Monday, April 28, 2014

Zoo wants arranged marriage for big cats

LUDHIANA: After failing to find compatible partners for tigers Money and Deepak, in Ludhiana zoo, Punjab chief conservator of forest (PCCF), Mohali is trying to procure tigresses from outside Punjab. Soon, officials will write to the Union government asking for tigresses for the Ludhiana Safari.

Chief wildlife warden Dharendra Singh said, "We tried to get compatible tigress for Ludhiana tigers from Chattbir zoo but failed to match compatibility. Now, our only option is to find compatible tigresses outside Punjab. So we plan to send a letter to the Union government after elections. Meanwhile, we are making Ludhiana Safari infection free on priority. Two of the three tigresses died of rodent infection. For the purpose, we have appointed a pharmacist there, besides being very careful about vaccination of tigers," he said.

Singh is also worried about the lack of a permanent doctor in the Ludhiana Safari. He said he asked the state government to provide a permanent doctor to the Ludhiana Tiger safari, but to no avail. "Ludhiana Tiger Safari needs a permanent doctor. We have written to the state government many times but have never received a reply. After the election, we will ask for a permanent doctor again," he said.

As for the issue of mates for the Ludhiana tigers, the PCCF is considering Lucknow Zoological Garden, Jaipur Zoo, Indira Gandhi Zoological Park and others. But things wont be easy. This is a process of give and take and if Ludhiana needs tigresses they will have to give another animal in exchange.

"It is not going to be so easy for us to find big cats for Ludhiana, as it all about give and take. We need to give animals in exchange and it's rare to find surplus animals," said Singh. 
 

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