Tata zoo vet M. Palit shares his experiences at his office in Jamshedpur. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, Oct. 4: Tata Steel Zoological Park may once again give its visitors a roaring welcome.

The authorities of National Zoological Garden, Pretoria, have promised to look into the zoo’s request for a pair of African lions “seriously”.

Zoo vet M. Palit, who was in Pretoria for a wildlife symposium, held preliminary talks with the South African authorities. “Officials at Pretoria went through our proposal for a pair of lions. They will place the same before a committee for approval. Prospects seem bright,” Palit said.

Tata zoo is desperately seeking a pair of Asiatic or African lions to start its breeding programme. The zoo’s lone lioness, Mohini, died of lung infection on September 29 and the authorities are pinning hopes on Pretoria as Sakkarbaug Zoo in Gujarat has already turned down their request.

Palit, who returned to the city last week, said attending the symposium was an enriching experience. The three-day meet from September 17 focussed on latest technologies on radio telemetry, USG, endoscopy and X-ray. Sixty vets from countries like the US, France, Kenya, Thailand, Korea and Zambia participated at the meet conducted by experts from National Zoological Garden.

“I was very impressed by radio telemetry. One can monitor movements of animals through radio signals, which comes from transmitters fitted to their bodies,” Palit said.

After the symposium, Palit and other participants were taken on a 10-day field trip in Pretoria and its surrounding areas. “We were briefed on zoo activities and animal care. It was a formal training. I was able to interact with top veterinary experts,” he said.

The participants also went to National Park and a couple of animal rescue centres some 200km from Pretoria.