Two-month-old Asiatic lion cub reunited with family near Gir forest

(Image for representational purposes only)

Vadodara: A male lion cub was rescued and reunited with his family after he got separated from his pride at a village in Gir Somnath district.

A pride of two lioness and 2-3 cubs ventured into a forest revenue area adjoining the Gir sanctuary, when the two-month-old male Asiatic lion cub got separated. He was found roaming at a field in Juna Ugla village under Una tehsil of Gir Somnath district on Monday night, Range Forest Officer J G Pandya said.

"Since an abandoned cub might not survive, our team, without any delay, decided to locate his mother and visited around five nearby villages after learning about a pride of lions seen roaming in the area," he said.

Forest officials were initially in a fix as to how to reunite the cub with his family.

"Usually in such situations, the cub is left to die and is not accepted back by the pride. The female carnivores often kill the cubs if they come in close contact with humans," he said.Later, the forest team reached a site near Kedarnath dam close to Fadsar village and kept the cub there in an open cage, Pandya said.

On Tuesday, after nearly 15 hours of efforts by the team, a lioness came near the cage, sniffed the cub and took him along while disappearing in the adjoining forest, he said.

Gir sanctuary is known far and wide as the only abode of the Asiatic lions.

(With PTI inputs)