Little Roar: Assam State Zoo welcomes two lion cubs

Good news for all animal lovers, the Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden in Guwahati has welcomed two lion cubs. 

The cubs have been born to lioness Rani.

Taking to his Twitter handle state minister for environment and forest, Chandra Mohan Patowary said, "Glad to have received the news of lioness Rani in Assam State Zoo giving birth to two cubs today. I congratulate all the officials of Assam State Zoo. Directed officials to take all necessary steps for ensuring the well-being of newborn cubs."

Glad to have received the news of lioness Rani in Assam State Zoo giving birth to two cubs today. I congratulate all the officials of Assam State Zoo. Directed officials to take all necessary steps for ensuring well-being of new born cubs. pic.twitter.com/OJ6ZSIHq4n

— Chandra Mohan Patowary (@cmpatowary) January 17, 2023

The Guwahati Zoo has also installed heaters in the animal enclosures to keep the inmates warm during the winter, with the comfort of the animals in mind.

The zoo staff placed the heaters near the cages of tigers, lions, and other animals.

"We have arranged for heaters and other preventive measures for the animals here so that they do not suffer from cold," said Rajnikanth Deka, a Guwahati Zoo employee.

Also Read: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma drives himself to state zoo; shares candid moment with mynahs, parrots

"We installed heaters for tigers and lions, and we used stubble for bears," he explained.

"For birds, 200-watt bulbs have been arranged, and their cages are covered with plastic at night," he added.

He also stated that boxes for nocturnal birds had been set up.

Every year, zoo authorities make special arrangements in a bid to keep animals warm during the winters as temperature drops. Apart from heating systems in cages, plastic sheets and bulbs are put up to protect birds, animals and other inmates during extreme weather.

Notably, at least 97 elephants have been sent to other states since 2006 mostly for ''religious activities'' and with many pachyderms ''over-staying'' their period of the lease, the Assam government informed Assembly on December 23.

As per Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, the elephants are sent for a period of two-three years to other states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Haryana, Odisha, and Jharkhand.

''The captive elephants were sent from the Doomdoma Forest Division of Assam,'' Patowary said while replying to Congress leader Debabrata Saikia.

In response to a separate question by Congress MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed, Patowary said 80 animals have been transferred from the Assam State Zoo, Guwahati, to different states under the animal exchange programme between 2012 and 2022.

''Animal like rhinos, Royal Bengal Tigers, hillock, gibbons and leopard cats,'' he added.

He further informed that during the same period, the state acquired 83 animals from different zoos.

Patowary further said that there were around 1,196 animals in the state zoo here as on March 31, 2022, comprising 551 mammals, 381 birds, and 264 reptiles.