A lioness was discovered dead on Thursday in a forested area linked to the Gir landscape near Gariyadhar in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district, forest officials said.

Bhavnagar Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Yogesh Desai confirmed the incident. According to Botad DCF Govindsinh Sarvaiya, the carcass was located during a routine forest patrol near the Shetrunjay River at around 1:30 pm. Officials estimated the lioness to be between five and nine years old.

The carcass was transported to Kankraj for a post-mortem examination. Initial observations indicate that the lioness may have drowned in the swollen river following recent heavy rains, though the exact cause of death will be confirmed after the post-mortem report.

Forest officials noted that the Shetrunjay River is an important natural corridor used by Asiatic lions dispersing across the Gir landscape. The incident adds to a number of lion deaths reported in the region in recent months, attributed to factors such as Babesia infection, rabies, and human-wildlife conflict.