Watch: Lion cub in Nandakanan Zoological Park being hand-reared

A 7-month-old lion cub, Varsha, is being hand-reared in Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar. Hand-rearing refers to an animal/bird being taken care of by a person, rather than its mother. Varsha, along with two other cubs, was abandoned by its mother right after birth. One of Varsha's siblings was born dead, while the other died due to improper nourishment. The authorities waited for some time and then decided to take full responsibility of the cub. Initially, Varsha was not so healthy, but now she seems to enjoy her time with her caretaker. The authorities faced some struggles during the time of COVID, but somehow they managed to care for her responsibly with the help of experts.