Jamshedpur, February 17 A pair of African lions were brought to the Jamshedpur zoo in Jharkhand from the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad as part of an animal exchange program, a statement said on Tuesday.
The lion pair, named Manohar and Sridevi, is expected to be a major attraction at the Tata Steel Zoological Park, it said.
Under the exchange program, two male mandrill monkeys were transferred to the Hyderabad zoo, the statement issued by Tata Steel said.
Manohar and Sridevi are approximately nine years old and are in their prime breeding age, it said.
A team from the zoo here departed for Hyderabad on February 11 in two specially-designed vehicles for the safe and comfortable transport of the animals.
After completing all necessary documentation and health formalities, the team commenced the return journey and safely brought the lions to Jamshedpur around Monday midnight, the statement said.
The entire transportation process was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority and under expert veterinary supervision to ensure the well-being of the animals, it said.
Currently, the zoo houses three African lions – two males, Jumbo and Edd, and one female, Zoya – all approximately 14.5 years old.
These lions were brought to the zoo in 2012 when they were just six months old and have since been major attractions for visitors.
With the arrival of Manohar and Sridevi, the zoo aims to build a younger and genetically viable lion population, the statement said.
As per protocol, both Manohar and Sridevi have been placed under a mandatory 40-day quarantine.
During this time, they will remain under close veterinary observation to monitor their health, diet adaptation, and acclimatisation to the new environment. Upon successful completion of the quarantine, the lions will be introduced to their designated enclosures, and visitors will be able to witness them, the statement said.