Gir forest in Gujarat is the exclusive home of Asiatic Lion. Once seen as threatened by extinction, their numbers have now increased to an estimated 674 – 29% higher than the 2015 population.
Year | No. of Lions |
1990 | 284 |
1995 | 304 |
2001 | 327 |
2005 | 359 |
2010 | 411 |
2015 | 523 |
2020 | 674 |
Moreover, the distribution of the lions expanded from 22,000 sq. km in 2015 to 30,000 sq. km in 2020. As per Forest Department data, there are 161 male, 260 female, 45 sub-adult male, 49 sub-adult female, 22 unidentified and 137 cubs. Experts said the male-female ratio was healthy in the Gir region with 161 males vs 260 females.
The increase in population is the result of strategies and interventions like community participation, use of technology, habitat management and increase in prey base, human-lion conflict mitigation and healthcare including import of vaccines after some lions were infected with Canine Distemper Virus (CDV).
This year, the department carried out a “population estimation exercise” on the night of June 5-6 because the five-yearly regular census in May could not be held due to COVID-19. In October 2018, Gir witnessed an outbreak of CDV in which 36 lions died. The Prime Minister had then directed the State authorities to import vaccines.
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