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The deaths of 8 Asiatic lion cubs successful Gujarat’s Gir forest were caused by heat-related accent and weakened immunity alternatively than immoderate infectious illness outbreak, State Forest Minister Arjun Modhwadia said connected Saturday (June 6, 2026).
The clarification comes days aft wood authorities launched an intensive monitoring and disease-control workout pursuing suspicions that the cubs whitethorn person succumbed to Babesia, a tick-borne parasitic corruption known to impact chaotic animals.
Mr. Modhwadia said investigations had ruled retired Babesia corruption and different viral diseases arsenic the origin of the deaths.
The contented had drawn attraction aft 8 lion cubs died successful Gir Somnath and Amreli districts, prompting authorities to isolate lions wrong a 10-kilometre radius of the affected locations and nonstop biologic samples for investigating astatine the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre successful Gandhinagar.
“The 8 cubs died owed to vigor and the weakness that vigor causes. Those with debased immunity died. The Babesia parasite did not origin it,” the curate said.
According to the Forest Department, the deaths occurred implicit a abbreviated play successful parts of Gir forests, triggering concerns due to the fact that of the region’s past with illness outbreaks among lions. In 2018, a operation of canine distemper microorganism (CDV) and protozoan corruption had killed 11 lions wrong a month, prompting heightened vigilance whenever antithetic mortality is reported.
Following the caller deaths, authorities imposed precautionary measures crossed the affected region. Lions residing wrong a 10-kilometre radius of the locations wherever suspected corruption had been reported were placed nether observation, portion veterinary teams intensified surveillance of the population.
A full of 17 lions showing signs of unwellness were quarantined and treated. “Of the 17 lions which were rather sick and incapable to walk, 12 person already been released into the wild,” Mr. Modhwadia said. “The remaining 5 lions are present steadfast and volition soon beryllium released into their earthy habitat.”
Forest officials undertook extended preventive measures to destruct the anticipation of illness transmission. Around 600 lions successful the surrounding areas underwent deworming and tick-control attraction arsenic portion of a large-scale wellness intervention.
Mr. Modhwadia said determination had been nary caller lion deaths linked to infectious diseases. He noted that 1 lioness had died owed to complications related to pregnancy, portion examinations of different caller lion deaths had not revealed immoderate alarming pathogens.
Babesia is simply a parasite transmitted done ticks and tin origin fever, weakness and anaemia successful infected animals.
The Gir wood scenery remains the world’s lone earthy situation of the Asiatic lion. Once recovered crossed ample parts of Asia, the taxon contiguous survives exclusively successful Gujarat, with its colonisation dispersed crossed Gir National Park and adjoining forest, gross and coastal areas.
