Summary:
Gupta also said that vaccination of livestock in Gir’s protected areas will be taken up in wake of suspicion that some lions might have feasted on cattle that were poisoned. Experts have also suggested that the samples should be sent to Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory. The government announced an in-depth screening of all lions by 64 teams, each consisting of a forester, a two beat guards and one tracker aided by a animal husbandry doctor and veterinary assistant. In all, a 270-member forest force will fan out to detect diseases in big cats and other ailments beginning Monday.“Lions found infected will be rescued and given treatment at any of the six rescue centres,” said Gupta. “After preliminary observation and discussions, the team of central experts have opined that the deaths of 11 lions were due to territorial infighting and infection and not unnatural causes,” Gupta said.Rattled by the string of deaths in just eight days (from September 12 to September 19), the government has woken up to take extra measures for conservation of the critically endangered Asiatic lions in found districts - Junagadh, Gir-Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar..