Gujarat lost 62 Asiatic lions including 28 cubs to disease
Gujarat lost 62 Asiatic lions between August 2025 and July 2026, including 17 males, 17 females, and 28 cubs, died of various diseases.
Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia shared the numbers in the assembly, highlighting how disease remains a big challenge for the region's lions.
Gujarat government expands lion health measures
Postmortems showed that issues like septicemia, pneumonia, kidney failure, and roundworm infestations were behind many losses.
To help protect these rare lions, the government is stepping up: blood samples from lions are collected and sent to laboratories for analysis, deworming and tick removal, livestock vaccination near lion habitats, medical facilities at rescue centers, and even a "lion ambulance" for emergencies.
Officials are also keeping a close eye on lion movements to support conservation efforts, especially since there are just 891 left according to last year's census.