Lions at the Pratapsinh Udyan Zoo, Sangli - 2

By Rahul S. Walawalkar .

As of 1998 the zoo also had a variety of different animals like hyena, black bucks, foxes, crocodiles, monitor lizards etc. (See next fig.) But owing to lack of space & resources, they are unable to take proper care of these animals.

Hence the Sangli Miraj Kupwad Municipal Corporation is willing to give these extra lions, to organizations free of cost, provided the permission is granted by the Central Zoo Authority, the apex decision making body in India regarding zoo related issues.

The SMC has received permission for the transfer from the Chief Forest Conservator of Maharashtra, Nagpur. The SMC had passed a resolution allowing the transfer to any other zoo in 1997.

From April 1996, SMC has authorized me to pursue the proposal regarding transfer of lions to any zoo. So if you are working with any authorized zoo & are interested in accepting these animals, you can contact me at rahul@walawalkar.com .

It is true that the mission is getting tremendous support from people from every corner. But ultimately the lions will be rescued either by being transferred to some other zoos or by their present habitat, the Pratapsinh Udyan being relocated to a specious place.

Either of the rescue operations can be accomplished only by quick & timely intervention of the Central Zoo Authority.

Since April 1996, in past 3 years I have contacted various people & organizations working in this field like Mr. Sanjay Ubale (former Collector, Sangli), Dr. Nitin Kareer (Present Collector, Sangli), Mr. S.C. Sharma (member-secretary, Central Zoo Authority), Mrs. Sally Walker (founder, Zoo Outreach Organization), Mr. Suresh Prabhu (Environmental Minister), Ms. Maneka Gandhi (founder ‘People for Animals’), Mr. Bittu Sahgal (Editor, Sanctuary), Dr. Ravi Chellam (Wildlife Institute of India), Mr. Bharati (Deputy Conservator of Forests, Mumbai), Mr. Nitin Kakodkar (Deputy Conservator of Forests, Thane), Mr. Nandkumar Moghe (Co-president, Maharashtra Nature Park Society), Mr. Velode & Dr. Vani (Jijamata Udyan Zoo, Mumbai), Ms. Jyotsna Chauhan & Mr. Chakraborty (World Wide Fund for Nature, India, Mumbai) Mr. Vijayraj Jadeja (Curator, Sayaji Baug Zoo, Vadodara), Mr. Nilimkumar Khaire (Director, Katraj Snake Park), Mrs. Sudnya Patkar (president of ‘In Defence of Animals’) & Lt. Col. Nageshkar, (Secretary of SPCA) for getting assistance in transferring the lions to different zoos.

Most of the people contacted have showed great concern for the Sangli lions & the state of the zoo & have shown willingness to help us in the cause.

Today, the mission of transferring the lions, which started way back in 1995, has evolved into a ‘Mission of the Nature Lovers’. Other than the names mentioned above Mr. Amit Gadkari, Mr. Utpal Phatak, my classmates at Parle Tilak Vidyalaya, Mr. Sachin Jangam & Mr. Vishal Kelkar my classmates at Walchand College of Engineering, Mr. Zubin Dalal & Mr. Rajesh Save, my colleagues at Tata Infotech Ltd. & Mr. Armin Chokesey are all involved in this mission along with me. Currently Ms. Saraswati Sathe is following up the matter with the Sangli Authorities under the guidance of Dr. Nitin Kareer (Collector, Sangli District).

I am really thankful to Mrs. Sally Walker & Mrs. Sudnya Patkar for their continuous encouragement & guidance for past 2 years, which has enabled me to keep working on the issue even 2 years after leaving Sangli. I also appreciate the interest taken by Mr. Sanjay Ubale (former Collector) & Mr. Nitin Kareer (Current Collector) even with their busy schedules.

We hope that the Government of India, as a part of their celebrations of going into new Millennium, would provide peace & comfort for the Sangli lions as well as other wildlife in captivity.