Asiatic lion cub deaths in Gir trigger official Babesia suspicion
India
Eight Asiatic lion cubs have died in Gir, sparking urgent action from Gujarat's Forest Department.
The Prime Minister's Office and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel are closely monitoring things, as officials suspect Babesia, a tick-borne parasite, is behind the outbreak.
Lions within 10-km isolated and de-ticked
All free-ranging lions within a 10-kilometre radius of the affected Gir Gadhada and Babaria forest ranges have been isolated, and expert teams are checking their health while launching a big de-ticking campaign.
Samples from the cubs were sent for lab tests, and ground inspections are underway.
Good news: no new deaths have been reported in the last 48 hours, so efforts seem to be working.