Monday, November 11, 2013

Five lions back in Gir forest after medical treatment

10-11-2013
Five lions back in Gir forest after medical treatment
Zee News
http://zeenews.india.com/news/eco-news/five-lions-back-in-gir-forest-after-medical-treatment_889048.html

Five lions, including two cubs, were released back into the wild by forest officials near Kotamba in Amreli district, after treating them for various diseases.

"A group of five lions, including a male lion (9), two females and two cubs, were released in the wild on Thursday after they were treated at Jasadhar medical centre," said Deputy Conservator of Forest, Sasan Gir (West), Anshuman Sharma.

He said the big cats were admitted in the centre in the last week of September after forest officials found them attacking cattle and straying into human habitation.

"This group of lions has been suffering due to pains and injuries caused due to various diseases and attacks. They attacked cattle and caused damage to the fields, triggering panic among people," he told PTI today.

Sharma said forest officials initially thought the adult lions were displaying this kind of peculiar behaviour due to mating season, but it turned out that they were suffering from diseases.

"The forest department had set up a ring cage (used in circus) for catching the big cats near Kotamba village. They were shifted to Jasadhar centre which is fully equipped with all necessary gadgets and instruments required for providing medical treatment to them," the officer said.

He said the lions were shifted to an observation centre at Timbarva before they were finally released in the wild.

Sharma said the foresters use electronic gadgets to monitor movement of big cats in the Asia's only habitat at Sasan and to detect if they are suffering from any disease or injured.

"Lions are territorial animals. They do not allow another group of lions to enter into their territory," said Sharma.

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