The Sakkarbaug Zoo of Junagadh may soon become the country's only zoo to house the world's fastest animal, cheetah. The zoo officials are in the process of bringing a pair of cheetahs from Singapore in exchange for a couple of lions.
Officials said the negotiations, under the wild animals exchange scheme, with a Singapore zoo is in the final stages, and the big cats are expected to land here by the end of this year.
Sakkarbaug Zoo superintendent V J Rana said: "If things go smoothly, a pair may arrive here at the end of 2008. The animal will be accommodated in the zoo enclosure for public display." According to Rana, at present, no zoo in India houses this animal.
Currently, the zoo is home to over 900 wild animals, including 42 lions and 48 leopards. Over eight lakh people visit it every year, he added.
Cheetah is said to have been last seen in the Saurashtra region over six decades ago. The animal assumes significance for the city as there is place named 'Cheetah Khana Chowk' located in the heart of the Junagadh city.
"Former princely state of Junagadh's sixth Nawab — the Mahabbat Khan II — was very fond of wild animals. During his tenure (1851 to 1882), most of the city sites and places were named after animals. Cheetah Khana Chowk name was given by the Nawab," said Prof Pradhyuman Khachar, Junagadh's noted historian.
According to Prof Khachar, places like Hathi-Khana (for elephant) and Genda Agad (for rhino) were looked after by Mahabbat Khan II. The Sakkarbaug Zoo was also established by the Nawab in 1863, he said.
