This is not the first such incident in the area. Just 25 days ago, four weak lion cubs had wandered from the Mines area of Jafrabad Range into the Rajula Range. All were rescued and are still undergoing treatment at the Babarkot Animal Care Center. The deaths come amid growing scrutiny of Gujarat’s handling of lion conservation. Earlier this year, the state government revealed in the Gujarat Assembly that 286 lions including 143 cubs died between January 2023 and December 2024. While most deaths were attributed to natural causes, at least 58 lions and 17 cubs died unnaturally. This comes even as Gujarat celebrates a rise in its lion population. On May 21, 2025, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced that the state is now home to 891 Asiatic lions, up from 674 in 2020, a 32% increase in just five years. However, the rise in cub mortality casts a shadow over the population growth. Officials say investigations are ongoing and results from blood tests will determine whether these recent deaths are isolated or symptomatic of a larger problem.
Source link
