PAIR of lions brought to Van Vihar National Park from Bilaspur will be brought to display enclosure for tourists after 20 days. Both the lions are healthy and they are adjusting in quarantine of park.

 

Lion Satya, brought from Bilaspur zoo, relaxing in its enclosure.  

 

However, lioness Nandi was quite shy on first day in the new surroundings. She was roaming around the quarantine and then she kept on sitting at one place for hours. The lioness was also roaring continuously and was looking tired due to journey. While the lion looked comfortable in the new home and he even ate food properly.

Officials of Van Vihar said that the pair of lions has been brought to make two aspiring projects lion safari and breeding successful. The park management is working on the two projects.

 

Van Vihar Director Kamolika Mohanty said, “Soon another pair of lions will be brought to the park for breeding as well as lion safari. The park has already three lions and in future few more lions will be shifted to Van Vihar.

Lion Satya and lioness Nandi are four-year-old and they have started adjusting in new quarantine specially designed for lion. Van Vihar officials informed that both the lions belong to the same mother lioness ‘Varsha’.

Currently, Van Vihar has three lions and all of them have completed their average life tenure. There are two male Montu and Lamba and one female Varu. On April 15, 2017, Van Vihar brought

 

four lions from Assam in which lioness Vrinda died. Earlier, the park has planned to bring a pair of lions from Junagadh Zoo, Gujarat. An expert team from Van Vihar also visited Junagarh on December 3, 2019, and found that the zoo management selected pair of old and ill lion. In exchange, Van Vihar was to give pair of young tiger, four cheetal and two black bucks. The park management denied accepting old and ailing lion in exchange of young animals.