After 20 long years, it is possible that Mumbaikars might be able to see tigers once again at the Byculla Zoo (Jijamata Udyan) as they will be welcoming two majestic beasts from Siddhartha Zoo, Aurangabad. A proposal for the same has been sent and is expected to receive approval soon.
Currently, the zoo is being refurbished and is undergoing some major infrastructural changes under which, the authorities are building eight new cages for bringing animals in the zoo in an attempt to revive its lost charm and attract citizens along with tourists.
Accordingly, the officials have been constantly communicating with other zoos as well as municipal corporations across the country. In a similar fashion, they had written a letter to Siddhartha Zoo, Aurangabad, asking for a pair of the striped beasts.
However, Aurangabad Municipal Commissioner Nandkumar Ghodele had denied giving away any tigers as the zoo was planning on building a safari park inside the premises. However, eventually, Ghodle agreed on sending a couple of tigers to the Byculla Zoo.
Alongside, he also suggested that a proposal must be introduced for the same at the general meeting. Therefore, a senior Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official indicated that the process for approval of the proposal is in its final stage and it is likely that the tigers will be brought to the zoo soon.
While on one hand the survival of tigers has become a grave issue across the country, the Siddhartha Zoo has witnessed birth of 23 tigers in the last 24 years. There were 12 tigers in the zoo which is the highest number of tigers in a zoo in Maharashtra. However, recently a tigress named 'Samrudhi' gave birth to four cubs and on the other hand, the zoo has permission to keep only eight tigers. Therefore, the officials decided to give two tigers to Jijamata Udyan.
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