On Sunday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inspected the Shaheed Ashfaq Ullah Khan Zoological Park (Gorakhpur Zoo). During his visit, he observed five-year-old lion Bharat and seven-year-old lioness Gauri, recently brought from Etawah Lion Safari.
Royal Bengal Tiger Amar raised a leg excitedly and roared, seemingly saluting the chief minister. Yogi Adityanath laughed and remarked, “Kya Re? Kaisa Hai Tu?”
Giving this information here on Sunday evening, an official spokesman claimed that the chief minister advised a zoo employee not to touch the enclosure net, noting that the tiger’s agitation might be due to this.
Another lion, Pataudi, also roared in greeting when the chief minister approached his enclosure. The wild animals’ roars during his visit seemed to please Yogi Adityanath.
While inspecting the zoo, he fed bananas to the rhinoceros pair Hari and Gauri and, after observing several other animals, he instructed the zoo officials to ensure their proper care.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who had been busy campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections for the past two months, took some leisure time on Sunday afternoon to visit Gorakhpur Zoo, one of his cherished projects.
The chief minister, known for his fondness for wildlife, often visits the zoo whenever possible. Upon arriving at the zoo, he began by inspecting the entire facility. When he saw the rhino pair, Hari and Gauri, he smiled and approached their enclosure to feed them bananas. This pair of rhinos is particularly dear to the chief minister and he has also fed them bananas on previous visits.
Throughout his tour, Chief Minister Yogi also observed the enclosures of lions, tigers, white tigers, deer, monkeys, jackals, leopards, hippos and bears. Accompanied by Divisional Forest Officer and Zoo Director Vikas Yadav, the chief minister gathered information about wildlife care during his visit.
When the chief minister approached the enclosure of tiger Amar, the tiger lifted one leg in a saluting posture and began to roar. This sight made Chief Minister Yogi laugh. Malani and the white tiger Geeta joined in with their roars.
Upon reaching the enclosure of lion Pataudi, who was already present at the zoo, the lion also roared in a saluting posture. Chief Minister Yogi then visited the newly arrived lions, Bharat and Gauri, as well as leopards Chandi and Bhavani, whom he had personally named and fed them milk with his own hands.
The chief minister also inspected the zoo's hospital and enquired about the rescue methods, treatment and feeding of the wild animals. He observed the animals currently undergoing treatment and asked about their recovery timelines.
During his visit to the zoo, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also interacted with the visitors. A group from Deoria expressed their gratitude, saying that the zoo is a beautiful gift of knowledge and entertainment for the people of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The chief minister blessed many children by patting their heads and giving them chocolates. One child, Samad Ansari, near the hippo enclosure, jumped with joy upon receiving chocolate from the chief minister.
Director-DFO Vikas Yadav, SDO Dr Harendra Singh, veterinarian Dr Ravi, and others were present during the chief minister’s zoo inspection.
