Bengaluru, May 24 (IANS): A city-based tech startup has adopted a 4-month-old lion cub in Bengaluru Zoo, an official said on Saturday.

"The technology startup has come forward to support our efforts in ex-situ conservation by adopting the cub born to lioness Sana and lion Shankar," Bengaluru Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBBP) Executive Director Vanashree Vipin Singh told IANS.

Ex-situ conservation of animals involves maintaining and breeding animals away from their native habitats, such as a zoo or other similar settings.

The startup donated Rs 1.25 lakh, which includes one-year adoption cost and an additional 25 per cent cost to name the animal.

"In addition to the yearly cost of adoption for one year, 25 per cent of the adoption cost was donated towards naming the animal, which is named as G. Krishna," said Singh.

She said some of the funds will also go towards the welfare of zoo keepers.

Adopting an animal is not new for the fauna loving startup founders who wished to remain anonymous and named the lion cub after a loved one.

"Three years ago in 2017, the startup had adopted a baby hippo and a lion-tailed macaque and also named the hippo back then," said the official.

Another lion cub is waiting for adoption in the city zoo.

Incidentally, Karnataka zoos are witnessing a good number of adoptions, considering Mysuru zoo has pioneered the concept of animal adoption in India.

Besides adoptions, Singh said donations are also eligible for income tax exemption under Section 80 G of IT Act.

BBBP is a unit of Zoo Authority of Karnataka and one of the few places where wilderness is preserved in the vicinity of a city like Bengaluru.