One of the two cubs which were born at the lion Safari to lioness Heer has died. A senior forest official while confirming the news said that samples have also been sent to the IVRI at Bareilly on Monday.
“One of the cubs have died and the samples have been sent to IVRI Bareilly today. The other cub is under care of the Vets” said a senior forest official.Incidentally forest department officials remained tight lipped over the issue with the lion Safari being the pet project of the Chief Minister.
“The survival rate of the cubs is very low probably because they all come from the same ancestors through inbreeding. Their survival rate is also very poor in the wildlife conditions other than the captivated conditions” he said.
The lion Safari was a major project of the Samajwadi Party Government and much hope had been pinned on the birth of these cubs. ‘The cubs and the mothers are watched through the close circuit televisions and it is difficult to monitor them because they sometimes move out of range” he said. The death of the cub has been a major blow to the project. Previously a pair Asiatic lions which had been brought to the lion Safari had also died. On being asked if the deaths were an indication that the area was not suited for lions, the official said, “This is not so. There could have been other reasons for the death of the cub” he pointed out.