animals rescued; circuses banned

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31 rescued lions, bear set free in Karnataka

 

AFTER a gruelling seven-day journey, 31 lions and a bear - all rescued from

circuses in North India - arrived safely at Banneraghatta National Park on the

outskirts of the city in the early hours of today.

 

Officials said 14 lions, 13 lionesses, four cubs and a bear braved the hot and

humid weather and were transported 2,300 kilometres to their final destination.

They were accompanied by two veterinarians and four animal keepers and brought

in seven trucks from Delhi. The animals were unloaded into specially built cages

for a comfortable stay. All of them were in good health, officials added.

 

The Supreme Court had in a recent ruling quashed a petition filed by different

circuses, when it ruled to uphold an order banning the exhibition of animals.

The ruling was passed on the grounds of preventing cruelty to animals. Under the

order, it is illegal to use lions, bears, monkey and panthers in circuses and

exhibitions.

 

Following the ruling, animals were rescued from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Lions

and lionesses were kept separately to prevent breeding. The lions were neither

pure Asiatic nor African. Being hybrids, the breeding was not encouraged,

sources said.

 

The Banneraghatta park is one of five nationally recognised centres established

by the Central Zoo Authority last year. The centres are spread across different

parts of the country. While being transported to Bangalore, the animals

travelled only during nights to avoid public inconvenience. The convoy passed

through Jaipur, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Surat, Sholapur, Shirdi and Bijapur.

 

Sources said there were five animals in every cage and they had sufficient space

for movement. The animals were unloaded with a crane and pushed inside the

cages. Each adult lion was fed about 10 kg of beef a day.

 

The Banneraghatta rescue centre, established in a 40-acre area, has facilities

for 70 lions and 50 tigers. Already, 14 lions and four bears rescued from

different parts of Karnataka are housed here.