Neyyar Dam awaits two special guests - Radha and Nagarajan. With the two lions from Gujarat arriving soon, the Lion Safari Park at Neyyar Dam is all set to get a new lease of life. The two lions have already reached the city zoo and will be taken to the park before Onam. The authorities are hopeful that there will be a major revenue boost once the new entrants arrive.
The Safari park had been facing a major crisis after the revenue dipped with just one lioness here. The park generated an income of Rs 73 lakh in 2017-18 against Rs 93 lakh in the previous year. With just one lioness at the park, there has been a negative campaign that the park has become a mere rehabilitation centre for animals.
On Sunday, Radha and Nagarajan from Sakkarbaug Zoological Garden in Gujarat reached the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, in exchange for two Malabar giant squirrels. With the arrival of the two lions, 17-year-old Sindu, the lone lioness at the park, will make new friends. The new lions are Asian bred while Sindu is African-Asian bred. Two-and-half-year-old Radha was caught from Gujarat forest six years ago. Ten-year-old Nagarajan was caught in 2012.
Radha and Nagarajan
According to chief forest veterinary officer Eswaran E K, it will take at least a month for the lions to get adapted to the climate here. “In Gujarat, the climate is less humid compared to that of Kerala. Thus, getting adapted to the climate of Kerala during the rainy season will take a few months,” he said. The lions, which sustained minor injuries during travel, are expected to be cured within a week. Other than this, they are in good health.
Citing the food habits of the lions, Eswaran said, “The lions were given buffalo meat in Gujarat. Due to the reduced availability of the meat here, the lions will be provided with chicken. Buffalo meat will be provided only on Sundays. It will take them some time to get adapted to these food habits.”
Though the maintenance work at the park began a month ago, it wasn’t completed owing to the rain. “The lions will be shifted back before Onam after finishing the maintenance work,” said Eswaran.Lion Safari Park was opened in 1984 with four lions on Marakkunnam island. As the number of lions increased to 17, the expense to feed them also increased. To overcome the difficulty, the lions were sterilised and no more cubs were born here after that. The number of lions gradually came down to four.
LION SAFARI PARK
Lion Safari Park was opened in 1984 with four lions on the Marakkunnam island. As the number of lions increased to 17, the expense to feed them also increased. To overcome the difficulty, the lions were sterilised and no more cubs born here after that. The number of lions gradually came down to four.