Union Minister Picks Names For Hand-Reared Lion & Tiger Cubs In Odisha’s Nandankanan Zoo

Bhubaneswar: Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, on Sunday named two lion and tiger cubs at Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP), on the outskirts of Odisha capital.

During his visit to the zoo, he named the cub of lioness Bijli ‘Kamini’ and tigress Rupa’s cub ‘Himanshi’. Both the cubs were born in March this year.

The Union Minister said that animal keeper Prashant Gouda and Hemanta would be felicitated for hand-rearing the cubs.

After reviewing the functioning of the NZP, he termed the wildlife habitat as ‘heaven’ for animals. He also checked on one-year-old lion cub Barsha and a female Cheetah named Manju and visited the pangolin training centre.

Barsha was also raised by Prasanta after Bijli abandoned its cubs and Nandankanan Zoo moved everything it could move to keep her alive after her other siblings perished. The Asiatic lioness sired by male lion Samrat had delivered three cubs on July 21 last year.

Also Read: [Watch] Meet The Human Parent Of Abandoned Lion Cub In Odisha’s Nandankanan

Choubey also assured the authorities of extending financial support to transform Nandankanan into a world-class zoo, sources said.

Zoo Deputy Director Sanjit Kumar also informed that the state government has provided 609 hectare in Chudanga Reserve Forest and Krushna Nagar protected area of Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary under Nandankanan revamp and expansion plan.