Mumbai, November 4, 2026: Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan and Zoo at Byculla is a step closer to welcoming Asiatic lions after a 12-year gap, with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel directing state officials to expedite the transfer of two pairs of lions from Junagadh’s Sakkarbaug Zoological Park.
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde met Patel in Gandhinagar on Wednesday, seeking final approval for the long-pending proposal. Following the meeting, Patel directed the Gujarat administration to complete the formalities at the earliest and facilitate a memorandum of understanding between the two zoos.
The meeting was also attended by Dhrangadhra MLA Prakashbhai Varomora, Gujarat Chief Minister’s Office Principal Secretary Sanjeev Kumar, Quality Council of India Chairman Jaksay Shah, BMC Director (Zoo) Dr Sanjay Tripathi and other senior officials.
Two Pairs Of Asiatic Lions Proposed For Byculla Zoo
The BMC is expected to receive a formal approval letter and draft agreement shortly. Under the proposed animal exchange, Sakkarbaug Zoo will provide two male and two female Asiatic lions to Byculla Zoo, which will offer three pairs of tufted capuchin monkeys in return. Both zoos have already agreed to the exchange, subject to statutory clearances.
Tawde also met Gujarat Minister of State for Forests Pravin Kumar Mali, who forwarded her request to the Forest Department for necessary action.
Zoo Awaits Lions After 12-Year Gap
The development could end Byculla Zoo’s 12-year wait for lions. Its last big cat, Jimmy, a 16-year-old African-Asiatic hybrid, died in 2014 following a prolonged illness. Earlier attempts by the BMC to procure lions from Junagadh and Indore had failed to materialise.
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The zoo has already constructed a state-of-the-art enclosure for Asiatic lions under the master plan approved by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA). The proposed exchange will now move forward through the requisite administrative and regulatory clearances.
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