A long-awaited pair of captive lions from Sakkarbaug Zoological Park in Junagadh, Gujarat have finally arrived at Sanjay Gandhi National Park. mid-day on September 23, reported about the Maharashtra forest department awaiting the approval of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to transfer the big cats, which are capable of breeding, and the move was green-lit on October 31. The arrival of the newcomers will give a boost to the SGNP’s captive safari. On October 17, Ravindra, the then-oldest lion at SGNP, died of age-related disease. Only an 11-year-old male lion, who is unwell, could be seen at the park. 

Dr V Clement Ben, additional principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF), Western Wildlife Region, Mumbai, said, “Following the approval by the CZA, a male lion, D11, and a female, D22, were brought to SGNP. In exchange for this pair, SGNP will be sending a male and female tiger to Gujarat. We didn’t have a breeding population of Asiatic lions, which were a great attraction of the captive lion safari at SGNP.”