Kanpur: Ajay, the lion, passed away at the Kanpur Zoo on Wednesday. Zoo director Kanhaiya Patel said that Ajay had ceased eating and drinking since Tuesday, prompting the decision to initiate treatment on Wednesday.
On Wednesday morning, the keeper alerted Veterinarian Dr Nasir that Ajay had vomited blood. Consequently, the medical team began treatment for the lion. Dr Nasir noted that the lion was experiencing dizziness and rapid breathing.
In response to these symptoms, Dr Nasir administered a strength injection and provided glucose to Ajay. Shortly thereafter, he managed to stand in its cage but subsequently collapsed and died.
Following his passing, a post-mortem examination revealed a tumour the size of a tennis ball in his left lung. The veterinary team collected blood and tumour samples, which were sent to IVRI Bareilly for further analysis. Dr. Nasir stated that the lion died on Wednesday at the age of 18 years, 3 months, and 2 days at the Kanpur Zoo.
Dr. Nasir also mentioned that Ajay was born in March 2008 at Nandan Kanan Zoo in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, and was transferred to Kanpur Zoo on December 11, 2016. Ajay lived contentedly with the lioness Nandini, and together they had three cubs in 2017, named Uma, Shankar, and Sundari. While Uma and Shankar remain at the Kanpur Zoo, Sundari resides at the Tirupati Zoo. The death of lion Ajay has cast a pall of gloom over the Kanpur Zoo.
Dr. Nasir attributed Ajay’s death to the rupture of the tumour in its lung. “The nature of the tumour, whether it was cancerous or not, will only be determined once the report from IVRI Bareilly is received,” he said.
