KOLKATA: DNA analysis of the lion cub, rescued on Belghoria Expressway by the forest department and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) while being smuggled in June 2019, has revealed it’s of hybrid origin with lineage from both Asiatic and African lion.
Zoological Survey of India that has conducted the analysis has sent a communication to Alipore Zoo where it was taken to after rescue. It’s now aged about three years. Three persons arrested are facing trial in North 24 Parganas.
“When our initial analysis found it had Asiatic origin, we started digging deeper. Later, during genome sequencing we found components of African lion in its DNA samples, too. It will be interesting to find out where this African origin has come from. The finding suggests it’s a captive bred animal,” said ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee, who co-authored the study with Abhishek Singh, Mukesh Thakur and Lalit Kumar Sharma.
Asked if it would pose any challenge to legally execute the case, WCCB regional deputy director (east) Agni Mitra said: “Charges related to relevant sections of Customs Act will stay. As far as charges related to wildlife is concerned, we have to minutely study the details.”
