Bhavnagar: A lioness was found dead on Thursday in a forest area connected to the Gir landscape near Gariyadhar in Bhavnagar district. Bhavnagar Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Yogesh Desai confirmed the incident.

Botad DCF Govindsinh Sarvaiya said the carcass was spotted during a routine patrol near the Shetrunjay River at around 1:30 pm. The lioness is believed to have been between five and nine years old.

The carcass was shifted to Kankraj for a post-mortem examination. Preliminary findings suggest the lioness may have drowned in the river following the recent heavy rainfall.

Forest officials said the Shetrunjay River serves as a natural corridor for Asiatic lions moving through the Gir landscape. The latest incident comes amid a series of lion deaths in the region in recent months, with causes including the Babesia virus, rabies and human-wildlife conflict. DeshGujarat