Mumbai: SGNP loses its oldest captive lion, Ravindra

Ravindra arrived at the SGNP from Bannerghatta Zoo in Bengaluru in 2009, at the age of 4

In sad news for SGNP visitors, the park has lost its oldest captive lion, Ravindra. The big cat died on Monday evening due to age-related issues, said officials.

Clement Ben, additional principal chief conservator of forests, Wildlife-West, told mid-day, "Ravindra was 17-years-old and he was suffering from age-related issues since the past two years. He was under the medical supervision of the vet committee."

His post-mortem was conducted on Tuesday.

Ravindra was brought to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) from Bannerghatta Zoo in Bengaluru, Karnataka, on September 21, 2009, when he was 4.

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With his death, the SGNP now has only one captive lion, named Jespa who is 12-years-old.

The captive lions and tigers at the SGNP have been the major tourist attraction since the safari started in the 1990s. With the animals dying of old age and illnesses, the SGNP authorities are concerned. They have been trying for almost four years to bring a pair of breeding lions from Gujarat.

In September, Maharashtra Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar met his Gujarat counterpart Jagdish Vishwakarma in Ahmedabad and discussed the exchange of two Asiatic lions from Sakkarbaug Zoological Park in Junagadh for a pair of captive tigers from the SGNP. They decided to seek joint approval from the Central Zoo Authority for the same.

In September 2020, the SGNP also approached the Telangana Forest Department for a pair of lions from Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad. However, there was no development, as the Telangana Forest Department wanted lions in exchange for lions.