A lioness at Patna zoo. Telegraph picture

The lions at Patna zoo would soon have a new home for better health and life expectancy.

Authorities at Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park said work on the new 3,000sqm conservation area at the rear portion of the existing lion enclosure has started and would be ready by July.

The motive behind developing the area is to provide an off-display area to the lions, where they can enjoy their natural surroundings.

Zoo director Abhay Kumar told The Telegraph on Tuesday: “Considering the existing population of lions and the potential of Patna zoo in the breeding of this feline species, the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), New Delhi, sanctioned Rs 71.22 lakh for the development of the area on the zoo premises in January, this year.”

The zoo director said they were expecting a rise in the number of lions, as Saraswati, a lioness, is expected to deliver around the first week of June.

“To ensure her safety, Saraswati has been kept in isolation, away from other lions at the enclosure. Special attention is being given to her health and hygiene during the last few days of her pregnancy,” said Kumar.

Highlighting the progress in work, Abhay said: “Most of the groundwork has been done and an artist has also made the model of the conservation area comprising caves and hilly terrain among other landscaping measures. We have a target to complete the work by the end of July. Once the conservation area is ready, we would keep one or a maximum of two lions in the existing enclosure for public viewing.”

At present, there are five lions at the zoo — two males, both Asiatic, and three females of which two are African hybrids and one is Asiatic.

The existing enclosure at the zoo is spread across 1,000sqm. The conservation area is expected to have at least 10 lions.