Uttar Pradesh: Etawah safari sends two lions to Gorakhpur zoo

KANPUR: The Etawah Lion Safari authorities on Saturday sent two Asiatic lions to the Ashfaq Ullah Khan Prani Udyan — a dream project of chief minister Yogi Adityanath — in Gorakhpur.
Lion safari director Rajiv Mishra said the team had left the safari at around 5.15 am on Saturday for Gorakhpur with two lions — Pataudi and Mariyam.
Officials from the forest department and the Ashfaq Ullah Khan Prani Udyan, Gorakhpur, besides Etawah Lion Safari are part of the team.
“The team along with lions are likely to reach Gorakhpur via roadways on Sunday morning. On way, they will be given night rest after taking halts as per requirement,” said Mishra and added, “Pataudi (male lion) and Mariyam (lioness) were brought to the safari from Gujarat on September 26 2019.”
Interestingly, Samajwadi Party (SP) workers threw a farewell party for Pataudi and Mariyam ahead of their relocation to Gorakhpur.
To mark the occasion, the SP workers led by their district president Gopal Yadav assembled near the gates of the safari, where Pataudi and Mariyam have lived for one-and-a-half-year since arriving from Gujarat, and danced to the Bollywood tunes played by members of a band party and wished the animals well.
In Gorakhpur Mahotsav 2021, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had stated that the Ashfaq Ullah Khan Prani Udyan will be open very soon for people.
A proposal seeking approval was sent to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), besides a state level committee was also formed to send two lions from Etawah Safari to Ashfaq Ullah Khan Prani Udyan Gorakhpur, informed Lion Safari Etawah authorities.