Byculla zoo may get four Asiatic lions from Gujarat after CM's directive

Byculla zoo in Mumbai, also known as Rani Baug, may soon get four Asiatic lions from Gujarat. If all goes well, lions will be seen at the zoo again after a wait of more than ten years.

The latest movement began after a meeting in Gandhinagar on November 4, attended by Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. After the meeting, Patel told Gujarat officials to complete the administrative formalities quickly and to prepare a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the proposed exchange of animals.

Under the proposal, the Sakkarbaug Zoological Garden in Junagadh will give four Asiatic lions, two male and two female, to the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo in Mumbai. In return, the Mumbai zoo will send three pairs of tufted capuchin monkeys to the Gujarat zoo. Both zoos are reported to have agreed to the exchange.

The Byculla zoo has been without lions since 2014, when Jimmy, its last big cat, died after a long illness. Since then, the BMC has made several attempts over the past few years to bring Asiatic lions from Gujarat. Earlier proposals could not be completed because of difficulties over the exchange of animals and administrative approvals.

This time, one factor favours the zoo. Under a master plan approved by the Central Zoo Authority, it has already built a special enclosure for Asiatic lions. The habitat is designed to resemble the natural surroundings of the Gir region. It has caves, water facilities, shaded resting areas and trees, and space for the lions to roam.

Following the Gujarat chief minister's directions, the administrative process is expected to move forward. The BMC is currently awaiting formal written approval and the draft MoU. The lions will be transferred only after the necessary administrative and regulatory formalities are completed.

If the process is completed, the arrival of four Asiatic lions could become a major attraction for visitors to the Byculla zoo. Lions would also return to Mumbai after a gap of 12 years.