Lioness’s ‘pseudo pregnancy’ disappoints authorities

Siliguri: The authorities of Bengal Safari Park are disappointed after discovering that Tanaya, the lioness of the park which was brought from Tripura’s Sepahijala Zoo, is not pregnant despite showing signs of pregnancy for several months.

This false alarm was triggered owing to a phenomenon known as “pseudo pregnancy,” a condition where someone experiences the signs and symptoms of pregnancy but does not have a fetus.

Vijay Kumar, director of the park, said: “Tanaya had a pseudo pregnancy. It is called a false pregnancy in the parlance but we are hopeful that, like tigers, we will be successful in breeding lions in the future.”

Tanaya had arrived in February this year along with her mate, Suraj, at the Bengal Safari Park. Shortly after her arrival, park officials observed significant physical changes in Tanaya. She displayed signs associated with pregnancy, such as increased rest, a slight increase in weight, irritability and a shift in her eating habits.

Given the close bond she had shared with Suraj while in Tripura, these changes led park authorities to believe that Tanaya was likely pregnant, with an expected due date in mid-October. However, as the anticipated date passed with no signs of delivery, the park conducted further examinations and concluded that it was pseudo pregnancy.

Pseudo pregnancies in animals are caused by the release of excess progesterone, which activates a gland called the corpus luteum in the uterus. In domestic animals like dogs and cats, this condition may last around one month but in wild animals, it can extend up to three months. Once progesterone levels drop, the animal’s body gradually returns to its normal state.