5 days ago
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Ahmedabad
The Gujarat Forest Department has intensified disease-control measures successful and astir the Gir scenery aft 8 lion cubs died from suspected Babesia corruption successful Gir Somnath and Amreli districts. Authorities person isolated lions wrong a 10-km radius of the affected areas and launched large-scale tick-removal operations.
Forest Minister Arjun Modhwadia said connected Friday (May 29, 2026) that the suspected corruption had been reported from gross areas extracurricular the Gir sanctuary, peculiarly successful Gir Gadhada successful Gir Somnath territory and Babra Kot successful Amreli district.
“In the suspected Babesia-related cases, 8 cub deaths person travel to light,” Mr. Modhwadia said.
Babesia is simply a parasitic illness transmitted done ticks and tin origin weakness, fever, coughing and nasal discharge successful infected animals. Officials said the corruption is being treated arsenic a imaginable menace due to the fact that of the anticipation of accelerated transmission among lions successful the unfastened wood and adjoining gross areas.
The deaths triggered a bid of containment measures by the Forest Department, including isolation of lions successful the affected zones, aesculapian surveillance and exigency rescue preparedness astatine the lion infirmary successful Sasan.
“Currently, doctors from Junagadh Veterinary College, moving successful collaboration with frontline staff, person isolated the lions wrong the 10-kilometre portion to forestall the imaginable dispersed of immoderate virus,” Mr. Modhwadia said.
Veterinary teams person collected samples from the dormant cubs and sent them to the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre for examination. The reports are expected wrong the adjacent 3 to 4 days and are apt to corroborate whether the deaths were caused by Babesia infection.
Officials said nary caller deaths linked to the suspected corruption had been reported implicit the past 2 days.
The contented was reviewed astatine a high-level gathering convened by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel successful Gandhinagar connected Wednesday (May 27, 2026). During the meeting, officials informed the Chief Minister that 4 lion cubs had died owed to suspected corruption and 17 lions had been isolated arsenic a preventive measurement successful presumption of the imaginable dispersed of disease.
According to Mr. Modhwadia, guidance was besides being received straight from the Prime Minister’s Office, portion elder officials were directed to guarantee each preventive and aesculapian arrangements were successful place.
“As the deaths are astir apt owed to Babesia infection, which is transmitted by ticks, tick-removal operations are being conducted some wrong Gir Sanctuary and successful surrounding areas, alongside the implementation of different indispensable precautionary measures,” the curate said.
The Forest Department said nary of the lions presently admitted to the lion infirmary astatine Sasan had shown signs of infection. However, it added that each exigency protocols had been activated successful anticipation of immoderate escalation.
“Medical and logistical arrangements person been strengthened astatine the hospital. If immoderate lion is recovered affected by Babesia, a fleet is acceptable to rescue it connected an contiguous basis,” the section said successful a statement.
Officials said cages, nets, rescue vehicles and different instrumentality had been kept acceptable for accelerated effect operations. Tranquiliser guns and dosage protocols had besides been prepared to safely seizure and transport infected lions for treatment.
“The latest instrumentality is disposable successful the hospital’s precocious laboratory for reporting and diagnosis of the lion,” the section said.
Earlier this week, Mr. Modhwadia had stated that 2 lion cubs had died owed to suspected Babesia infection, portion 3 different lions had died separately owed to earthy causes and infighting.
The latest deaths person revived concerns implicit illness outbreaks among Asiatic lions successful Gujarat. In 2018, 11 lions died wrong a period owed to a operation of canine distemper microorganism and protozoal infection, prompting extended disease-monitoring measures successful the Gir landscape.
The Gir wood and surrounding regions are the world’s lone earthy situation of Asiatic lions. According to the past census conducted successful 2025, Gujarat has a colonisation of 891 Asiatic lions dispersed crossed Gir and adjoining districts.
