Gandhinagar, May 31 (IANS) Around 500 Asiatic lions across the Gir landscape have undergone deworming as Gujarat’s Forest Department intensifies disease-control measures following a series of lion deaths linked to a suspected infection, Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia said after visiting affected areas on Sunday.

Modhwadia conducted an on-ground review at the Jamwala Rescue Centre, the Babariya forest area and the Jasadhar Animal Care Centre, where veterinary teams are monitoring lions showing signs of illness.

He said 17 lions are currently under observation at different facilities and that no fresh deaths linked to the infection have been reported during the past three days.

“Teams of doctors are continuously working, and in particular, the deworming process has been completed for around 500 lions,” Modhwadia said.

He added that lions and lion prides in surrounding areas are also being kept under observation as a precautionary measure.

According to the minister, forest officials began preventive measures from May 19, well before the issue formally came to light on May 28.

“Although this incident came to notice on the 28th, they had already started taking the necessary preventive measures from the 19th itself. Because of those preventive measures, we can now say that the situation has been brought almost completely under control,” he said.

Modhwadia said eight lion deaths linked to the suspected illness had been recorded earlier, but no additional deaths had occurred over the last three days.

“As I mentioned, it has not increased in the last three days. Earlier, eight deaths had occurred due to this illness. Other than those eight, no additional deaths have been reported so far,” he said.

The deaths were reported from areas outside the protected Gir sanctuary, particularly in Gir Gadhada of Gir Somnath district and the Babariya region of Amreli district.

Forest authorities have isolated lions within a 10-kilometre radius of the affected locations and launched extensive anti-tick and surveillance operations while awaiting laboratory reports.

Samples collected from affected animals have been sent to the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre for confirmation of the exact cause.

Veterinary experts from Junagadh Veterinary College and specialists from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) are assisting in the investigation and treatment efforts.

Preliminary assessments have pointed towards babesiosis, a tick-borne parasitic disease that attacks red blood cells and can cause weakness, respiratory distress and severe illness in animals.

Wildlife authorities are also closely monitoring the situation because Gir experienced a major outbreak in 2018 when a combination of Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) and Babesia infection led to significant lion mortality.

Recent reports have raised concerns about a possible recurrence of the same combination, although official laboratory confirmation is still awaited.

Addressing concerns over the situation, Modhwadia said there was currently “no cause for concern” and credited forest officials, veterinarians and field staff for their rapid response.

“Our Forest Department officers and staff possess expertise that can guide not only India but the entire world. In addition, a team from IVRI has also joined to assist us. Their doctors are helping us, and under the present circumstances, there is no reason for concern,” he said.

The minister also praised the efforts of forest personnel working around the clock to protect the species.

“The state government, under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, remains committed to the conservation of Asiatic lions, whose population reached 891 according to the latest state census conducted in 2025. The species survives in the wild only in Gujarat and has expanded beyond Gir into several districts across the Saurashtra region,” he noted.

–IANS

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