Jessica's son Bahubali dies of megacolon, Etawah Lion Safari mourns the loss

Etawah: A tragic news emerged from the Etawah Safari Park as 'Bahubali,' a five-year-and-11-month-old Asiatic lion, succumbed on Tuesday to megacolon, an abnormal dilation of the large intestine, after months of battling the ailment. The majestic big cat, born to lioness 'Jessica' within the confines of Etawah Safari in January 2018, earned its moniker due to its robust health and size. However, despite continuous care and treatment by a dedicated team of expert veterinarians at the Safari Park, Bahubali's health deteriorated, ultimately leading to its demise. Megacolon is an abnormal dilation of the colon that can be categorised as acute, toxic, or chronic.

The Safari administration, as per reports, revealed that Bahubali had been under the constant supervision of wildlife medical experts, receiving treatment not only from the Safari doctors but also from advisors at esteemed institutions like the Mathura Veterinary and the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly. Despite their collective efforts, Bahubali's health had been progressively declining in recent days, marked by a loss of appetite culminating in its passing. The Safari Park authority also informed that the carcass of Bahubali has been sent to IVRI Bareilly for post-mortem analysis and further tests to ascertain the precise cause of death.

This unfortunate event marks another loss for the Etawah Safari, which has witnessed the passing of nine lions, including seven cubs, since 2014. Among them, 'Kesari,' a three-year-old lion suffering from paralysis since April, had also breathed his last at the safari on December 3. Kesari's demise follows the deaths of its parents within the Safari premises – 'Jennifer' on November 10 and 'Manan' on June 13, 2022, after battling skin cancer. Four cubs born to lioness 'Sona' between July 6 and July 10 also passed away adding to the string of unfortunate incidents concerning the Asiatic lion population within the sanctuary. 

(With local reports and agency inputs)