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4th lion cub dies within a week at Etawah Safari Park
Lioness Sona is also under medical observation and has gradually started eating meals. She had not been eating since her delivery.
LUCKNOW A three-day-old lion cub died of choking on Thursday at the Etawah Safari Park, said officials. This is lioness Sona’s fourth cub to die within a week.
“The cub was born on July 9. Around 8.30 am on Thursday, the condition of the cub started deteriorating. There was swelling in its stomach and the cub had difficulty in breathing too. Doctors attending the newborn said that at 11.55 am, the body became still,” said a press briefing issued after the primary investigation by office of the director of the Safari.
Lioness Sona is also under medical observation and has gradually started eating meals. She had not been eating since her delivery. “Breathing issue is stated to be the primary cause of death. A post-mortem examination will reveal further details,” said officials.
Earlier, lioness Sona gave birth to a cub on July 6, three others on July 9, and to a fifth one on July 10. “Experts have said that in first pregnancy of the lioness, the survival is difficult for the cubs and if the number of cubs is more, the chances are even more bleak. In this case, lioness Sona gave birth to five cubs in a period of 100 hours which is not common,” said
Out of five cubs born, three died by July 10. The two cubs who survived were kept in a wooden enclosure that had barrier on all sides and mesh above to allow air to circulate for proper breathing. The cubs were moving inside the cot and trying to open eyes. The cub born on July 10 has survived and is under medical observation. It is being fed artificially.
“The experts from Gujarat were informed about the development and they said that the survival of cubs is difficult in first pregnancy,” said the press statement issued by the director’s office.
The Etawah safari with a perimeter of 8 km is one of the biggest in Asia. It is being established in an area of 350 hectares with a plan for a lion safari, a deer safari, an antelope safari, a bear safari, and a leopard safari.
The entire episode from the birth till till death of cubs is being screened by experts. As this is a rare happening, the case is being studied for lapses in the standard operating procedure. The study may also provide crucial learnings to avoid such deaths in the future.
