BHUBANESWAR: The Nandankanan Zoo has lost one of the two lion cubs born to lioness Bijili on July 21 due to poor health. The other cub is surviving on reconstituted canine milk and in good health, said zoo officials.
The zoo officials are now taking help from veterinary experts at Gir National Park and Junagadh Zoo for hand-rearing of the lone female cub. Bijili had given birth to three cubs of which one was stillborn while the other two were a male and a female.
Zoo deputy director Sanjeet Kumar said the male cub died on Friday afternoon. “We suspect that insufficient colostrum is the cause of poor health of the male cub. Bijili, who became mother for the first time, was unable to breastfeed the two cubs even after eight hours of their birth, he said.
Finding no other options, the zoo authorities decided to hand rear the cubs. Accordingly, the lioness was tranquilised to collect colostrum for the cubs. However, only around 30 ml colostrum could be collected which the zoo officials said was insufficient.
“It is important for any cub to have sufficient colostrum immediately after its birth to be healthy and to boost immunity. There is no substitute to it,” he said. “We have also sent the sample for test to ascertain the exact cause of the death. This apart, order has been placed for reconstituted feline milk from Kolkata to feed the female cub,” he said.
“We are also constantly monitoring the health of Bijili and continuing with antibiotics and other supplements,” the zoo deputy director said. The zoo had 18 lions after birth of the cubs. The number has come down to 17 now.