Another ailing Etawah safari lion succumbs
LUCKNOW/KANPUR/AGRA: In a setback to chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s pet project, another ailing Asiatic lion in Etawah lion safari died on Sunday morning.
Vishnu, who was paired with lioness Laxmi (who died on October 30) was suffering from leptospirosis, a rare bacterial infection. “Apparent cause of the death was vital organ-dysfunction. He was ill for the past one-and-half months and his condition deteriorated from November 14,” said principal chief conservator of forest Uttar Pradesh Rupak De.
But what is worrying is the fact vet doctors are still not sure what led to this vital-organ-dysfunction.
“We are not aware what exactly led to Vishnu’s death,” Anil Kumar of Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, from where a team was treating the big cat, told HT over phone.
A post mortem has been done and viscera samples sent to IVRI and Veterinary College, Pantnagar for further examination. Later, in the evening Vishnu was cremated on the premises in the presence of director lion safari, KK Singh, DFO Chambal AK Patel, two veterinarians and other staff.
Both the big cats were brought to Uttar Pradesh from Hyderabad Zoo on April 5, 2013 and then shifted to the Etawah Lion Safari and breeding centre on September 10.
With Vishnu’s death, only six other big cats are now left at the safari. Patel said, “Since September 23, both Laxmi and Vishnu had been suffering from multiple problems. However, after Laxmi’s death, Vishnu showed some signs of improvement. He was weak but taking food. Till November 13, all the veterinarians who were looking after him, including, Dr RJ Singh from Kanpur, Dr Nasir and Dr Kuldeep Diwedi from lion safari, Dr Illayaraja from Agra and other doctors from IVRI, were under the impression that Vishnu was recovering.”
“But in the past two days his condition deteriorated. We gave him a particular diet mixed with medicines and even put him on drip. But like Laxmi, Vishnu also became weak and stopped taking food or water,” Patel said.
On the health of other big cats at the safari, Patel said, “The remaining three pairs are doing fine and have started getting familiar with the place. Their activities in the park have increased.”