17 Lions Isolated After 4 Cub Deaths, Massive Surveillance In Gujarat's Gir

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel chaired a high-level review meeting in Gujarat's Gandhinagar on Wednesday to address the recent deaths of four lion cubs in the Gir region. During the session, Principal Secretary of Forest and Environment Dr. Vinod Rao briefed the Chief Minister on the fatalities, which were reported from scattered locations across the sanctuary landscape.

In an immediate response to contain any potential outbreak, the state forest department has isolated seventeen lions from the affected zones, placing them under the round-the-clock supervision of specialized veterinary teams and wildlife officials.

To ensure the safety of the remaining Asiatic lion population, the government has mandated an intensive surveillance drive covering a ten-kilometre radius around the Gir Gadhada and Babariya areas.

Wildlife teams are also conducting extensive daily healthcare monitoring of prides roaming the revenue areas of Amreli and Bhavnagar districts.

Officials reassured the Chief Minister that comprehensive health checks on the monitored lions have not revealed symptoms of any contagious diseases, though detailed daily status reports will continue to be compiled and reviewed closely by top administration.

As part of standard seasonal protocols aligned with the onset of the summer months, the state has accelerated massive medical interventions, including de-ticking operations, for more than 350 lions throughout the broader Gir region.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Jaipal Singh stated that expert veterinarians from Junagadh Veterinary College have been deployed to reinforce the ongoing field monitoring and treatment initiatives.

The high-level meeting concluded with strict directives from the Chief Minister to utilize all available medical resources to safeguard the iconic wildlife population.