Visakhapatnam, Sep 30 (PTI) Two Asiatic lion cubs have been born at the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP) here as part of its ongoing breeding and conservation programme, the zoo said.
Curator G Mangamma said the cubs are under maternal care, and both the mother and her offspring are being monitored by a veterinary team.
“Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakhapatnam, is continuing its breeding and conservation efforts and is delighted to announce the birth of two lion cubs,” Mangamma said in a press release on Tuesday.
She said the births are significant as the cubs belong to the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica), a species listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Once widespread across Asia and the Middle East, the Asiatic lion today survives only in the wild in and around Gir National Park in Gujarat, she added.
Compared to African lions, Asiatic lions are slightly smaller, with a distinctive skin fold along the belly. “They are known for their majestic presence and are an important symbol of India’s natural heritage,” the curator further said.
Mangamma said conservation breeding programmes in zoological parks help create a healthy backup population of this rare species and support national and global efforts to secure the future of Asiatic lions.
“The successful birth of these cubs at IGZP reflects the zoo’s commitment to wildlife conservation, scientific management and care,” she said. PTI STH SSK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.