Lioness killed by crocodile?

28-03-2011
Lioness killed by crocodile?
Times of India
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?Daily=TOIA&showST=true&login=default&pub=TOI&Enter=true&Skin=TOINEW

Lake, Where Carcass Was Found Floating, Has Crocodiles

A nine-yearold lioness may have been killed in a crocodile attack, suspect forest officials. This is the second big cat to die in the last two days in Khambha, the eastern part of the Gir sanctuary.

On Sunday morning, the forest department found the lioness' carcass. Primary investigation revealed that the lioness could have died due to drowning as the carcass was found floating in the pond. The possibility of poisoning was ruled out as the carcass had not turned black.

R L Meena, conservator of forest said that the recovery of the carcass floating in the lake, which is about 150-metre long reveals, shows that the animal may have drowned. He said that the lake also has some crocodiles; hence, the possibility of a crocodile attack cannot be ruled out. However, only a post-mortem would reveal the exact cause of death.

In a similar incident a lioness was found dead in the same area on Saturday. The officials said that it had died of old age.

Meena, however, added that a major cause of worry for forest department was that same water hole was being used by wild as well as domestic animals. He said that the post-mortem report of a lion revealed that the death was due to infection of worms. "There was large presence of worms in the animal which were commonly found in domestic animals," said Meena. This was only due to sharing of a water hole by the lion and some domestic animals.