Bhubaneswar: A day after Asiatic lioness Riwa gave birth to four cubs at Nandankanan Zoo in Odisha’s capital, two newborns died on Wednesday.
According to sources, the other two cubs are being given special medical treatment. They have been kept inside incubation chambers and are continuously under CCTV surveillance.
Since the lioness became a mother for the first time, she could not tend to the cubs or feed them. Hence, the officials separated the cubs from her and they were taken to a foster care centre five hours after their birth.
While the first cub died shortly after birth, the other one died this morning. “As lioness Riwa became a mother for the first time, the staff is keeping a vigil on her,” Deputy Director Sanjit Kumar told the media.
Riwa had conceived after mating with Asiatic lion Jeet.
With these additions, the total number of lions in Nandankanan has touched 23, which includes 13 Asiatic, an African, seven hybrid, and two cubs.
In a rare case, a lioness in the zoo had given birth to quintuplets in November last year. On January 7, white tigress Rupa gave birth to three cubs in Nandankanan Zoological Park.
