White lions, lemurs, other exotic animals at Byculla zoo soon, after central authority nod

MUMBAI: The third phase of the Byculla Zoo expansion, which includes showcasing exotic animals like ring-tailed lemurs, white lions and okapi, has been approved by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA).

The approval will now speed up the process to develop the newly-acquired Mafatlal and Poddar mill plots spread across 12 acres.

Although the plan has been approved within three months of it being sent, it will take another three years for citizens to finally see the new animals.

Phase three of the zoo expansion will cost the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) about ₹200 crore.

The zoo expansion will see enclosures for exotic animals such as jaguar, cheetah, wallaby, hippopotamus, ostrich and flamingos among other animals.

The plan for expansion was sent to the CZA in November

2018.

The municipal corporation will now invite tenders for the same and work is likely to begin from May 2019.

The construction of the enclosures will take at least two years and it will take another six months to one year to get all the animals from across the country and probably from other countries, said Sanjay Tripathi, director of Byculla zoo.

Tripathi added, “These animals will be exchanged with the animals that we have, and brought in once the enclosures are built. We have not yet finalised from where these animals will be brought in.

“If need be, we will get them from other countries too, we have not yet decided on the same. Phase one and two are under process and phase three will now begin soon,” he said.

The authorities will first tap Indian zoos for the exchange like sourcing lions from Gujarat, cheetah and wallaby from Mysore zoo.