The lion enclosure was completed in 2022 under the zoo’s phased expansion project, which began in 2015. However, no lions have been brought in so far.
Mumbai: A poster at the newly renovated lion enclosure of Mumbai’s Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo, popularly known as Rani Bagh, reads: “Wait… I’m coming soon.” But 12 years on, visitors are still left staring at the empty enclosure, eagerly waiting for the arrival of lions.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has said efforts are underway to bring lions to the zoo. Officials confirmed that a formal request has been sent to the Gujarat government, where the population of Asiatic lions is relatively high. The civic body hopes that discussions will soon yield results.
Enclosure Ready Since 2022
The lion enclosure was completed in 2022 under the zoo’s phased expansion project, which began in 2015. However, no lions have been brought in so far. According to officials, most zoos across India either have only one pair of lions or cannot spare them due to medical reasons. The BMC even explored an animal exchange program, but without success.
The last lion at Rani Bagh was Jimmy, a 16-year-old African-Asiatic hybrid born in 1998 to African lion Amar and Asiatic lioness Anita. Jimmy was a major attraction until his death in 2014 after a prolonged illness. Since then, the zoo has been without lions.
Talks With Gujarat
A senior BMC official said that Gujarat’s zoos, particularly in Junagadh and Rajkot, currently house surplus lions. “We have requested at least one lion for display purposes. Arrangements are being pursued as a priority, and we are hopeful of bringing lions by the end of this year or early next year,” the official said.
The BMC had also offered penguins in exchange, but the high cost of their upkeep discouraged other zoos from accepting the proposal.
A Roaring Past
Once upon a time, Rani Bagh was home to 5–10 lions, including Asiatic and African-Asiatic hybrids. Today, however, the roar of lions is missing — and Mumbaikars continue to wait for its return.
