assessments at Van Vihar. Currently, there are two lions and three lionesses residing in Van Vihar National Park, as stated by the MP forest department.
Following the approval from the Central Zoo Authority for the exchange program, a nine-member team transported a tiger and tigress from Van Vihar National Park to Junagadh Zoo on December 17, as reported by officials.
As part of this animal exchange program, Madhya Pradesh has sent two Bengal tigers from the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, which spans across three districts—Rewa, Shahdol, and Umariya in the Vindhya region of eastern Madhya Pradesh.
In return for the lions, a tiger (Bandhavgarh-2) and a tigress (Bandhani), both aged six years, were transferred from Van Vihar National Park to Junagadh Zoo, according to a statement from the MP forest department.
Madhya Pradesh continues to uphold its reputation as the 'Tiger State,' housing over 785 of the total approximately 800 big cats in the country, as per the National Tiger Conservation Authority of India (NTCA).
The state is well-known for its six tiger reserves: Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna, Pench, Sanjay Dubri, and Satpura. The Union Forest Department recently sanctioned the establishment of two additional tiger reserves—Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhopal and Madhav National Park in Shivpuri district.
