Three out of the four lion Cubs born to two lioness at the lion Safari were still born as per the post mortem report of the IVRI Bareilly. Incharge of the National Referral Centre on Wildlife at the IVRI Bareilly PROF AK Sharma while talking to “The Pioneer” said that they had sent the postmortem report of the four cubs to the Forest department on Thursday and the findings show that three out of the four cubs born to the two lioness at the lion Safari at Etawah were still born. He said that the institute would take another ten days to find the cause of the death. He also stated that there were no gross abnormalities reported in the four cubs and they were also not premature births.
It may be noted that it was a major blow to the lion safari when four cubs born to two lioness died in quick succession. “We carried out the post mortem of the four cubs and have sent the report to the Forest Department on Thursday. The report states that three out of the four cubs which were born were still born. One only cub had milk in its stomach and lived for one day” he said. Sharma further said that there were no gross abnormalities which were found in the cubs. “There were no gross abnormalities which were found in the cubs. We also found that the cubs were fully mature and full grown, hence not premature births” he said.
The Incharge of the Wildlife Section said that they would be able to give the cause of death of the cubs within ten to fifteen days. “We can only give the cause of death after full investigations were carried out which will take ten to fifteen days. Various departments of the wildlife division are carrying out the investigation” he said. On being asked if the success rate of birth of the lion cubs was low in the captivated condition, the scientist said that it was not the case.
“ One cannot say that the birth of the cubs in the captivated area has a low success rate. There must have been some reason for the cause of the death which will be found when the investigations are carried out. Moreover the lion Safari is not a captivated zoo and it gives the animals the required space” he said.
Sharma said that the IVRI had also given the reports for pregnancy of the two lioness when their breeding proved to be successful. “We had measured the hormonal levels of the lioness to announce the pregnancy. Our team had visited the lion Safari and worked alongside the vets” he said.
Senior forest officials though tight lipped however did state that it was a natural phenomena that the survival rate of the cubs was very less in both the captivated and the wild conditions. “The success rate of the survival of the cubs is much less in both the wild and the captivated conditions. The reason for this is that if the survival rate is good then the bigger animals would hamper the survival of the lower ones in the forest. A substantial number of lions can subdue the lower animals” said a senior forest official.
On being asked whether the area of Etawah was suitable for the lions since six deaths had already taken place at the Safari giving it a major setback, yet another senior forest official said that lions were present in Uttar Pradesh too earlier. “The area is perfectly suited to the lions because Uttar Pradesh had lions earlier. The entire belt from India to Persia had lions” he said. A senior forest official said that there was much that was known in the wildlife area which and hence it was difficult to pinpoint the cause of the deaths. “There is much that lies unknown in the purview of the wildlife and hence one cannot really say what went wrong and where. We are still grappling as far as information in this area of birth of animals is concerned” he said.
The birth of the cubs was vital for the fact that the lion Safari can be opened for the public only when the cubs grow one year old as per the Central Zoo Authority regulations With four cubs dead and the third lioness not pregnant, it will be some time before the project opens for public.