Lions in Etawah safari safe against killer virus

LUCKNOW: Lions in the dream project of outgoing chief minister Akhilesh Yadav are safe against canine distemper virus (CDV). The strain had claimed five lions in the safari in two years and the government had failed to meet its October 2016 deadline to open the safari to visitors. There was an apprehension that the remaining lions could have contracted the virus.
The remaining six lions at the safari, however, have been found to be immune to the deadly virus known to be spreading from stray dogs.The lions have been administered a dose of C-DV Ferret, a vaccine brought from San Diego zoo of the US. The vaccine had been tested on dogs which are the carriers of the virus. The blood samples of the lions treated with the vaccine were sent to IVRI, Bareilly, veterinary university of Mathura and a veterinary institute in Sweden.
"Impact assessment of the vaccine confirmed immunity against the virus in the lions," said PCCF (wildlife) Umendra Sharma.
The side effects of the vaccine, however, are a subject of research. The Akhilesh Yadav government had faced strong criticism after five adult lions died at the safari between October 2014 and November 2016.
The surviving population was given the first dose of the vaccine in July last year and boosters twice each in August and September. Another dose would be administered in July this year.
The Etawah lion safari has seen more deaths than births. Vishnu-Lakshmi, the lion pair, were the first to die due to cardio respiratory failure within a week in October-November 2014. Lioness Tapasya died of low haemoglobin in January 2016. Kuber died four months later of canine distemper virus and so did lioness Grishma in November.
Five cubs born in 2015 also died. In October 2016, lioness Jessica gave birth to two cubs. The two were named Sultan and Simba by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav.