This is an archive article published on January 17, 2025
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After 14 long years a lion cub born in SGNP, takes total strength of Lions to 3
Alongside Manasi, there’s one other male lion, Manas (5), and with the newly born cub, the total strength of the lions is up to three now.
Before this SGNP’s last surviving lion - Jespa was born in 2011, in 2022 however, Jespa died due to multiple organ failure. Jespa was the last surviving lion to be born in SGNP, until now (Express Photo)
For the first time in fourteen years, a lion cub was born inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). According to G Mallikarjun, director of SGNP and additional principal conservator of forests, the four year old lion— Manasi, gave birth to the cub at 9.40 pm on January 16.
Alongside Manasi, there’s one other male lion, Manas (5), and with the newly born cub, the total strength of the lions is up to three now.
Before this SGNP’s last surviving lion – Jespa was born in 2011, in 2022 however, Jespa died due to multiple organ failure. Jespa was the last surviving lion to be born in SGNP, until now.
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“The cub and the mother are in healthy condition and Manasi has started to feed her from 2.40 am on Friday. Manasi has bred with Manas, following which the new cub was born,” Mallikarjun told the Indian Express on Friday.
The SGNP administration acquired Manasi and Manas from the Sakkarbaug Zoo in 2022, in exchange for two tigers. When these lions were brought to SGNP, there was only Jespa at the park, who died within a few days after the new lions arrived.
Earlier in November, the SGNP administration received clearances from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to acquire two more lions from the Sakkarbaug Zoo. Speaking to The Indian Express, Mallikarjun said that new lions will be arriving by the end of this month.
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The addition of these two new lions will take the total lion population in SGNP to five. In exchange for these lions, the SGNP administration will be giving two tiger cubs to the Sakkarbaug Zoo administration.
SGNP has a 12-hectare land area earmarked for the lion’s territory. Lion safaris, which began in 1975 at SGNP, became a main revenue generator for the park at the time. Those lions were mainly hybrid offsprings of Asiatic and African lions born in circuses.
However, after the formation of CZA in 1992, breeding of hybrid animals was prohibited in the Zoo and the lion population began to decline in SGNP. As part of the Safari, visitors are ferried inside lion’s territory in a minivan.
Before this SGNP’s last surviving lion - Jespa was born in 2011, in 2022 however, Jespa died due to multiple organ failure. Jespa was the last surviving lion to be born in SGNP, until now (Express Photo) 
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