JOIN USBorn to 13-year-old lioness, Anu, in the first week of September, the cubs were healthy at birth. But subsequently, one of them died.
Wildlife veterinarian at BBP Dr Chittiappa, who performed the autopsy, said the cub had died of starvation. “We found that there was no residue of mother’s milk in the cub and realised that the mother was not lactating to feed the newborn.”
Three days after the birth of the cubs, the doctors, with the help of animal keepers, managed to separate the remaining cubs from their mother. The starved cubs were given milk supplement, goat milk and saline, but they were so dehydrated that they could not overcome the weakness caused due to starvation.
Normally, among the big cats, the mother is usually agitated during the gestation period and also postpartum. Hence, these animals are quarantined and their enclosures are covered so that they are not disturbed. After the delivery, animal keepers do not touch the cubs as they are under the mother’s care. This is first time that cubs have died of starvation at the BBP.