Ahmedabad: Gujarat Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia on Friday said the health scare affecting lions in the Gir landscape has largely eased, with 12 of the 17 lions kept under quarantine now released into the wild.

In a video message, Modhwadia said the lions were quarantined after the deaths of eight cubs and reports of illness among several animals. However, he did not specify the cause of the outbreak or clarify whether it was linked to Babesia infection, canine distemper virus (CDV), or a combination of both.

According to the minister, the remaining five lions are healthy but continue to be under observation and are expected to be released soon.

The development comes amid concerns over recent lion deaths in the Gir region. A social media post by the office of the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Gir East Division, Dhari, had suggested that CDV may have contributed to the deaths of 10 lion cubs and three adult lions, though the forest department has not officially confirmed the cause.

The post also noted that a healthy pride of five lions was recently sighted near Khapat village, providing some relief to forest officials following the disease scare. DeshGujarat