12 Gir lions recover from infection, return to the jungle

Gandhinagar: Eleven Asiatic lions died at the Gir National Park in late May, with several of the deaths suspected to be due to a tick-borne parasitic infestation and related complications.

The Gujarat Forest Department sprang into action, and quarantined 17 lions that had shown symptoms of infection.

After treatment, a dozen of big cats were released back into the wild on Friday, while the remaining five are under observation and "stable."

Gujarat minister for forest and environment Arjun Modhwadia said eight lions died due to disease, and cited infighting and other reasons for the remaining deaths. The situation is "totally under control", he told ET.

The minister assured that there is no threat to the population of Asiatic lions, found only in and around the Gir forest of southwestern Gujarat.

On the lions that are still in quarantine, he said: "We are hoping to release them back to the forest within a day or two."

The primary cause of the deaths is suspected to be babesiosis, a disease caused by microscopic parasites of the Babesia genus that essentially destroy the red blood cells in the host's body.

This reduces the body's immunity and could cause secondary viral infections such as canine distemper and complicate other conditions.

Hot and humid conditions

“Babesiosis is a disease caused by a protozoan parasite which is vector-borne, in this case ticks…Canine distemper on the other hand is an infectious viral disease caused by the canine distemper virus. It is not unusual for babesiosis and canine distemper to act in tandem and this can prove to be deadly,” said wildlife biologist and conservation scientist Ravi Chellam.

Incidents of the lion deaths were reported from the western borders of Amreli and Gir Somnath districts, spanning both the Gir East and Gir West forest divisions.

Eleven lions had died in the same area in 2018 due to canine distemper in 2018. The outbreak is often caused during periods of extreme heat and humidity.

Meanwhile, a pregnant lioness died in Amreli this week, leading to concerns among conservationists. However, forest authorities said its death was caused by pregnancy-related complications.

Minister Modhwadia said the forest department is taking measures to deal with tick infestation in lions as well as cattle in the region.

“We have already carried out de-ticking and deworming on over 600 lions in the area,” he told ET. “We are also working with the state agriculture department, and a massive drive of de-ticking of the cattle in the areas surrounding lion habitations is being undertaken.”

Asked about the threat of infections to the lion population of the state, Modhwadia pointed out that over the years, Asiatic lions had spread across 11 districts of the region and are no longer concentrated only in the Gir sanctuary area.

“Since 1982, efforts were being made to make a second home for the lions in the Barda sanctuary and as of now 24 lions have settled in Barda, which is a great success for us,” the minister said.

The population of lions in Gujarat has grown from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025, according to the 16th Lion Census carried out in 2025. The adult population comprised 196 males and 330 females. The rest were cubs and sub-adults.