Mumbai: Sanjay Gandhi National Park lion Jespa dies of illness

Mumbai: An 11-year-old lion, Jespa, at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Borivali, died of old age on Sunday morning. Jespa was born at SGNP in 2011 and was the cub of Ravindra, who passed away this October.

Jespa was cremated at the park in the afternoon on Sunday.

 According to park officials, Jespa was ill with old age and was suffering from arthritis; his muscles were weak, and he had not been able to move around for the past couple of days. He had even stopped responding to medication, according to park officials. He was also restrained from being released for the lion safari.

An expert from the Mumbai Veterinary Medical College, Dr. Gadhave, conducted a post-mortem on the big cat, which revealed that he died due to organ failure and weakness. which the park administration cremated his body in the afternoon on Sunday at the park.

In 2009, a pair of lions, Ravindra and Shobha, were brought to the park. The pair had three cubs: Gopa, Jespa, and little Shobha. This pride of lions was a tourist attraction for many years. Little Shobha died three years after her birth, while Shobha died in 2014. Gopa died last year, and last-month, 17-year-old Ravindra died in October.

Soon after the entire pride passed away, 11-year-old Jepsa was the only lion left in the park until the arrival of the two new lions this week from Gujarat. According to officials, the new pair of lions will help revive the lion safari in the park, which is one of the main tourist attractions at the SGNP.