Maitri Bagh Zoo operated by the SAIL- Bhilai Steel Plant management and the Jungle Safari Raipur, have exchanged wildlife residing in each other’s premises following approval from the Forest Department. As part of this exchange, wild animals were brought to Maitri Bagh Bhilai on Saturday, with some other wildlife, including lions, scheduled to arrive on Monday. According to the Maitri Bagh management, under the wildlife exchange process, a decision has been made to provide a female white tiger and two lions to the Jungle Safari. In return, from the Raipur Jungle Safari, Maitri Bagh received two female white tigers, two male white tigers, two female barking deer, and four porcupines. Dr N K Jain, Chief Veterinary Officer and the in-charge of Maitri Bagh Zoo, informed that on Saturday, four porcupines and two barking deer arrived from the Raipur Jungle Safari. Two barking deer will be brought here on Monday along with the female white tiger.

 

In exchange, Maitri Bagh will send a female white tiger and a male jackal tiger on Monday. Dr Jain mentioned that the number of white tigers in Maitri Bagh and the growth of newborn tigers have been good. Genetic variations have been observed in their species, prompting the exchange of a female white tiger from here and the arrival of a female white tiger from there. Similarly, other wild animals are also being exchanged in a similar manner. Additionally, a letter has been written to the Central Zoo Authority to bring lone or missing wild animals.

 

In fact, due to COVID, the exchange of wild animals at Maitri Bagh had been suspended for a long time. New guests had arrived at Maitri Bagh in 2017 before the exchange was halted. After extensive discussions with the State Forest Department, the exchange of wildlife between Bhilai Maitri Bagh and Jungle Safari Raipur, has received approval from the zoo authority. ED (P&A) Pavan Kumar in presence of CGM JY Sapkale, Vijay Sharma GM I/C TSD, P P Roy, Arif Khan, Rajesh Sharma, Lalit Kumar, Narsayya, Yogesh Chandrakar, Dr Sonam Veterinary Officer of Jungle Safari Raipur and others, released the porcupine arrived from Raipur to its new enclose at Maitri Bagh zoo.