Forestry officials in western India have ordered an inquiry after cricketer Ravindra Jadeja posted several photos on social media of him and his wife posing with endangered Asiatic lions.

Officials from Gujarat state's Gir wildlife sanctuary ordered the probe late Thursday after photos showing the couple in front of a pride of lions during a safari earlier this week went viral.

"The Gir National Park and Sanctuary is a protected area and people are not supposed to get off their vehicle during safari," a chief forest conservator told AFP.

In one of the photos on Instagram, Jadeja is seen smiling and pointing at a pride of big cats resting behind him with a caption "family photo, having good time in Sasan (Gir)".