Asiatic lion dies, UP zoos shut down

Amid a bird flu scare in Uttar Pradesh, 'Pataudi', an adult Asiatic lion from the Gorakhpur zoo, died during treatment at the Kanpur zoo on Thursday, officials said.

The lion born at the Sakkarbaug Zoological Garden in Gujarat's Junagadh had been ailing for the past few weeks. Medical reports revealed severe infections in his liver and pancreas, the officials said.

As his condition deteriorated, Pataudi was shifted to the Kanpur zoo for advanced care under expert veterinary supervision, where he died on Thursday, Gorakhpur zoo director Vikas Yadav said.

Following the recent death of a tigress named 'Shakti' at the Gorakhpur zoo and confirmation of H5 avian influenza virus by the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, on Wednesday, 13 samples from the Gorakhpur zoo were sent to the NIHSAD for testing.

"The virus is highly contagious and can spread from birds to other animals and even humans. Preventive measures are critical," Yadav said.

The zoo staff have been instructed to strictly adhere to all the safety guidelines as part of the ongoing containment efforts, the official said.

Pataudi was transferred to the Etawah Lion Safari from Junagadh on September 26, 2019, and later brought to the Gorakhpur Zoo in February 2021 along with lioness Maryam.

When he was shifted to Gorakhpur, officials said he was around eight years old.