A 23-year-old lion, named laxman, died at the Nandankanan Zoological Park here because of old age. It was said to be one of the oldest members of the zoo.
Sources said laxman was sick for the last couple of weeks and did not touch food in the last couple of days. The animal died in its enclosure at around 3.30 pm on Tuesday.
Born in 1994, laxman was one of the major attractions for the visitors along with other big cats at the zoo. With its death, the lion population at the zoo has now come down to 14 with six males, seven females and a cub.