They will henceforth receive not just a tearful but a dignified final farewell as well. A brand new crematorium has been set up at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) by forest officials — to make sure every animal that lives and dies here is cremated honourably. Earlier, all dead animals were cremated at one corner of the park or buried somewhere close by.

The last resting place: The new crematorium at SGNP is spread over 150 sq feet, with a shed where the firewood would be stored. Pic/Ranjeet Jadhav

However, taking a note of the emotions attached — many of the animals that are born in captivity or spend their entire lives at the SGNP — forest officials figured giving them a proper send-off was the least they could do.

The new crematorium at SGNP is spread over 150 square feet, with a shed to store firewood. Chief Conservator of the Forest (CCF) and SGNP Director Vikas Gupta said, “Earlier the cremations were done near the Leopard Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre but now a proper platform has been constructed with a shed on the top.”