Laboratory tests have ruled out canine distemper virus (CDV) and Babesia as the cause of the recent lion death in Gujarat’s Gir district, Gujarat Forest Minister Arjun Modhwadia said on Friday, adding that the government will not deploy CDV vaccine in freely grazing lions at this stage.
“We have tested negative for both Babesia and CDV. There is nothing to worry about on this front,” Modhwadia told HT.
The clarification comes after the deaths of eight lions, including six cubs, between May 22 and 27, raising concerns about a possible outbreak of the disease. Officials said the deaths were linked to seasonal stress, dehydration, natural causes and isolated incidents, with no evidence yet of an outbreak like 2018 involving CDV or babesiosis.
“Right now, it is the opposite season. The cubs are completely dependent on the mother for water, and when water intake is insufficient, it leads to weakness and dehydration, affecting immunity. The mortality rate among lion cubs is also higher than 50%,” Modhwadia said, adding that some deaths may also be due to old age and other natural causes.
A forest official said that one of the lions died due to miscarriage and another due to injuries sustained during internal fighting, adding that the remaining cases were linked to seasonal stress and natural causes.
Modhwadia said there is currently no expert recommendation to vaccinate freely grazing lions. He added: “We have the vaccine, but we will not use it. Our veterinarians in the field have also recommended, at this time, not to give it to lions that graze freely.”
“Tests were conducted on samples collected from all the dead lions and sent to the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Center (GBRC), a state-run laboratory under the Gujarat government and headquartered in Gandhinagar, after initial suspicion of Babesia infection,” he added.
According to state government officials, forestry and veterinary teams are carrying out round-the-clock monitoring, taking measures such as tree removal operations and isolation of lions within a 10-kilometre radius of the affected area.
Chief Conservator of Forests, Jaipal Singh, said that 12 of the 17 lions who were isolated as a precaution have been released back into the wild after recovering, while the rest are in good health and are being monitored for a longer period as a precaution.
The recent deaths initially raised concern about a possible relationship to Babesia. Earlier, on May 26, the minister said that the death of two cubs was suspected due to babesiosis infection.
The vaccine issue has been under discussion since the 2018 outbreak in the Gir region, when CDV and babesiosis killed 24 lions within one month. Following that incident, the Forest Department imported the mongoose fever vaccine for emergency use. Later, the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Center began developing an indigenous CDV vaccine in collaboration with Hester Biosciences.
The population of Asiatic lions in Gujarat, which are found only in the wild in the state, stands at 891 as per the 2025 census. Officials said no cluster of deaths similar to 2018 was observed this time.
