Gir National Park saw four Asiatic lionesses give birth to 11 cubs, said officials on Thursday.
Deputy Conservator of Forest, Gir National Park, Sandeep Kumar said the lionesses had given birth in Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Three lionesses gave birth to three cubs each while the fourth one gave birth to two, he added.
"It will take another 15 days for the cubs to open their eyes," the officer said.
"A lioness can feed only three to four cubs at a time. The fact that 4 lioness gave birth to 11 cubs illustrates that Asiatic lions are genetically strong and competent. The forest department continues to play a leading role in biodiversity conservation through dedicated management and support to nature with skill care," Kumar said.
Gir National Park is the last abode of Asiatic Lions in Asia. Ten Asiatic lions had died in recent floods. According to latest census report released in May, the number of Asiatic lions in the sanctuary and its surrounding areas had gone up to 523, an increase of 27% since 2010.