Mumbai's Byculla zoo to remain open on August 26 for Eid-e-Milad holiday, will close the following day

The zoo and botanical garden will remain closed on Thursday, August 27, as per a previously approved BMC resolution. FILE PIC

Mumbai's Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan and Zoo will remain open to the public on Wednesday, August 26, despite the public holiday on account of Eid-e-Milad, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Monday.

The zoo and botanical garden, however, will remain closed on Thursday, August 27, instead, as per a previously approved BMC resolution.

The Byculla zoo remains closed every Wednesday as part of its weekly holiday. However, according to the BMC resolution, if a public holiday falls on a Wednesday, the garden and zoo will remain open to the public on that day and will be closed the following day.

Accordingly, the facility will be open to visitors on Wednesday, August 26, and closed on Thursday, August 27, the civic body said.

Byculla Zoo set to get four Asiatic lions from Junagadh by year-end

Mumbai's Veermata Jijabai Bhosle Botanical Garden and Zoo (Byculla Zoo) will get two pairs of Asiatic lions from Junagadh's Sakkarbaug Zoo by the end of the year. The Byculla Zoo has begun the process of procuring three pairs of tufted capuchin monkeys from abroad to exchange with Sakkarbaug Zoo in return for the lions.

A senior civic official told mid-day last month, "We are procuring the capuchin monkeys through an international agency. As per our agreement with Sakkarbaug Zoo, we will receive the lions in exchange for the monkeys. The entire process is likely to take two to five months, so the lions should arrive by December 2026."

The Asiatic lion enclosure, built during Phase-I of the zoo expansion project, is currently vacant.

"The zoo has completely prepared the Asiatic lion enclosure," Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde said on Friday.

"Everything is ready, and we are awaiting the lions. I recently followed up with Sakkarbaug Zoo and was assured that the timelines will be met. I would also like to visit the zoo during the exchange and convey Mumbai's gratitude."

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the 2000 sq m lion enclosure features a viewing panel and is designed to resemble the Gir forest habitat.

Monkey exchange
"We are not procuring them for Mumbai, and they are not part of our planned exotic animal zone. We are procuring three male and three female monkeys exclusively for Sakkarbaug Zoo," an official said.

In its correspondence with Sakkarbaug Zoo, the BMC said it would appoint an agency to procure the monkeys while complying with all statutory permissions, Central Zoo Authority guidelines, quarantine protocols, transport norms, and other applicable procedures.

The BMC has proposed that the monkeys be transported directly to Sakkarbaug Zoo after arriving in India to avoid repeated transportation stress.