India's oldest lioness dies in MP zoo

Bhopal, Mar 23: The country's oldest lioness has died of old age-related ailments in a zoo here, officials said today.

The lioness, Rehana (23), died in the Government-run zoo Van Vihar on Mar 21. She was not keeping well for some time following digestive system failure, they said. Rehana was the oldest lioness in Indian zoos, according to the Central Zoo Authority records, a Van Vihar official said.

The lioness was brought from Indore zoo to Van Vihar in Feb 1992 as four-year-old, the officials said. With Rehana' death, the lion population in Van Vihar has come down to 14.

PTI