Rafique Aziz
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
In a significant development coinciding with World Lions Day, the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) has announced that a pair of lions will soon make their way to Siddharth Garden Zoo. The big cats are being brought in from Shivamogga Zoo and Safari in Karnataka and the lions will be the centre of attraction once again for visitors and tourists at our zoo after many years.
CSMC's Chief Garden Superintendent, Vijay Patil, confirmed that a team of officials from the Shivamogga Zoo is scheduled to visit Siddharth Garden Zoo on August 11. Their visit will focus on inspecting three tigers – a pair of yellow tigers and one white tiger – proposed to be exchanged. Based on their findings, the team will finalise transportation plans for the wildlife exchange, he said.
Established in 1984, Siddharth Zoo once housed a pair of lions brought in from another zoo nearly 30 years ago. However, their numbers declined over time due to old age, and the zoo has remained without lions since then.
Currently, Siddharth Zoo is home to 12 tigers – 7 yellow and 5 white. Responding to a formal request from Shivamogga Zoo, the CSMC has agreed to exchange a pair of yellow tigers and one white tiger. In return, Siddharth Zoo will receive a pair of lions, a pair of sloth bears, and a pair of jackals. The proposal was promptly accepted by the CSMC, especially given the absence of lions in the zoo's current collection. The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) approved the animal exchange programme on June 13, 2025, and the CSMC received the official approval letter on June 14.
Following the visit from the Karnataka zoo team, CSMC officials will make a reciprocal visit to Shivamogga, likely after August 15, to assess the medical fitness of the lions and other animals slated for relocation to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The entire process is being carried out under the supervision of CSMC Administrator G Sreekanth.
While Shivamogga Zoo officials have confirmed their upcoming visit, they have not disclosed specific details regarding the transportation logistics of the animals.
Sources suggest that the actual exchange is expected to take place after the monsoon season to ensure the safe and stress-free relocation of the animals involved.
The reintroduction of lions to Siddharth Garden Zoo is set to be a major attraction for visitors and marks a new chapter in the zoo’s wildlife conservation efforts.