Bhubaneswar: After jubilation, it is grief at the Nandankanan Zoo in Odisha capital here as two of the four cubs born to Asiatic lioness Rewa on Tuesday died on Wednesday.
Sources at the zoo said that the other two cubs are being administered special medical treatment and have been kept inside incubation chambers. In addition, they are continuously being monitored via CCTV surveillance.
As Rewa conceived for the first time, the Asiatic lioness was feeble and unable to take care of her newborn cubs or feed them. As a result, officials at the zoo separated the cubs from the mother and took them to a foster care centre.
Riwa gave birth to the cubs after mating with the Asiatic lion Jeet.
The first lion cub died soon after birth, the second one died on Wednesday morning. “This was the first time lioness Rewa became a mother and so the zoo staff is also monitoring her health,” Nandankanan Deputy Director Sanjit Kumar told the media.
With the birth of new cubs, the number of lions in Nandankanan zoo has reached 23, including 13 Asiatic, one African, seven hybrid, and two cubs.
On January 7, white tigress Rupa gave birth to three cubs in Nandankanan Zoological Park. All three tiger cubs are said to be healthy and doing fine.
