Etawah Safari Loses one more Lion: Worlld Can't afford to lose Asian Lions; All steps be taken for medical care

The upcoming Lion Safari in Etawah is faced with a gigantic challenge of ensuring survival of the Endangered Asiatic Lions.The death of translocated  lions and their five cubs has ripped open chinks in the Park,'s management which should not lose the rare animals so easily
   Sudden death of A lioness Tapsaya  this week after developing infection within  week of arriving there from Junagadh has jolted the state government driving  it to realize the gravity of situation.
   Total 523 Asiatic Lions are left in the World and India is its only home globally.The African Lions have already been put on the red list.
    The Etawah Safari was given three Lions last week by Gujarat. While Tapsaya died of tick and worm disease, two others Pataudi and Jessica have been moved to breeding centre.At least half a dozen Lions are already there. Authorities feel that breeding programme would be a success 
  Unfortunately, five newly born cubs had died there last year amid wagging tongues that it was an act of negligence on part of those tasked with supervision of such a sensitive venture. Lion safari had started with four pairs of Lions but Vishnu and Laxmi, brought from Hyderabad, died. 
  Tapasaya was the victim of the tick and worm disease and blood platelets depleted at an abnormal level, and all bids by vets from various places like Junagadh,Kanpur zoo, Bareilly could not succeed ,officials said. What is the guarantee that such incident will not take place in future.

Once the reputation goes hay wire, it will be difficult to get lions from Gujarat. Now whole attention must be paid  to breeding programme. At number of places, authorities are vaccinating dogs around such parks to protect the animal from catching infections from the canines. It is a pre mature step here  but all precautions should be taken right now to avoid any more blow.

   Irked over the blow to his pet project, state Chief Minister Akhilesh Yada has removed Principal Forest Conservator (Wild Life) S.K Upadahaya. A committee headed by a retired IAS office V.N. Garg, official sources said, has been constituted to investigate the incident and identify other officials and employees responsible for the laxity in the treatment. 

  Tight lipped officials say their “Tapasaya “, penance, to ensure that the Safari comes in time and the breeding programme of the endangered animal succeeds, has started afresh after death of lioness Tapasya.Mr Upadhays’s removal, sources said, was not solely confined to the Etawah case but to the general up keep of forests and bird sanctuaries was also in question.

The Safari has now four Lions-Manan,Gigo,Kuber and Pataudi while equal number of lionesses –Keer, Kunwari,Girushma and Jessica are also there. The Project was conceived by former Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav in 2005 and hectic efforts are underway to throw open it for tourists by April this year.As State assembly polls are due next year, the project is all set to be launched this year itself.

Right now, there is no programme to translocate more lions here,but full concentration will be on the breeding programme. EarlierLioness Laxmi and Lion Vishnu  had also died here besides cubs death in July and August last year.

 Iit is not the question of Etawah Safari success but lives of the endangered species is matter of concern and guards be lowered  to protect it.