Heavy rains take a toll of five Asiatic lions in Gujarat

Heavy rains, which caused a flood like situation in Gujarat's Saurashtra region, took a toll of five Asiatic lions in Amreli and Bhavnagar districts, forest officials said here today.
Three lions, including a three-month old female cub, were killed after they drowned following heavy rainfall in Amreli district, while carcases of two other lions were found from Bhavnagar district, forest officials said.
"A forest department team recovered carcasses of two Asiatic lions today, including a five-year-old male lion and a three-month-old female cub from Gagadiyo river at Boringada Vidi village in Liliya taluka here," Amreli district's Deputy Conservator of Forest M R Gujjar told PTI.

"Besides, we also found a carcass of a lioness, aged around six to eight years, from Bavadi village in Liliya taluka of Amreli district yesterday," Gujjar said.
"Carcasses of the lions were sent for postmortem," he said.
Around seven forest department teams, including 35 personnel, have been scanning the entire district to avoid any further casualties and also to study the situation.

Bhavnagar district Deputy Conservator of Forest G S Singh said two lions, who probably fell into the Shetrunji river, were dead.
"We found carcasses of two lions, including a male and a female, from Garajiya village on the banks of Shetrunji river in Palitana taluka of Bhavnagar district today," Singh told PTI.

"The bodies have been sent for postmortem," Singh said.
Heavy rains also took a toll of other wild animals like blue bulls, spotted dears, porcupines and wild boars.
"Forest department team has also found three 'cheetals' (spotted deer), a porcupine and a wild boar from the forest range," he added.
"We have also recovered carcasses of about 150 neelgai (blue bulls) from the Bhavnagar forest range," Singh said.
A Bhavnagar forest department team has been scanning the area, he said.