Patna: Visitors to Patna’s Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park are set for a significant new attraction, as officials prepare to bring a pair of lions from the Rajgir Zoo Safari — the first time the safari’s big cats will be housed in the state capital. A dedicated enclosure will be built for the new arrivals, whose transfer is awaiting approval from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in New Delhi.
A senior Forest Department official said discussions with the CZA were already underway. “Once the final order is received, one male and one female lion will be shifted from Rajgir to Patna,” the official said.
The zoo is also working to acquire a jaguar, native to the Americas, under an exchange scheme with zoos across the country. Officials are currently collecting information from potential donor zoos before formally requesting permission. Jaguars are among the heaviest and most powerful carnivores in their habitat, and their addition would mark a rare display in eastern India.
Alongside the big cat plans, Patna Zoo has begun the lengthy process of refreshing its animal bloodlines. Paperwork is in progress to bring tigers and rhinos from zoos in Hyderabad, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and other states. In exchange, Patna may offer gharials and other species. The aim, officials say, is to strengthen conservation breeding and diversify the genetic pool.
Amid preparations for new arrivals, the zoo is celebrating a rare milestone: the birth of a zebra foal after 17 years. The baby was born on October 27 to Varnika, who had been without a mate for years until a male, Harishchandra, was brought from Bannerghatta Biological Park last year.
The foal is healthy and under close care, though not yet visible to visitors. Zoo officials say it will be introduced to the public once it is older and fully acclimatised.
The arrival of lions, a potential jaguar, and new breeding stock marks one of the most ambitious expansion phases for Patna Zoo in recent years — transforming its enclosures and promising a richer wildlife experience for visitors.
