Veera, a lion at Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP), has died. A press release from AAZP said, “We are deeply saddened to share the passing of the lion Veera, a beloved member of our zoo family.” Veera, born on June 30, 2011, at the zoo, was the son of sire Raghav and dam Kavitha. The lion had been housed in the enclosure at AAZP for public display.

As per the press release, Veera had been suffering from hip dysplasia since he was young. He was recumbent for a month and was under intense veterinary care. “Veera was under continuous monitoring by the zoo’s veterinary team. In addition to the dedicated care provided by zoo veterinary team, expert advice was also sought from the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. However, Veera could not respond to the treatment,” the press release said.

Despite the best efforts of AAZP’s veterinary team, Veera passed away in the afternoon of March 28.