Gujarat: 10 more Asiatic lions succumb to infection, death toll hits 21

RAJKOT/AHMEDABAD: Gujarat’s pride is staring at serious existential crisis.


The forest department on Monday confirmed that all 10 Asiatic lions rescued from Dalkhaniya Range in Amreli district following the deaths of 11 big cats have died in the Jasadhar animal care centre. These lions succumbed one after another between September 20 and 30. The death toll since September 12 has now increased to 21. Earlier, 11 lions including cubs were found dead in Dalkhaniya between September 12 and 19.

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However, a scarier revelation is that four of the 11 lions that died between September 12 and 16 were infected with canine distemper virus (CDV). This lethal virus is spread from dogs in the wild. This is the same virus which had wiped out nearly 1,000 lions from Tanzania’s Serengeti Reserve in 1994.



Forests and environment minister Ganpat Vasava told TOI, “Preliminary reports from National Institute of Virology, Pune, have confirmed CDV in four lions. We are awaiting the final report of possible CDV in other lions.”

Y V Jhala, a lion expert from Wildlife Institute of India (WII), said, “I was hoping that the deaths could be due to poisoning. But CDV is extremely serious and it will be very difficult to handle.”

In an official statement, the forest department said that of the total 21 lions, six had died of protozoan infection and four due to some virus.

Experts yet to ascertain virus causing deaths

The cause of deaths were confirmed in the reports of National Institute of Virology, Pune, and Junagadh Veterinary College. However, experts are yet to ascertain which virus is causing the deaths in one particular forest range.

Protozoan infection was caused by ticks, mostly found among dogs in the wild, cattle and even grass.

Chief conservator of forest (CCF), wildlife, D T Vasavada said, “All 21 lions have died in one Sarasiya Vidi (grassland) within the Dalkhaniya range. We are yet to ascertain the reason for infections. A team of experts is on the field but we are yet to get any conclusive reasons.’ Forest department has also evacuated 31 lions from Semardi area near Sarasiya Vidi in Amreli district and shifted them to Jamwala rescue centre as a precaution. They have been kept in isolation to protect them from infections and are under observation. Officials claimed these 31 are healthy and primarily there are no signs of illnesses in them.

With 21 dead and 31 others shifted, the entire Dalkhaniya range sprawling nearly 12,000 hectares has no lion habitation now. Akshay Kumar Saxena, principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF), said that the department has procured poly-valent vaccine which works against several viruses, from the Delhi zoo. The vaccine will be administered to all the rescued lions.