Bhopal, July 24: The Madhya Pradesh State Forest Department will be experimenting on zoo-bred lions. In an ambitious project, the State's Forest department will be adopting few pair of zoo lions for the purpose of breeding. And when they will litter, the cubs will be imparted training to adopt in the natural conditions - to kill a prey and survive.

On being trained, these cubs will be introduced in the Palpur Kuno Wild Life Sanctuary located in the Sheopur district of the Madhya Pradesh.

The animal exchange programme between the Safari Park and the Karachi Zoo has once again come to an abrupt halt following the death of two red deer during their shifting to the zoo recently. The Safari Park authorities are now reluctant to hand over more animals to the Karachi Zoo unless the latter develops and implements a proper and standardised protocol for shifting of animals.

P. Oppili The scheme on trial basis was launched at the zoo recently GET SET, CYCLE: Children using the new bicycles at the Vandalur zoo premises on Thursday. CHENNAI: A scheme under which bicycles are available on hire for visitors, including some for children, has been launched on a trial basis at the Vandalur Zoo. It was launched recently, Zoo Director P. L. Ananthasamy said. 20 vehicles introduced A total of 20 bicycles, including five for children, have been introduced at the zoo by a private bicycle manufacturer. Rs.20 an hour

Breakfast with an orangutan. Close encounter with a panda. No, you aren't on a jungle safari. It could all happen in apnu Amdavad, with plans afoot for a new zoo that would have animals not bound in cramped enclosures. The Ahmedabd Municipal Corporation (AMC) has already begun frantic search for land for the new zoo in the city, to be spread over 100 acres. At present, the areas

The much-publicised zoological park of international standards at Aarey Milk colony may finally see the light of day. State Forest minister Babanrao Pachpute said that Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has given his approval to the project on June 5, following the state forest department seeking an approval from him.

The long and intense heat spells attributed to climate change, has of late posed discomfort to animals in the State Zoo. Though most of the animals out of the 750 at the zoo are indigenous, still the climate change that has been triggering erratic monsoons and water scarcity has prompted the zoo authorities to adopt a special summer care regime for the animals since the last couple of years. Apart from regulation of their diet, some of the species have been requiring artificial watering to keep their nerves cool in the scorching season.

Chicago: Scientists are learning more about how zoo animals feel and how a toy or a little training can sometimes help cut the endless pacing and other repetitive behaviors that are often assumed to be signs of distress. Some big cats want a high perch from which to view visitors, polar bears want to scratch for hidden caches of food, and male barn swallows could use a tail extension to appeal to potential mates, according to experts from zoos and universities meeting on Friday at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo.

Krishnagar: The forest department has asked Iskcon to hand over eight peacocks caged on the temple premises in Mayapur, Nadia. In a letter written last week, the divisional forest officer has asked the temple authorities to hand over the national birds "immediately' "Otherwise, the department will have no other option than to seize them.' The number of peacocks, eight when a forest department team had gone to the temple on an inspection a few weeks ago, has gone up to 14 over the past two days following the birth of six birds.

Alipore zoo will not give Nandankanan a replacement for Sundar, the 11-year-old giraffe that died while being transported to Orissa. "We have decided not to give another giraffe to Nandankanan, not after knowing that callousness led to Sundar's death,' forest minister Ananta Roy said on Monday. The minister said the team from Nandankanan did not adhere to basic safety norms while transporting the giraffe to Orissa from Alipore zoo as part of an exchange programme.