Odishatv Bureau
Bhubaneswar: One seven-year-old lion named Kunal today died in the Nandankanan Zoological Park. The Zoo authorities said that the lion died due to prolonged  illness. However, death of Kunal has again raised questions about the future of the lions in the Nandankanan Zoological Park.

The deceased lion Kunal was under treatment for the last one year due to multiple diseases. Kunal was having liver, pancreatic and intestinal problems. Kunal breathed his last in the zoo today morning.

During the last five years, at least five lions, both males and females, have died in the zoo. The death of Kunal has brought down the lion population in the Nandankanan to 13. These include seven males and six females. Several of them have grown old raising doubts about the future of the lions in the Nandankanan.

In 2009-10, 291 number of animals including birds had died in Nandankana. Sadly the death toll climbed up to 321 in 2010-2011.

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