Pride and prejudice: Lions kill fifth cub in Gir this year
Times of India By Himanshu Kaushik
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Ahmedabad: In yet another incident of 'adult lions killing cubs', a male cub was found dead in Dhari region on outskirts of Gir sanctuary. This is the fifth such incident since January.
On Tuesday, the forest department received the body of a one-and-a-half-year-old cub, which had been dragged and killed by a male lion. Deputy conservator of forests, MS Raja said, there were two adult male lions and two lionesses with the cub.
It was found dead in the morning with injuries on the neck. Probably, the male lion suspected, the cub was not his offspring, but that of another adult lion. Officials said, the cub could have also been the victim of a territorial fight between the two adult male lions.
In the last week of April, a carcass of an eight-month-old cub was found, which, the foresters suspected, was killed probably because it was interfering with a mating pair. The carcass was found in the farm of Shambhu Prajapati. The male had taken the cub with its jaws and thrown it down breaking its ribs. Officials said a group of 20 lions stay in this area—around Pipalva village near Khambha in Gir (East).
DEATH ROW
MAY
A cub was killed by an adult male in Dhari region probably because it suspecting the cub was not its own, but fathered by another lion in the pride.
APRIL
A carcass of an eight-monthold cub was found. It's suspected it was killed after it disturbed a mating pair.
A two-year-old lion cub was killed by an adult male lion in outskirts of Mekdi village of Savarkundla taluka of the district. Foresters believe, the killing was due to infighting while feasting on a prey. A dead neelgai was also found near the spot.
MARCH
Two lion cubs were found dead on outskirts of Rani village, in Jesar taluka of Bhavnagar district, bordering Gir forest. The cubs were killed by a lion of another pride during a fight.
FEBRUARY
The carcass of a cub was found in Gidardi village forest area in Gir (East). Post-mortem reported natural death.
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