Guj: Lion cub killed in infighting in Gir forest

A two-month-old lion cub was found dead in Gir forest in Gujarat's Amreli district, an official from the forest department said on Tuesday.

The field staff from a reserve forest area spotted the carcass of a cub in the Sarasiya range of the Gir-East division on Monday evening, chief conservator of forests (Junagadh Wildlife Circle) D T Vasavada said.

''Since a lion was spotted with the mother lioness in the area, it was suspected that the cub was killed in infighting. A post-mortem report has confirmed that the cub was killed by the lion,'' Vasavada said.

According to officials, a lion, a lioness, and two cubs have been found dead in different parts of Gir forest and surrounding areas so far this month.

On September 2, a carcass of a 12-year-old lioness was recovered from Jamvala range of Gir-West division, and investigations revealed that the lioness died of old age, the official had said in a statement.

On the same day, a cub, aged around 6 months, drowned after falling into a farm well in a village under the Tulsishyam range of Gir-East division, while a carcass of an adult lion was found from a farm in the same range, it was stated.

As per the last census, the Gir forest and surrounding areas are home to 674 lions.