Gir Lion Deaths: Reports still awaited on what killed 13 lions

Ahmedabad: More than 10 days after a series of lion deaths shook the Gir landscape, the Gujarat govt is still waiting for laboratory confirmation on what exactly is killing the state’s prized Asiatic lions.

At least 13 lions, including 10 cubs, have died in the past 10 days in parts of Gir Somnath and Amreli districts. While the forest department initially appeared to treat the situation as a suspected outbreak of babesiosis — a tick-borne parasitic disease — conservationists and wildlife disease experts now fear the deaths may involve a far more dangerous combination of canine distemper virus (CDV) and babesiosis.

The delay in identifying the cause has raised uncomfortable questions about the preparedness of the state machinery, especially given Gujarat’s repeated claims of having strengthened wildlife disease monitoring after earlier CDV outbreaks in 2018 and 2020.

Forest minister Arjun Modhwadia on Tuesday said the findings from the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) are expected “in a day or two”, adding that the laboratory was “examining all possibilities”.

GBRC director Snehal Bagthariya confirmed that analysis was ongoing but refused to specify the likely cause of death. “We cannot at the moment mention the cause,” he said.

GBRC, a key laboratory under the state’s Department of Science and Technology, is handling the analysis internally instead of sending samples to the National Institute of Virology in Pune. Sources noted that in previous public health situations, including Covid and Chandipura virus, GBRC contributed to early responses. Some conservationists have raised questions about the pace of communication on preliminary findings.

The absence of official clarity has alarmed wildlife experts, especially because around 17 lions have reportedly been quarantined at Jasadhar and authorities have isolated lions within a 10-km radius of affected zones.

“If the department is still unsure about the cause of death, what exactly are the quarantined lions being treated for?” asked an environmentalist monitoring developments in Gir. “The lack of clarity is creating concern among conservationists.”

Experts note that babesiosis alone rarely causes sudden mass fatalities. The disease generally weakens animals gradually by attacking red blood cells and suppressing immunity. However, if lions weakened by babesiosis are simultaneously exposed to CDV, mortality rates can rise sharply.

What has intensified criticism is that Gujarat’s veterinary infrastructure at Sasan is reportedly equipped to conduct preliminary screening tests such as ELISA, which can detect antibodies within days of infection. Yet, the forest department has not clarified whether such screening was conducted before samples were sent to GBRC.