NEW DELHI: An Asiatic lion cub died at the Delhi Zoo on Thursday, marking the second death among the four cubs born to lioness Mahagauri earlier this week. The cub, a male, was reportedly weak and underweight, and despite efforts by the zoo’s veterinary team, it could not be saved, according to the zoo official.
Zoo officials said the cub appeared visibly weak on Thursday morning and was immediately shifted to the zoo hospital after carefully separating it from the mother.
“The cub was not moving much and appeared dehydrated. It was in critical condition and, despite best efforts, died later in the day,” an official familiar with the matter said.
Delhi Zoo Director Sanjeet Kumar said the cub weighed only around 700 grams and had not been feeding well since Wednesday night.
“We administered supportive therapy and kitten milk replacement formula, but unfortunately, the cub succumbed at around 3 pm,” he said.
One of the remaining cubs is being hand-reared by the veterinary team and is said to be responding
well to care.
“The hand-reared cub has already gained about 150 grams in weight,” Kumar added. The fourth cub is healthy and remains with the mother lioness, Mahagauri. Both are being closely monitored through
CCTV surveillance.
The first cub death occurred on Tuesday, with authorities stating the newborn was underdeveloped. On the same day, the decision was made to shift another cub to the zoo hospital for hand-rearing.
The birth of the four cubs on Sunday to five-year-old Mahagauri and five-year-old Maheshwar was the first successful breeding of Asiatic lions at the Delhi Zoo since 2009.
Mahagauri and Maheshwar were brought to Delhi from Gujarat’s Junagadh in 2021 as young cubs.
Established in 1959, the Delhi Zoo is home to 95 species of animals and birds. It received its first pair of lions in 1969.