Sewing needle found in Asiatic lioness's stomach in Gujarat

The forest officer on Wednesday removed a sewing needle from an Asiatic lioness after a surgery conducted by doctors of Junagadh veterinary college. Forest officials said that few days back the lioness was spotted in Bhavnagar range forest with abnormal behaviour.

Forest officer said that the lioness was found the wild cat was suffering from "anorexia and frequent unproductive vomition. They said that the lioness was not able to eat or move naturally. The forest guards who spotted them took the wild cat to Sakkarbag Zoo veterinary hospital and was examined.

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Officials said that "after a thorough examination of oral cavity and external body surface, we suspected it to be a case of foreign body ingestion. We have taken thoracic and abdominal x-ray and found a radio-opaque linear body inside the stomach."

A release issued by the forest department stated that the doctors tried to find out the object through endoscopy and tried to remove it but couldn't do it since the object had "pierced the stomach wall and protruding into the peritoneum." Officials said they were left with no other option but perform surgery on the lioness.

"Our team with the help of doctors of Junagadh veterinary college undertook the operation and removed the object which was found to be a long sewing needle," said D T Vasavada, chief conservator of forests, Junagadh circle.

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Five lionesses deliver 17 cubs in a week

Meanwhile, at Sakkarbag zoo, a lioness gave birth to six cubs on Wednesday, while another one delivered two cubs. Vasavada said that in the past eight days five lionesses have given birth to a total of 17 cubs and they all are healthy. He added said that giving birth to six cubs by a single lioness is a rare occurrence.