Junagadh, September 11: ABANDONED by their mother, three lion cubs aged about six months were rescued by foresters and shifted to Sakkarbaug Zoo hospital in Junagadh. Suffering from malnourishment, they have been put under medical observation by zoo officials.

According to foresters, farmer Harjibhai Dhaduk sighted three cubs in his farm on the outskirts of Paniadev village, falling under Sarasia forest range in Gir East forest division. He called the foresters who captured the cubs on Monday. “The cubs were weak due to inadequate nourishment. They were too small to hunt for prey by themselves. So we shifted them to the zoo hospital where they are expected to recover within three-four weeks,” said forest officials.

Zoo superintendent R D Katara says, “The cubs also suffered from dehydration and have been kept under medical observation. We have collected blood samples and dispatched it to Anand veterinary college hospital.”