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Image for the intent of practice only. | Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji
Two lion cubs person died successful Gujarat’s Gir National Park portion owed to a suspected Babesia infection, portion 3 different Asiatic lions died successful abstracted incidents linked to earthy causes and territorial infighting, according to the State Forest Department. Forest Minister Arjun Modhwadia said connected Tuesday (May 26, 2026) that the deaths were isolated cases and determination was nary denotation of immoderate wide illness outbreak successful the Gir landscape, the lone earthy situation of Asiatic lions. Addressing concerns implicit reports of a imaginable viral spread, the Minister clarified that lone 2 deaths had been linked to suspected Babesia infection, portion the remaining fatalities were owed to different causes, including inter-lion conflict. Babesia is simply a tick-borne parasite that tin impact chaotic animals, starring to symptoms specified arsenic weakness and respiratory distress. Officials said veterinary teams person been deployed crossed the wood to show and negociate suspected cases. “The wood section is actively moving connected surveillance, illustration postulation and treatment. Measures are besides being taken to power tick infestations among chaotic animals,” the Minister said, adding that the concern was nether power and did not warrant nationalist concern. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Head of Forest Force (additional charge) Jaipal Singh said the deaths were portion of earthy ecological dynamics and not indicative of immoderate abnormal trend. He noted that endurance rates among cubs successful the chaotic are typically low, though enhanced monitoring and veterinary involution person helped trim mortality successful caller years. According to him, the 2 cubs that died were precise young and located astatine antithetic sites wrong Gir. Mr. Singh further said 1 lion died owed to infighting, portion 2 others succumbed to earthy causes, reiterating that determination was nary grounds of an epidemic oregon illness outbreak. He added that specified incidents tin hap due to the fact that of debased immunity among cubs and earthy pressures wrong the ecosystem. Gujarat had earlier witnessed a large lion mortality lawsuit successful 2018, erstwhile 11 lions died wrong a period owed to a operation of canine distemper microorganism and protozoal infection. According to the latest census conducted successful 2025, Gujarat is location to 891 Asiatic lions.
Published - May 26, 2026 07:19 p.m. IST
