Guj: Lion carcass found in Gir forest

A carcass of a lion was recovered from Tulsishyam range of Gir forest in Gujarat's Junagadh district, a forest official said on Tuesday. While the exact cause of the animal's death could not be ascertained, preliminary examination of the carcass did not indicate any foul play, the official said.

As many as 21 lions have died in Gir east division in the last three months, chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Junagadh, Dushyant Vasavada said. There was no reason to attribute any of these deaths to canine distemper virus (CDV) that had claimed lives of several lions in 2018, he added. Babesia, CDV and other bacterial infections were responsible for the deaths of 34 lions in September 2018. "I would like to clarify that there is no case of CDV here. In three months, we have recorded 21 deaths. We have also rescued sick lions, but it is routine work for us, Vasavada told media here.

In the last one year, 286 wild animals were rescued and later released in the forest, he added. Last week, the forest department had captured around 14 lions and shifted them to Jasadhar care centre, after some cubs in a pride fell ill.

(Representative Image)