Abandoned leopard cubs find new home at Lucknow zoo

By Kamna Mathur

Lucknow, Feb.24 : Two leopard cubs, about one-and-a-half-month-old, which were abandoned by their mother in Uttar Pradesh's Dudhwa forest in Lakhimpur area, have found a new home at the Lucknow zoo.

On February 16, a forest guard first spotted the two abandoned cubs from the Dudhwa forest, which were brought to Lucknow zoo on February 22 for proper upkeep.

The little ones, who have been christened as Suhali and Sharda, will stay at the Lucknow zoo till they are able to fend for themselves. They are being helped to grow up and gain normal health by keepers here.

"By keeping them in the zoo, they have not lost their wild instincts. They behave in the same way, as they would if were staying in the forest. They crawl on their own to the tabletop and have started growling unlike before. We would probably shift them when they are old to the enclosures where the rest big animals are kept," said Runa Singh, Director, Lucknow zoo.

The cubs are given milk with bottles and a provision for lukewarm water has been done for them.

Meanwhile, the staff at the Lucknow zoo is delighted to have these little inmates.

ANI