Endangered Asiatic or Indian lions, striped hyaenas, plum-headed parakeets and many other species are awaiting visitors at the India House, which opened in the Budapest Zoo on Wednesday.
Zoo-goers can also learn about the impact of Indian lions on cultural history and other interesting aspects of the fauna of the sub-continent.
The facility was inaugurated by Indian Ambassador to Budapest Gauri Shankar Gupta and Deputy Foreign State Secretary Janos Hovari.
Director-General Miklos Persanyi said that the zoo keeps about 150 Indian animal species. Only a few hundred Indian lions live in the north-western state of Gujarat in India, he added.
Hovari said at the event that the house will strengthen ties between Hungary and India. "The mystical and inscrutable India" has been attracting Hungarians for two centuries, including such famous people as linguist and explorer Sandor Csoma Korosi, Asia-expert Aurel Stein and orientalist Ervin Baktay, he added.
http://www.caboodle.hu/nc/news/news_archive/single_page/article/11/india_house/?cHash=7ccb50174f
