Lion and lioness drown after falling into well in Gujarat:
Amreli, Gujarat:
A lion and a lioness have drowned after falling into an open well at the Gir Forest Department in Gujarat's Amreli district, forest officials said on Saturday.
The large cat, aged 5 to 9, was roaming the area when he fell into a farmer's well in Khambha Taluka's Kotda village on Friday morning, he said, according to Gir (East)'s Deputy Forest Conservator (DCF). He said Rajdeepsinh Zala.
“The farmer informed us as soon as he learned of the incident, but when Forest Service rescue workers arrived on the scene, the animals were drowning. I got it,” said Zara. In 2007-2008, at least 11,748 wells in Gil East Division, covering Amreli and Gil Somnath districts, were protected with parapets to prevent big cats from falling into them, officials said.
“Up to 8,962 wells in Amreli and up to 2,782 wells in Gil Somnath were covered with balustrades. It's a process," said Zara.
A total of 283 lions have died in his two-year period to December 2021, then-Forests Minister Kiritsinh Rana said at parliament last March. Of these, 21 died from unnatural causes, such as falling into wells or being run over by trains or vehicles.
