This is an archive article published on December 20, 2021
Vadodara zoo gets pair of lion cubs, a month after losing lioness
🔴 According to Sayajibaug zoo curator Dr Pratyush Patankar, the lion cubs were commissioned for the Vadodara zoo after the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC).
A month after losing lioness Gayle to an injury, Vadodara’s Sayajibaug zoo has welcomed a pair of lion cubs from the Shakkarbaug zoo in Junagadh, following several months of wait to complete the process of exchange.
Sayajibaug zoo received the lion cubs in exchange for the exotic birds it had given to Sardar Patel Zoological park in Kevadia in Narmada district.
According to Sayajibaug zoo curator Dr Pratyush Patankar, the lion cubs were commissioned for the Vadodara zoo after the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC).
Patankar told The Indian Express, “We had given some exotic birds, which Sayajibaug zoo has in good number, to the Kevadia safari park. Since the Kevadia zoo is in the process of filling in their enclosures, they are unable to exchange any animals but through the then Municipal Commissioner, we had put forth a request to be given something in exchange from another zoo… It was the best chance to seek a pair of lions.”
Patankar also added that the Vadodara zoo had requested that the lions should not be over three years old. The pair of cubs, yet to be named, was born in April 2020 in the Shakkarbaug zoo.
“The cubs are aged one year and eight months. They were born in April 2020 to two different lion pairs. Although they were born in captivity, they have a wild lineage. The male cub is more aggressive than the female cub. The lions handed over in pairs are always from different sets of parents so that the mating is possible and better…” the zoo curator added.
Patankar said that the zoo staff is ‘excited’ to name the cubs for the first time. “Previously, all big cats have been procured after they have been named… so we are now having animated discussions within the zoo about the names we should give them. This time, we are leaning towards giving them Indian names instead of English names.”
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“We have a few options in mind like Vijayendra for the male lion and Maithili for the female cub, but we are yet to finalise it… since the Shakkarbaug zoo had already received the request for an exchange, they did not name the cubs that were already commissioned to be handed over… We will give them a name soon,” she added.
The cubs, as of now, have been placed in the old enclosure for lions in order to undergo a mandatory quarantine of a minimum of seven to 15 days, following which, the zoo authorities will bring them out on display in the main enclosure.
The main enclosure of the Sayajibaug zoo currently houses the lone male lion Kunwar following Gayle’s death in November.Kunwar and Gayle, both born in 2008 in Junagadh, were brought to the Vadodara zoo in 2010 from Shakkarbaug.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including:
Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.
Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
