The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has identified the Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) as the culprit behind the lion deaths in Gujarat’s Gir forest. In an unusual move, the ICMR has disregarded advice from wildlife biologists and suggested vaccination for the surviving lions to avert additional outbreaks. Lab tests indicate that four out of 23 lions suffered from CDV, while ten others contracted Babesia protozoa, a tick parasite infection. The ICMR also suggests multiple sanctuaries for the animals to reduce further risk.
The Role of Canine Distemper Virus in Lion Deaths
The destructive connection between CDV and potential epidemics is not new information; as early as 1994, almost a third of the lion population in East Africa’s Serengeti-Mara ecosystem either perished or vanished. A similar trend seems to be cropping up in Gujarat, with the forest department confirming CDV transmission from dogs to lions.
Relocation of Lions: A Key Issue
The latest lion census from 2015 recorded 523 lions in Gujarat, a 27% increase from the 2010 census, with a significant proportion of these living outside protected areas, hence susceptible to viruses. Factors such as limited wildlife within the park’s environs, lions’ increasing reliance on domestic cattle, congestion, and rapid urbanization are touted as reasons for CDV’s spread. Consequently, greater local community support is needed for effective conservation efforts.
The Threat of Genetic Diversity and Catastrophe
Genetic diversity also plays a role; if a species endures a “bottleneck”, it becomes more susceptible to disease. The population faces other threats like forest fires or extreme weather events.
The Silent Terror of Highly Contagious Viruses
A 2007 Gir lion tissue analysis by the Center for Animal Disease Research and Diagnosis (CADRAD) and Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) revealed the presence of the highly contagious peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), which has a fatality chance of 80-100%.
The Legality of Relocation
In 1990, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) suggested creating an additional wild population of Asiatic lions for species preservation against potential catastrophes in Gujarat’s Gir National Park. However, this was met with resistance from the Gujarat government due to concerns about co-existing with tigers, inadequate prey density, and climate differences between Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Canine Distemper Virus and Its Impact
CDV is renowned for causing serious infections in dogs’ respiratory, gastrointestinal, respiratory and central nervous systems, including the conjunctival membranes of the eye, and also affects wild carnivores like wolves, foxes, raccoons, red pandas, ferrets, hyenas, tigers, and lions. The virus’s prevalence and diversity in India’s wildlife remain under-studied. Lions are more at risk than tigers due to their social nature compared to the more territorial tigers. Infections often occur when dogs consume parts of the lions’ prey, infecting it with CDV, which the lion contracts upon returning to finish its meal.