Thursday, April 4, 2013

Heat is causing Gir lions to lose heart.

By D. P. Bhattacharya

The heat is rising and that is bad news for the foresters in Gir who have already seen 70 out of the 411 lions straying out of the core sanctuary area.
With the region staring at water scarcity in the coming months, concerns are being expressed over the well being of the prized animal. Gir, which receives around 1800 mm of rainfall annually, only got about 600 mm last year.
Within the guarded confines of this dry forest, the lions were rescued from near-extinction. A century ago, fewer than 50 remained. Today more than 400 fill the park but they have been wandering into surrounding villages and farmland recently
Within the guarded confines of this dry forest, the lions were rescued from near-extinction. A century ago, fewer than 50 remained. Today more than 400 fill the park but they have been wandering into surrounding villages and farmland recently

A lion rests inside the Gir Sanctuary in the western Indian state of Gujarat, India, where foresters are seeing the lions straying outside the compound to look for water
A lion rests inside the Gir Sanctuary in the western Indian state of Gujarat, India, where foresters are seeing the lions straying outside the compound to look for water
The authorities have already started filling the waterholes in the sanctuary artificially. Apart from tankers, wind and solar powered pumps are being used to fill up the watering holes for the lions. The authorities point out that the beasts prefer flowing water over stagnant holes.
Significantly, as many as 92 lions have died in the sanctuary in the last two years. Though the number is not considered unusual by the government, Gir - with a population of only a little above 400 beasts - being the last home of the Asiatic lion, the deaths cannot be taken casually.
For the time being though, the use of wind and solar powered pumps has allowed foresters to draw water slowly and keep it fresh and flowing, enhancing moisture in the area. "This way the place becomes hospitable for the animals on hot afternoons," said an official.

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