India, May 27 -- Five Asiatic lions, including two cubs, have died in the Gir landscape over the last ten days, with no indication of any disease outbreak, forest department officials said.

The deaths were reported from the Gir East and Gir West divisions of Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary. Gujarat forest minister Arjun Modhwadia on Tuesday said two cubs are suspected to have died due to infection linked to Babesia, while the remaining deaths occurred due to fighting or other reasons.

He said the government does not see any large-scale health concern in the region and described the deaths as part of routine mortality in a free-ranging population. Samples from the carcasses have been collected and sent for laboratory testing, he...