Mumbai lion found infected by sores & partial paralysed

Nagpur: Bharat, the four-year-old Asiatic lion shifted from Mumbai to Nagpur's Gorewada Wildlife Rescue Centre last week, is suffering from deep bed sores on both hips, partial paralysis, and a positive test for trypanosoma infection, officials said on Tuesday.Veterinary officers examining the animal found puss oozing out of the wounds on both hips. The lion was also found to have suffered hair loss in the abdominal region and was continuously lying on one side. Officials said the animal is weak and under stress, with treatment and monitoring by veterinary officers ongoing.Tests conducted for haemoprotozoan infection returned a positive result for trypanosoma. Molecular investigation for viral diseases is also underway, officials said. Bharat was shifted from Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali, to the Gorewada rescue centre on May 23, following recommendations by the veterinary committee there and orders issued by the chief wildlife warden and principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), Maharashtra.The lion had been brought to Mumbai from Sakkarbaug Zoological Garden in January 2025 under an approved animal exchange programme but failed to show clinical improvement despite prolonged treatment, prompting the transfer to Gorewada.