Population of Asiatic lions in Gir increases

Agencies/New DelhiWildlife experts yesterday welcomed census figures showing India’s population of endangered Asiatic lions has increased in the last five years in the western state of Gujarat. Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel said officials counted 523 lions, up 27% from the last census conducted in 2010 in Gir sanctuary, the last habitat for the big cats globally. The census was conducted over five days earlier this month in the 20,000sq km sanctuary and surrounding forest lands. “There are 109 male lions, 201 females and 213 cubs in the Gir sanctuary and nearby forest areas of Junagadh district,” Patel said on Sunday. Importantly, there has been a significant increase in lions in adjoining districts outside the protected zones particularly in Amreli district.Forest officials attribute the increase to various factors including improved breeding base.“Factors like rescue, habitat improvement, water management, man-animal conflict mitigation, creating awareness have contributed to increased numbers,” said an official of Gir sanctuary.Officials have said the experts conducting the census used a combination of direct sightings, photographs and GPS tracking technology to document each lion and avoid double counting. Around 2,500 people, including wildlife experts from India’s top universities, participated in the counting process. The last census in 2010 showed 411 lions, up from 359 in 2005. WWF India director Diwakar Sharma welcomed the numbers but said the larger population posed challenges for managing their habitat and conflict with humans. “This is good news on the conservation front but bigger populations in bigger areas increases the challenge of managing land, human and animal conflict,” he said. “There (also) has to be some other place far away from Gir (for lions) so that in a time of catastrophe, we don’t lose the population.” While the increase in the number of Asiatic lions has elated not just the forest department but the state government as well, the biggest challenge lies ahead now - to manage the increased number of lions particularly in non-protected areas.The Gujarat government is fighting a Supreme Court ruling in 2013 for some of the lions to be moved to a wildlife sanctuary in a neighbouring state to ensure their long-term survival in case of disease. The cats are a subspecies of lion which are slightly smaller than their African cousins and have a fold of skin along their bellies. They are a major attraction for tourists to Gujarat. India faces intense international scrutiny over its conservation efforts because it is home to many endangered species, including tigers.