A lioness was found dead near Gir Wildlife Sanctuary Thursday, taking the death toll of big cats in the area to 31 since September this year, said an official.

The carcass of a lioness, around 5 to 9 years old, was found in a tur field in Amblash village in Talala taluka of Gir-Somnath district, said chief conservator of forests (Junagadh circle) D T Vasavada.

The farm belonged to Mensibhai Bhola, he added.

"It is around 10 km from Gir Sanctuary. We have sent the carcass for autopsy to ascertain the cause of death," he said.

Earlier, 30 Asiatic lions including cubs had died in and around the Gir forest in the last four months.

The causes ranged from natural death to infighting, pneumonia, Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) and Protozoa infection.

As many as 23 lions died in a short span of three weeks in September alone.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)