Gwalior Zoo mourns death of lion

November 29, 2006

ior-Zoo

Employees mourn old lion's death at Gwalior Zoo

By Ashok Pal

Gwalior, Nov.27 (ANI): The death of an old lion in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior

Zoo has cast a pall of gloom on the officials as it was the second death

here within a week.

Most of the employees believe that the 16-year-old lion Raja died due to old

age but they are awaiting the post mortem report to ascertain the actual

cause of the death.

The fact that a four-horned antelope also died three days earlier has

aggravated the tension.

According to Narendra Sharma, a zoo official, the lion had stopped eating

and passed away before the veterinary doctors could attend to him.

" The exact reason behind the death will be known after the PM (Post Mortem)

reports. He was 16 years old. He did not eat food Friday night. Though, we

called doctors but he died before anything could be done, " Sharma said.

Gwalior Zoo, has some species of Indian wildlife kept in natural

surroundings. It has become a conservation zoo for Satpura National Park in

Madhya Pradesh.

Asiatic lions are found only in India and, at present, there are about 300

of them in the Gir national park in Gujarat.

Unlike the tiger, which prefers dense forests with adequate cover, the lion

inhabits the scrub-type deciduous forests and open habitats.

In the mid-20th century their number was less than 15, as the Maharajas and

princes for whom the majestic animal was the most coveted game vigorously

hunted them.

The population stabilised after a breeding programme was launched in the Gir

sanctuary in the 1960s. (ANI)

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