RAJKOT: The reason for deaths of 11 lions in just eight days in Dalkhaniya Range of Gir (east) still remains a mystery.A day after forests minister Ganpat Vasava categorically stated that only three of the 11 lions found dead in Dalkhaniya Range of Gir (east) had died due to infighting, a senior forest and environment department officer claimed that nine big cats had died in the fight over territorial supremacy.Rajiv Gupta, additional chief secretary ( ACS ), forests and environment, told media persons in Junagadh on Sunday that nine lions and died in infighting and postmortem reports of two were awaited.On Saturday, Vasava was circumspect in attributing infighting as the reason for “so many” lion deaths. Gujarat’s head of forest force and principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), wildlife, GK Sinha had also emphasized on infighting as a the cause of the deaths.A team of joint director, wildlife, government of India, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and project scientist of Wildlife Institute of Dehradun visited Dalkhaniya range to study the causes of lion deaths. “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. 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. Experts have also suggested that the samples should be sent to Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory. 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.

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