Asiatic lions to be relocated
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30/06/2008
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Deccan Chronicle (Hyderabad)
Hyderabad, June 29: Two Asiatic lions from the Nehru Zoological Park will be relocated to a national park in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. The Conservator of Forests, Mr Shekar Reddy, said, "We are sending two Asiatic Lions, aged two years, to Bhopal. "They' would be relocated to the Vanvihar National Park there. Two lions from every zoo are being relocated to the Bhopal park as there are no lions there.' However, this time, the Nehru Zoological Park has not asked for any animals in return for the lions as is the norm. Animals are usually exchanged between zoos. This move by the Nehru Zoological Park has come in for criticism. A wildlife expert from the city said, "We do not have orang-utans and zebras in the zoo. We would have got them in exchange for the lions.' "Earlier, it was said that a jaguar and a clouded leopard from Delhi and Agartala, zebras from Lucknow and a Nilgiri Langur from Chennai, would be relocated to the Nehru Zoological Park, as part of inter-state animal exchange programme, but so far they have not been brought.' he added.