Mangalore : In 3 months, 12 young animals are born at the Pilikula Park and the Zoo authorities are hard put to feed them with meat, milk and vegetables, so donors and adopters of animals families were requested by the Director on Monday to provide funds to maintain the enlarged families of elephants, gaurs, lions and such other wild creatures at the Mudushedde Biological park.
Captive lions and tigers need 10 Kgs of meat everyday, while their cubs required 4 to 5 Kgs of raw meat daily. Beef which was selling at Rs. 80 per Kg. has shot up in prices to Rs. 110 per Kg., sometimes more. There are 400 animals of 80 species and their maintenance cost is Rs. 3 lakhs p.m. No allowance is given by the state Govt. But the Central Zoo Authority, donors and people paying entrance fees help us, the Director stated. Mr. Bhandary, Zoo Director, cited the example of K.G. Shenoy an NRI in Dubai, who paid Rs. 4 lakhs to feed 3 lion cubs born recently. Minister K.J. Palemar is ex-Office chairman of the governing council having scientists, state officials and experts.