‘Keshara’ at Safari Park dies due to pneumonia

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama  

The male lion named Keshara at the Ridiyagama Safari Park died due to pneumonia, issues with his heart, and a prolonged period of depression, officials said today.   

Kesara was born in October 2017. His mother lioness died following a wound soon after giving birth to Kesara. Later, Kesara was raised under the care of the workers and a veterinary team.  

The lion died last week, and it was five and a half years old at the time of its death. The postmortem examination of  Kesara reported that the cause of death was due to certain issues with his lungs and heart.  

However, the Director General of the National Zoological Department, Tilak Premakantha, said that the tissue of the lion has been sent to the Peradeniya Animal Hospital for further investigations related to its death.  

• The lion  was five and a half years old at the time of his death