Delhi-based trust adopts city zoo tiger for one year

Ludhiana: After reading a report in The Times of India on tiger adoption, Delhi-based Ajmera Charitable Trust has adopted tiger Deepak in Ludhiana Zoo for one year. The trust’s managing trustee, Kishor K Ajmera, visited the zoo on Friday, and gave a check of Rs2.06 lakh to zoo officials. By adopting the tiger, the trust will sponsor the tiger’s feed for one year, which costs Rs17,000 a month.
Ajmera said: “I have a lottery business in Ludhiana in association with the Punjab state government, because of which I keep visiting the city. Two months ago, when I came to the city, I was staying in a hotel where I read a TOI news report on tiger adoption in Ludhiana. I was fascinated by it, as I did not know that even a tiger could be adopted. Then, I went back to Delhi. Meanwhile, I asked local employees to enquire about the system of adoption. I’m a nature lover and felt delighted to visit the Ludhiana Zoo. I have adopted the tiger Deepak for one year. I am also planning to adopt a tiger for a lifetime. I feel people should come forward to adopt animals.”

Wildlife divisional forest officer (DFO) Khushwinder Singh said: “I really appreciate Ajmera’s effort in adopting Deepak. His compassion towards wild animals is inspiring. Our new principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) Kuldeep Kumar has specially asked us to encourage the adoption of animals. We are also planning to create a Facebook page to approach people and motivate them to adopt wild animals. People who want to adopt wild animals may approach the local zoo authority. They would be given a free visit to the zoo, and their names prominently displayed there for adopting zoo animals.”