A 2.5 month old lion cub dies in open well

Amreli, 20 September, 2014

A 2.5-month old lion cub today succumbed to death after it fell in an open well. The incident happened near Dhari in Amreli district in Sarasia range of Gir forest.

This is another accidental death of lion this year. Falling in an open well is one of the three major reasons of unnatural deaths of lions. Another two reasons are train/road accidents and electrocution.

In July this year the Gujarat government had admitted that 13 Asiatic lions died due to unnatural causes within last one year in and around the famous Gir Wildlife sanctuary in the state.

Among these, nine deaths were registered in Amreli, three in Junagadh and one in Gir-Somnath. Out of nine deaths registered in Amreli region, four lions died after being run over by trains, two died after they fell in an open well and three lions died in road accidents.

In Junagadh, one lion died after falling in an open well and two died of electric shock. Similarly, one lion in Gir-Somnath region died of electrocution.

As per the 2011 census, there are total 411 lions in the Gir forest, said Vasava while answering another question raised by Dhari MLA Nalin Kotadia. The next census will be carried out in 2015, he said.

Around 114 lions are also found in surrounding areas of Gir forest due to increase in their population.