English language news articles from year 2007 plus find out everything about Asiatic Lion and Gir Forest. Latest News, Useful Articles, Links, Photos, Video Clips and Gujarati News of Gir Wildlife Sanctuary (Geer / Gir Forest - Home of Critically Endangered Species Asiatic Lion; Gir Lion; Panthera Leo Persica ; Indian Lion (Local Name 'SAVAJ' / 'SINH' / 'VANRAJ') located in South-Western Gujarat, State of INDIA), Big Cats, Wildlife, Conservation and Environment.
RAJKOT:
The man-lion conflict that was limited to villages on the fringe of Gir
sanctuary area has now come to haunt Savarkundla town in Amreli
district close to the protected forests, the abode of the endangered
Asiatic lion. A 60-year-old shepherd, Madha Vaghela, was attacked by a
lioness near Devla gate on Chalala Road on the outskirts of Savarkundla
town on Saturday.
Vaghela was attacked by the lioness,
accompanied by two sub-adult cubs, when he was walking with his herd of
sheep. Forest officials said that Vaghela could never have imagined that
he would become victim of lion attack as the area where the incident
took place is surrounded by diamond polishing units and farm land which
fall under the Savarkundla Municipality limits.
On
August 1, a lion had preyed upon a cow in Khodiyar Park society of the
town. This second incident of lion attack within the limits of
Savakundla town has raised concerns among locals, especially those
residing in the fringe areas of the town.
Forest department sources said that around 10 lions have been spotted recently in the periphery of Savarkundla.
Top Comment
Pay attention sir ( Minister of Forest and environment)Rajiv Gandhi
Locals
had spotted the lioness with her two cubs fleeing after attacking
Vaghela. He was rushed to the civil hospital where his condition was
said to be critical.
In
July, a pride of three lionesses and cubs had ventured nearly 3.5 km
inside Junagadh on a four-lane road in ward No. 1 of the municipal
corporation. This was the first instance of lions venturing into urban
areas. The last count of lions had put the official figure at 523,
though the number is believed to be much higher. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/Lioness-attacks-man-in-Savarkundla-town/articleshow/53893216.cms
Apart from rosy pelicans (in picture), Mysuru zoo has received a pair of
swamp deer and a female stripped hyena from Lucknow zoo under an
exchange programme.— PHOTO: M.A.SRIRAM
People visiting the famous Mysuru zoo will get to see
new animals and birds as the zoo has received fresh pedigree from the
zoo in Lucknow in a bid to prevent inbreeding.
A pair
of swamp deer, four pairs of rosy pelicans, and a female stripped hyena
arrived here recently from Lucknow under an exchange programme.
In return, Mysuru zoo sent a pair of black swans, a pair of silver pheasants, and two pairs of hog deers to Lucknow zoo.
Mysuru zoo Executive Director K. Kamala told
The Hindu
that the animals and birds arrived here on August 13 and are quarantined.
“All of them have been exhibited,” she said.
This exchange is meant for adding new bloodline since the zoo here is already home to such animals and birds.
“We
have three male and eight female hyenas. We also have a swamp deer. The
new bloodline will discontinue inbreeding and result in fresh stock of
animals and birds,” she said, adding that inbreeding may also result in
diseases.
Renitha,
a lioness from Sakkarbaug zoo in Junagadh in Gujarat, which arrived
here under an exchange programme recently, will be displayed to visitors
from Wednesday, she said.
Mysuru zoo gave a pair of black swans, two Indian grey wolves and a pair of sun conure birds to Sakkarbaug zoo.
Sakkarbaug
zoo is known for breeding Asiatic lions— an endangered species found
only in Gir forest in Gujarat— and later releasing them into Gir forest.
Five years ago, Mysuru zoo received a pair of lions from Sakkarbaug
zoo.
Mysuru zoo had Asiatic lions in 1989 but they
could not breed. Rakshitha and Darshan, both of whom were cross-bred,
are the two other lions in Mysuru zoo. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/mysuru-zoo-gets-new-additions-from-lucknow-under-exchange-programme/article9016597.ece
Even as the city zoo’s efforts to bring in a pair of
Himalayan bears from Nagaland continue, it is setting its sights higher
to bring in some ‘star’ animals from abroad.
Giraffe,
zebra, white lion, and black jaguar are the animals the zoo is looking
to bring over from Africa. The proposal has the State government’s
backing, but sanction from the Central Zoo Authority and the Union
Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change is needed before
other procedures get under way.
Also on the cards is
acquisition of an Asiatic lion from Hyderabad. The lions at the zoo here
are a hybrid of African and Asian, but the zoo is looking to bring in a
pure Asiatic lion. A decision on this is expected at a meeting of the
CZA the coming week.
The meeting is also likely to
give the green signal to a proposal to bring white peacocks and
reticulated python from the Vandalur zoo in Chennai.
The
Himalayan bears will take another month to arrive, Zoo Director K.
Gangadharan said. “We need to book an SLR coach to bring them here.
Papers have been sent to Southern Railway in Chennai, and one we get
their go-ahead, the bears can be transported here.”
The plan is to bring them over on the direct train from Dimapur.
At
the zoo, the enclosures of various species are in for an overhaul. The
exotic birds aviary near the zoo hospital, which has been in a bad shape
owing to lack of maintenance, not to mention the onslaught from the
birds themselves, is to get a makeover. The Public Works Department has
been asked by Zoo Superintendent T.V. Anil Kumar to submit a revised
estimate for the enclosure while taking into account better visibility
for visitors. There are also plans for the crocodile and otter
enclosures, besides the one for the Indian bison.
When the zoo does welcome the jaguar, it will need a new enclosure for the animal in keeping with the master plan.
Work on the aquatic aviary is expected to be finished by Onam.
Another
important initiative is greening of the enclosures. “A number of
enclosures look barren. The idea is to have lots of plants and trees to
mimic the natural environment of animals,” zoo officials said. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/zoo-dreams-big-planning-to-bring-in-stars/article9012238.ece
RAJKOT:
In a unique symbolic gesture to send out a message of lion
conservation, hundreds of women from the state sent out 'rakhis' for
Asiatic lions in Sasan Gir on Rakshabandhan!
The scenes at the
office of deputy conservator of forests in Sasan were heartening as
people applied the traditional tilak on a lion poster, performed the
'aarti' and prayed for the protection of Gujarat's pride.
The
forest department had launched this unique programme to bring people
closer to lion conservation. They had invited rakhis from school girls
and women from the across the state for the lions. Officials said the
programme got an overwhelming response as they received large number of
rakhis through posts.
"This year, we decided to celebrate
Rakshabandhan in a unique way and appealed to school girls and women
from across the state to send rakhis for their beloved Asiatic lions.
People in Gujarat are emotionally attached to the Asiatic lions and
their role in the conservation has been remarkable," Ram Ratan Nala,
deputy conservator of forests, wildlife division, Sasan-Gir, told TOI.
The rakhis will now be tied to the cages at Sasan-Gir rescue centre, said Nala.
Nala
said the women can send in rakhis at the deputy conservator's office,
wildlife division at Sasan-Gir village till August 31.
"This
is an attempt to bring people closer to lion conservation in the state
and it will go a long way in their protection," Nala added.
Top Comment
Lalu Prasad Yadav and Azam Khan tied Rakhis to their Buffaloes.Mark Quinn
Earlier,
on the occasion of World Lion Day on August 10, nearly 4 lakh people
from 1,500 villages across Saurashtra had taken out rallies in support
of lion conservation.
According
to the latest census, there are 523 lions which are spread across
Junagadh, Gir-Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts of the Saurashtra
region.
They are picture purr-fect and oh so cute — lion cub triplets born at a wildlife park in Britain.
It was the first litter for rare Asiatic lions Rana and Kanha, who reside at Cotswold Wildlife Park in Oxfordshire.
The three female cubs — Kali, Sita and Sonika — were shown off to the public for the first time at the weekend.
The cubs immediately took to their surroundings, exploring the grassy slopes and nuzzling up to their mother Kanha.
It was also the first time they had met their father Rana and they
took full advantage to practise their roars, which came out as
high-pitched yelps.
The cubs were the first lion triplets born at the park in its 46-year history.
Asiatic lions, also known as Indian lions or Persian lions, are a small subspecies that live in western India.
As of last year, there were just 523 Asiatic lions in the wild.
The WII's is carrying out a longer study on the Kuno habitat to
assess the status of prey, predators, disease prevalence among carnivore
communties, human impacts and people's perceptions to lion
reintroduction.
Even as the ministry of environment and forest drags its feet on
translocating lions from Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh, a Wildlife Institute
of India report has said that the Kuno-Palpur sanctuary in MP has the
potential to support about 40 lions. Bhopal based wildlife activist Ajay
Dube, who has been campaigning for translocation of the lions, obtained
the report under Right to Information Act. Dna has reviewed copies of
the documents.
The WII's is carrying out a longer study on the Kuno habitat to
assess the status of prey, predators, disease prevalence among carnivore
communties, human impacts and people's perceptions to lion
reintroduction. The study is as per directives of the Supreme Court,
which in April 2013, order translocation of lions. The SC's order though
was challenged by Wildlife Conservation Trust, Rajkot.
The WII's report to the ministry of environment, forest and climate
change said that even as they were carrying out a long-tern study, "Lion
reintroduction within the sanctuary part of Kuno (345 sq.km) should not
wait for the completion of the current study since earlier ecological
assessments by WII had already validated the potential of that area to
support about 40 lions."
The report goes on to add, "The current study in concurrence with
the lion reintroduction exercises would serve as a benchmark for
post-release long-term monitoring of lions, prey and other predators and
would be mostly helpful in quantifying social and ecological status of
landscape outside the sanctuary boundary which lions are likely to
explore once the population reaches its carrying capacity of 40 lions
inside the sanctuary after about 15 years."
The translocation of the world's only thriving Asiatic Lion
population from Gir national park in Saurashtra to Kuno in MP has been
at the centre of a raging debate.
Pride of Gujarat
Gujarat, throughout
Narendra Modi's tenure as Chief Minister, made it clear that it was not
willing to part the lions, which is the symbol of Gujarati asmita
(pride) and is firm on this stand. Wildlife biologists and activists on
the other hand have stressed despite the fledgling population, Gir is an
island for lions and reintroducing them in a new habitat will aid
long-term conservation. Last year, stormy rainfall and ensuing floods
killed 10 lions and hundreds of ungulates such as Nilgai. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-kuno-sanctuary-can-support-40-lions-says-expert-report-2245470
Himanshu Kaushik | TNN | Aug 13, 2016, 11.08 AM IST
AHMEDABAD:
Stating that the lion population outside the protected area of Gir
Sanctuary has increased by around 400%, the International Union of
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its latest report for the year 2016 has
raised an alarm that lions in Gujarat are under threat of illegal trade
in body parts similar to that of their counterparts in Africa.
The
IUCN in its report states that "Asia is home to a single contiguous
sub-population in the Indian state of Gujarat. While the population has
stabilized inside the Gir reserve, the socalled 'satellite population'
in the surrounding countryside has expanded by over 400% in the past 21
years."
On the other hand, the report points out that "lion
population in Africa is inferred to have undergone a reduction of
approximately 43% over the past 21 years (approximately three lion
generations, 1993-2014)". Forest minister Ganpat Vasava said the
department will study the IUCN report in depth. "We will initiate
whatever action is best needed for conservation of Asiatic lions which
are the pride of Gujarat."
The Asiatic lion census in 2015 had
shown that there are around 523 lions in Gujarat of which over 168 lions
have moved out in un protected parts of Amreli, Bhavnagar, Gir-Somnath,
Rajkot and Junagadh districts.
Their
actual number is said to be much hig her than the cen sus count. The
1990 census had revealed only 284 lions in Gir and nearby areas, of
which around 250 were in the Gir Sanctuary.
The
IUCN report states that "illegal trade in lion body parts for medicinal
purposes is considered a threat to African lion sub-populations as well
as to the small sub-population in India's Gir forest". The apex
conservation body has stated that there is a need for Africa, India and
other countries to prohibit trade in lion bones and other parts and
products.
CID
(crime) investigations into the case of poaching of the eight lions in
Saurashtra in 2007 had revealed that the poachers gang from Madhya
Pradesh had killed lions for selling skin and bones. Lions have become
targets of poachers as the tiger population is falling. Body parts of
lions and tigers are in great demand in China. There have, however, been
no known cases of lion poaching in Gujarat in the last 10 years. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Poaching-threat-to-lions-outside-Gir-warns-IUCN/articleshow/53682239.cms
Shailendra Tiwari @shailendra_mona | First published: 13 August 2016, 9:19 IST On paper, the process of
bringing Asiatic lions from the Gir forest in Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh
has been continuing for 23 years now. But, till date, not a single lion
has been shifted.
This is despite the fact that the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) is the nodal agency for this transfer.
According
to the Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Anil Madhav Dave,
the MP government has made no such request. The state government, on
its part, claims the latest reminder for the transfer of lions was sent
as late as May 2016. Replying
to a query, Dave had recently told Parliament that the Madhya Pradesh
government had never asked for lions in the first place. However, it is
important to note that Dave's own ministry had started the process of
shifting lions to the state.
History of the plan
The MoEF had started looking for a new abode for the lions of Gir in 1993. Documents accessed by Patrika prove that the ministry wanted to shift some of the lions from Gir to the Kuno wildlife sanctuary in MP.
According
to these documents, the Wild Life Institute of India had initiated a
detailed research on the future of the Gir lions in 1986. The purpose of
this study was to suggest measures for long-term conservation of the
lions.
The idea of shifting Asiatic lions from their only abode in the Gir forest to MP emanated from this research.
In
October 1993, the findings of the research were made public in
Vadodara. It suggested three new locations for the lions, namely the
Darrah-Jawahar Sagar and Sitamata sanctuaries in Rajasthan, and MP's
Kuno wildlife reserve. An expert committee, comprising famous scientists Ravi Chellam
and Justus Joshua, among others, studied the climate of these three
places and found Kuno to be the most appropriate habitat for the lions.
On
24 July 1996, the then-Madhya Pradesh forest secretary wrote a letter
to the MoEF, asking to notify the Kuno sanctuary area as a habitat for
lions. The Central government took four years to give its nod. A 20-year
work plan was chalked out for the relocation of the lions.
As per
the work plan, all the technical issues like area notification were to
be sorted out in the time period between 1995-2000. The actual shifting
of the lions, their research and monitoring were to take place from the
year 2000 to 2005.
On 10 March 2004, the Central government constituted a high-power committee to complete this task in a time bound manner.
Yet, the relocation has not even begun, as of now.
"The
ministry, which is acting as a nodal agency in this matter, is now
asking who has asked for the lions. It is laughable," says social
activist Ajay Dubey.
Ravi Shrivastava, Madhya Pradesh's Principal
Chief Conservator of Forests (Wild Life), sent a reminder to the Union
Ministry on 12 May 12.
Pointing out that 10 Asiatic lions had
died in the Gir forest in July 2015 because of floods, the PCCF stressed
on the urgent need to shift the lions to Madhya Pradesh.
The timeline
1986: The Wild Life Institute of India begins its research on the life and future of the Gir lions.
1993:
Consensus emerges on finding an alternative habitat for lions. Two
sanctuaries in Rajasthan and one in MP are shortlisted, of which MP's
Kuno is finalised as the alternate location.
1995: Madhya Pradesh asks the Centre for the notification of the Kuno sanctuary as a lion habitat.
1996: The MP government sends its proposal to the Central government.
2000: The Central government notifies the Kuno sanctuary as a lion habitat
2004: The Union government forms a high-power committee for the monitoring of the relocation process.
2005: The deadline for relocation of lions passes.
2016:
Union Minister of State MoEF Anil Madhav Dave says in Parliament that
the MP govt never asked for the lions in the first place. Edited by Shreyas Sharmahttp://www.catchnews.com/environment-news/whose-lion-is-it-anyway-23-years-into-plan-not-one-gir-lion-shifted-to-mp-1471013309.html/fullview
Nowadays
specific symbolic days are celebrated in order to increase the awareness
of the public to preserve animal species across the globe. In this
article, I am going to describe briefly the importance of these symbolic
days for the conservation of fauna.
Let us take the August 10, “World Lion Day,” as an example. Lions are
found only in Africa, (Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon,
Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi,
Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa,
South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe),
and India in Asia. Every year those who are interested in conserving
lions celebrate “World Lion Day” to increase awareness about the
necessity of conserving the “king of the jungle.” Unfortunately, the
number of lions is decreasing each minute, and as such they need to be
conserved.
The Persian lion (scientific name: Panthera leo persica – common name:
Asiatic lion) has always been a symbol of greatness, strength, and
courage for Iranians, and that is why we can see the symbolic Persian
lions on the walls of ancient monuments, porcelain, coins, handmade
carpets, jewelry, stamps, and even architecture in Iran. This subspecies
was first seen in Persia in 1826 by an Austrian zoologist, Johann N.
Meyer, and therefore the scientific name of Felis leo persicus was
selected. However, the scientific name was changed to Panthera leo
persica afterwards.
The Persian lion was once distributed across the edge of the
Mediterranean Sea, northern Greece, Turkey, and Iran to the Indian
subcontinent, including the present-day Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
In Iran, the Persian lion was distributed across the forests around the
Karkheh, the Dez, and the Karoon Rivers as well as Masjed Soleyman and
Ramhormoz in Khuzestan, Bushehr, and Kazeroon and Dasht-e Arzhan in
Fars.
The Persian lion’s habitat in Iran used to be grasslands, marshlands,
brush, woodlands, and plains close to the waters. Deer, wild boar,
Persian zebra and Persian fallow deer were the main prey of the Persian
lion. Most unfortunately, this subspecies became extinct in Iran in 1942
due to habitat loss, prey loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.
It turned into an eternal myth in Iran. Today, there are only 523
individuals in the Gir Forest National Park, Gujarat State, India.
It is vital to increase the awareness of the public in order to conserve
the animal species of our planet. Most unfortunately, not only the
Persian lion is being forgotten in Iran, but also the attention towards
other animal species is decreasing every day. Most Iranians do not care
for fauna, and the Department of the Environment (DoE), which is in
charge of preserving Iran’s flora and fauna, has focused only on the
conservation of the Asiatic cheetahs. However, the DoE has been even
unsuccessful in conserving cheetahs as they get killed repeatedly by
poachers or in car accidents, etc.
It is indeed necessary to pay attention to all animal species instead of
paying attention to only one. No one wishes that brown bears, Asiatic
black bears, Persian leopards, Asiatic cheetahs, etc. go extinct in
Iran. Thus, celebrating symbolic days such as “World Lion Day,” which is
missing from Iran’s calendar, could be a great boost to increase public
awareness about the conservation of Iran’s fauna. That is the task that
falls to the DoE.
Hence, I would like to bring this important issue to the attention of
the authorities in charge. Please use the public’s power to preserve
Iran’s fauna. Fauna do not only belong to the current generation. They
also belong to the future generations, and as such they are to be
preserved at any cost. http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/405171/The-need-to-increase-public-awareness-about-preservation-of-fauna
Haidar Naqvi, Hindustan Times, Kanpur, Hindustan Times Updated: Aug 10, 2016 16:49 IST
Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav’s demand in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday for a probe into the death of “his
lions” is now being seen as a desperate attempt to salvage his dream of
making Etawah lion safari an ecotourism hub.
The death of the lions has put the Rs 100-crore lion safari spread
across 150 acres under a severe strain. A few environmentalists and
wildlife experts who do not wish to be named have suggested that the
safari be shut down. It has lost four lions and five cubs since
September 2014.
And there could be more deaths. Another lioness Girishma is now half
paralysed. Experts are calling for euthanasia to end her pain.
“The safari has not been able to tide over the problem of feline
mortality. The government has done everything it can do. It is the
wildlife machinery that is failing the safari,” said Dr Sandeep Paul, a
vet and a whistle-blower.
Dr Paul was the first to point out way back in September 2014 that
the lion named Vishnu had died of canine distemper. He faced ridicule
from top state wildlife officials who felt an outsider had no business
to dispute their findings. Wildlife officials believed that Vishnu died
of leptospira and babesia.
But Dr Paul stood vindicated after the autopsy report of the Indian
Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, confirmed canine
distemper virus (CDV) in Vishnu’s lymph node.
Vishnu’s partner Lakshmi, who died within two weeks of his death, was found CDV positive in brain tissue.
Tapasya and Kuber, the other pair that died this year, also had canine distemper. And Girishma is battling with the same virus.
“They didn’t pay heed in 2014 and when they realised, it was too
late. Now, I fear for Pataudi, Jessica, Kunwari, Gigo and two others,”
said Dr Paul.
Canine distemper virus that spreads through the dogs killed nearly
1,000 lions in Tanzania recently, and wildlife experts believe Asiatic
lions in India are now catching the infection. Some say that Gir, from
where four lions were brought to Etawah, is also not free of the virus.
The deaths have hit the state government’s efforts to open the safari
before the assembly election early next year. The government has
undertaken vaccination of stray dogs on a massive scale and has involved
foreign wildlife experts such as Jonathan Cracknell, director of
Longleat Animal Safari & Adventure Park in England. He is an expert
in infectious disease management. Cracknell visited the Safari in
January this year.
The Etawah lion safari is also in touch with experts at Washington’s Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI).
The government also sent its veterinary and officials from different
zoos to learn how Gir is managing a better survival rate of felines. The
number of lions has risen by 23% at Gir in the last five years. The
survival rate of cubs crossing the age of two years is 35% that is more
than the national average.
Deputy director of the Etawah lion safari, Dr Anil Patel said it was a
unique project that involved rehabilitating lions in a new geographical
area.
“The other lions are hale and hearty and we will make the project a
success,” he said, adding “there are no standard vaccines or cure
available for canine distemper”. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/lion-deaths-threaten-to-unravel-etawah-safari-activists-call-for-closure/story-G2pgynpYKn316H3PAVFlvO.html
While Asiatic big cats are rare, their spiritual importance helped inspire their human neighbors to keep them safe.
By Kristin Hugo
PUBLISHED
African lions get, well, the lion's share of attention—but some would
be surprised to learn there's another subspecies of the big cat in
Asia.
The Asiatic lion
once roamed vast swaths of the Middle East and Asia, but indiscriminate
hunting and killing to protect livestock led to their mass slaughter.By the late 1800s, as few as 10 of the animals remained on Earth.
Like their African kin, Asiatic lions live in prides, and the females
do most of the hunting, taking down prey like antelope. They look much
like their cousins, too, though they tend to be slightly smaller than
African lions and live in forests instead of open grasslands. They also
have a distinctive fold of skin on their stomachs, and their manes are
less plush.
“There’s so few conservation success stories when it comes to carnivores,” says Gitanjali Bhattacharya,
program manager at the Zoological Society of London’s South and Central
Asia programs, “and the Asiatic lion, for me, it’s really a story of
hope. Because you’ve got a population that’s growing, a community that’s
supportive, and the lion is taking back its former range.”
Lionhearted
WatchAsia's Last Lions by Roshan Patel, featured in National Geographic's Short Film Showcase.
The filmmakers created the content presented, and the opinions
expressed are their own, not those of National Geographic Partners.
The people who live around Gir have a deep respect for the lions and
patrol the jungle looking for poachers—though illegal hunting hasn't
been a problem for a long time, says Bhattacharya.
They're "right on top of it, monitoring threats,” she says.
For them, "the lion is beyond an endangered species,” Bhushan Pandya, member of the Gujarat State Board for Wildlife and Asiatic lion conservationist, says by email. “Lion, the king of jungle, is the symbol of strength and power.”
Even so, scientists are concerned that disease or natural disaster
could wipe out the entire Gir population in one fell swoop. Some Asiatic
lions live in zoos worldwide, but there are no plans to release those
animals to build a wild population. (Read: "Lions Approach Extinction in West Africa.")
To avoid this fate, the Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project, an
Indian government initiative, plans to capture some Asiatic lions from
Gir and relocate them to the Palpur-Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary, located in another state. That way, if anything happens to Gir, there will still be lions in Palpur-Kuno.
That plan has proven controversial, however. Though Pandya supports
the idea of translocation, he doesn't think that Palpur-Kuno is a good
place for the lions. There isn't enough prey, poaching gangs may be a
threat, and tigers—potential competitors—already live in the region, he
says.(Read: "Tiger Got Your Goat? Here’s Who to Call.")
Lions
have been celebrated throughout history for their courage and strength.
They once roamed most of Africa and parts of Asia and Europe. Today
they are found only in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, except for one very
small population of Asian lions that survives in India's Gir Forest. The
African lion, pictured here, is listed by the IUCN Red List of
Endangered Species as Vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction in
the wild. Photo courtesy of Svein-Magne Tunli.
After cordially being invited to “pen a post” for National
Geographic’s Cat Watch in honor of World Lion Day #worldlionday, I was
elated; not only because I was asked, but, and in spite of this being
quite the cliché, I absolutely, unequivocally love lions!
Given the number of conservation issues surrounding the animal
kingdom’s noblest of big cats, the first question I asked myself was,
“which lion topic should I focus on?”
Then, after some thought, I found the excitement of writing about my
favorite feline had faded, replaced by a gathering litany of challenges
ready to storm-cloud their way through my mind like some incipient
hurricane.
From one issue to the next, thinking about the king of beasts only
furthered an increasingly dismal outlook on their future.
General prognosis: not good. Are Lions Faring Well?
Wild lions are faring well in certain circumstances. But let’s not
kid ourselves—overall, they aren’t exactly on the winning end of the
conservation stick.
And what’s more, the press revolving around their uncertain fate has
been written and rewritten; thousands of times, thousands of different
ways—all by a veritable who’s who of conservationists and other animal
pundits.
Ergo, I could write at length about the ever growing challenge of
human expansion and land conversion, which continues to deplete much of
the lion’s former range. But you probably already know that.
Likewise, I could devote a page to the deceased Zimbabwe lion whose
name you’re all too familiar with, complete with the debate about the
benefits (or lack thereof) of hunting to conserve wildlife. But despite
it being a critical conversation, you definitely already know about
that!
Finally, I could write an entire article about the dangers humans and
lions pose to one another; that lions stray from reserves from time to
time and make off with a cow, goat, or even injure or kill a person, and
that retaliations from locals can result in the poisoning of an entire
pride.
But once more, you already know that. Protecting Lions Means Asking Relevant Questions A lion cub in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda. Photo by Michael Schwartz
A
lion pushes on through a gritty wind in the Nossob Riverbed, Kalahari
Gemsbok National Park, South Africa. National Geographic photo by Chris
Johns.I soon realized that there were more important questions concerning
lions than merely asking myself what subject was worth highlighting. For
instance, can humans realistically exist in a relative state of balance
with lions? If not, then why not? And if yes, then how?
Not long after jotting those down, another question surfaced in three
slightly different ways: What can we do to further protect lions? What
would I do to protect lions? What would you do to protect lions?
That last question is for the kid living in London, Nairobi, Cairo,
or upstate New York, or perhaps the retiree who’s been reading
similar articles in National Geographic magazines. You may love lions too, but merely loving them won’t save them.
Many conservationists have been working to answer that important
question for quite some time. In some cases there’s been tremendous
success, while for others, abject failure.
The reason I’m asking you, the reader, is because in spite of the
polemics, fundraisers, or social media slogans in support of lions,
we sometimes forget that conserving them means coming up with
actual solutions.
Now that the question has been posed, and not forgetting the
countless number of folks already tirelessly working out how best to
save wild lions, why not try proactively weighing in?
But before doing so, permit me to jot down several common sense essentials that might aid you in in your response. Protecting Lions Means Knowing the Facts
Asiatic lion in India. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Creative Commons.Two
juvenile lions hunting with their pride during early evening in
Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda. Photo by Michael Schwartz.
Why are wild lions in danger? The short answer is habitat loss and
not enough prey, which most conservationists and other researchers
working in the field will verify.
I won’t get into specifics, but if lions are to survive in an
ever-developing world, addressing habitat loss and ensuring a stable
prey base must be the main priority, which also means figuring out how
conserving them can best benefit local communities who rely on land too.
Another issue related to habitat loss is the fact that lions are
a threat to humans and their livestock living near and even outside
of protected areas.
To wit, it’s understandable that many African people don’t want to
foot the bill for lion protection while losing their lives and
livelihoods in the process. Human-wildlife conflict is another
multifaceted problem that must be remedied if lions are to remain.
Then there’s hunting, which many believe is the pièce de résistance
when it comes to dwindling lion numbers. In reality, hunting is more
towards the bottom of the lion’s laundry list of obstacles.
Hunting seems one of the larger problems because it’s drawn more
media attention in recent years than the bigger challenges lions
currently face. The reason, simply put, is that hunting is wildly
contentious since it tugs painfully on many an animal
enthusiast’s heartstrings.
To summarize, the idea of killing an animal to save the species
seems incompatible with conservation to some, though hunters and
other conservationists contest that it greatly offsets habitat
loss; land that aside from being unfit for tourism, could
become livestock pastures or fields of agriculture with more wildlife
being killed in the process if left unmanaged.
I’ll admit that I have mixed feelings about hunting, and there’s
certainly evidence pointing to isolated cases of gross mismanagement,
not to mention the targeting of genetically healthy lions which can lead
to infanticide, none of which casts it in a particularly positive
light.
But emotions aside, wild lions need those who are willing to address hunting holistically.
If lion protection truly needs hunting as one of several measures in
the conservation toolkit, then the evidence will back it up with
verifiable facts. If not, the same applies.
Hunting will no doubt be further addressed at the 17th meeting of the
Conference of the Parties to CITES in Johannesburg, South Africa, this
coming September. Protecting Lions Means Remembering Asiatic Lions
It’s easy to forget that lions once roamed throughout Africa, Europe,
and Asia. This touches on a smaller subspecies of lion more closely
related to the small population living in West Africa.
While wild lions in Africa number somewhere between 25,000 and
30,000, there are only about 523 Asiatic (or Persian) lions left in the
world, all living in India’s 545 square mile Gir Forest National Park.
For these lions, the struggle for survival and real possibility
of extinction goes well beyond the basic difficulties of human-wildlife
conflict and habitat loss.
Changes to their environment through natural events such as
wildfires, infectious diseases, and inbreeding are all very real threats
that could wipe out the entire population in one disastrous blow.
For this subspecies, the difference between life and death is the
continuing efforts to mitigate all of these risks, which includes
growing the population, and most importantly, remembering that their
survival is of equal importance to that of their African brethren.
Lion Guardian Kamunu works to protect lions from poaching and retaliatory killings. Photo by Philip J Briggs.Protecting Lions Means Staying Positive
Negative news and fear-based media seems to define our world
nowadays, a concept I learned when a former professor once dropped the
line, “if it bleeds, it leads.”
While I perish the thought of a world without lions, and while we
shouldn’t sugarcoat the barriers that exist, the ordnance of negative
conservation stories being endlessly fired out into cyberspace can
ironically hurt the cause.
“Unfortunately for many, the task ahead seems too big,” African wildlife filmmaker Kim Wolhuter said in a separate interview.
“We keep feeding people with so much negative about our natural world
they can’t cope. They think their little help just isn’t going to make a
difference. We need to change our approach and be more positive.”
That said, it’s important to be deliberate in counterbalancing the grim news with real stories of success. Take the Lion Guardians for example.
By turning rural Kenyans and Tanzanians from poachers to protectors,
there has been a 90 percent drop in retaliatory lion killings in East
Africa, a number of community rangelands transformed into lion refuges,
and a significant increase in community conservation participation.
Lions have also been reintroduced to Malawi’s Liwonde National Park
and Majete Wildlife Reserve, as well as in Rwanda’s Akagera National
Park, thanks in large part to the continued efforts of African Parks, a
nonprofit organization that deals exclusively with some of the toughest
protected areas on the continent.
From lion-proof bomas (enclosures) for cattle to more active
community involvement, it is these stories that should be amplified,
not only for the betterment of lions, but for the people around the
world standing in solidarity for their continued protection.
Protecting Lions Means Getting Involved
Lionesses at dawn surrounded by dust is looking for the rest of the pride after a failed hunt on buffalo.A lone lioness looks out at a herd of buffalo in Kidepo Valley National Park, Uganda. Photo by Michael SchwartzI started journeying to Africa in early 2005 with high hopes of seeing wild lions in their natural habitat.
Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to see them on every field
visit—from the thorny lowveld of South Africa and the majestic
floodplains of Botswana, to the red-rich Zambezi river valley and the
grassy savannas of Uganda, all the way up to the southernmost border of
South Sudan.
I remember my first encounter—watching a small pride stalking a
giraffe in the early morning hours. Though they didn’t make the kill, it
was their concerted effort that inspired me to start looking at ways in
which I could get more involved in wildlife conservation.
I once came across a quote stating, “everyone wants to eat, but few are willing to hunt,” which is contextually poignant.
Many people find plenty of time to complain about the status of
lions, but what about dropping the criticism and lending a helping
hand instead?
There are a number of ways that anyone interested can help in the conservation of lions—both in Africa and in India.
These include volunteer opportunities (just be sure it’s ethical),
enrolling for science-related degrees that offer the chance of studying
lions in the field, and even chances to work with rural communities on
ways to improve farming and build lion-proof enclosures, which are in
dire need of innovative techniques.
Sometimes it starts by simply offering to help. Who knows where you might end up if you do? Protecting Lions Means Changing Your World View
Though social media is one way of staying connected to lion
conservation efforts, it can also be a sounding board for unnecessary
anger and inertia when it’s reduced to brass tacks.
It is this type of reactionist mentality that can blur the contours
of effective conservation methodology because it fosters more division
with less results.
In reality, most conservation work is extremely complex. The issue of park fences is one key example.
Some conservationists believe that fences around national parks and
game reserves are the best way of keeping lions, rural communities, and
livestock safe. If fences aren’t in place, it invites poachers in, while
opening the door to more instances of human-wildlife conflict.
However, fences can sometimes alter an environment from proper
self-regulation, resulting in species overpopulation, or preventing the
migration of prey animals, both of which could involve culling to
prevent a loss of biodiversity.
The difficulties of such dilemmas aside, what sometimes follows is
hardline stances and factional infighting over issues that desperately
need a united front, both to protect local people, and to preserve
lions.
On a personal note, I’m not afraid to admit that I’ve considered
ideas for protecting lions that lie outside of the conventional norm.
Unfortunately, however, some people seem content with bursts of
outrage and name-calling as ways to advance their ideas for
conservation.
I’m here to tell you that if there is one universal truth to
safeguarding lions, it’s this: hostility and strife are not answers and
never will be.
Don’t misunderstand, civil debates over how best to conserve lions
are absolutely necessary. But don’t forget to keep an open mind too. Who
knows: You might learn something new from someone who has a different
point of view, or they might even learn something from you. What Will You Do for Lions?
You’ve no doubt figured out by now that I haven’t come up with an
answer of my own for how to protect lions. Truthfully, I’m still
thinking it through, and I hope you too have started pondering how best
to meet this goal.
If there’s any encouragement I might be able to offer, it’s this:
lion protection should not be about preventing the inevitable, so much
as it should be about embracing what’s possible, which starts by
having a little faith!
No matter what the circumstances surrounding lions, their plight is
not insoluble, provided we stay informed, stay positive, get involved,
be forward thinking, and never give up!
So, given all that you’ve just read, I ask once more: What would you do to protect lions? What will you do to protect lions?
As someone who has witnessed the good, bad, and ugly sides of lion
conservation firsthand, I encourage you, I implore you, remain hopeful
and be part of the solution. Let your voices be heard.
Better yet, let out a mighty roar!
For further information about World Lion Day and ways you can help, please visit https://worldlionday.com/. Michael Schwartz is a journalist and African
wildlife conservation researcher. With field experience around the
continent since 2005, his passion for Africa’s wildlife is matched by
his compassion for the people who live there. A significant portion of his field work is carried out in Uganda.
#worldlionday http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2016/08/10/world-lion-day-what-would-you-do-to-protect-lions/
Natasha JefferiesThe
new parents are both five years old. Rana arrived at the Park on
Valentine's Day 2013 from a zoological collection in France. Kanha
joined him one year later from Parken Zoo in Sweden.
Both came to the collection as part of the European Breeding
Programme (EEP) and keepers hoped that they would one day produce a
litter of their own. The two formed an instant bond and two years
later, after a gestation period of four months, Kanha gave birth to
three cubs – Kali, Sita and Sonika.
image: http://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276271/binaries/Lioncubs5.jpg
Lionesses
rear their babies in seclusion and often reject them if they are
disturbed so keepers watched the births remotely on CCTV monitors.
For
nearly two months, the triplets lived solely with their mother in the
birthing pen. Rana remained in the neighbouring enclosure but was never
too far from the cubs, often seen by keepers taking a great interest in
his new family.
This week, the cubs were successfully introduced
to their father in the main lion outdoor enclosure. Kanha and Rana are
proving to be exceptional first-time parents and all three boisterous
newborns, sexed as female, are healthy and developing into confident
young cubs.
Curator
of Cotswold Wildlife Park, Jamie Craig, commented: "We have not bred
Lions for many years at Cotswold Wildlife Park so it is an exciting time
for the mammal keepers.
"Our young pair are proving to be
exemplary parents and although there was some trepidation when we
reintroduced the lioness and her cubs to the male, all went without a
hitch and they can now be seen playing happily families in their
enclosure."
Asiatic Lions are one of the world's rarest big cat
species. Wild population numbers have declined drastically over the last
century, almost to the point of extinction.
image: http://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276271/binaries/Lioncubs.jpg Once
found throughout much of South-West Asia, they are now only found in
one isolated area - India's Gir Forest. This region is the sole home to
this subspecies and is considered to be one of the most important
conservation areas in Asia.
This forest has shrunk to less than
half its size since 2000 and Asiatic Lions are considered to be
vulnerable to extinction from unpredictable events, such as an epidemic
or large forest fire.
They are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Cotswold
Wildlife Park and Gardens is open from 10am to 6pm until October.
E-tickets cost £14 for adults or £15 on the gate. For children aged
three to 16 E-tickets for £9.50 or £10 on the gate. Under-threes go
free. http://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/cotswold-wildlife-park-celebrates-birth-of-rare-lion-cub-triplets/story-29601795-detail/story.html
To celebrate the World Lion Day, get to know more about the quirks of the "King of the Jungle." (Photo : Ryan Poplin/Creative Commons/Flickr)
Lions are seriously fierce animals.
Unlike their smaller feline relatives, lions are way bigger, wilder and
untamed. After all, lions can't be called "king of the jungle" if they
are you know, plain and ordinary.
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And to give homage for their strong and royal image, here are some of the most amazing and fascinating facts about lions.
1. Two Kinds of Kings
According to Live Science,
there are two kinds of lions: the Asiatic lions that live in India's
Gir Forest and African lions live in central and southern Africa.
2. Roaring for Communication
If people talk to communicate and to be understood, lions roar to
communicate their position to other prides. A lion's roar is the loudest
of any big cat and can be heard up to 8km away , One Kind Org reports.
ADVERTISEMENT
3. Determining a Lion's Age
World Wildlife Fund reported that the darker the mane, the older the lion.
4. Lions are Fierce, Regardless of Gender
In the world of lions, both male and female lions as are as fierce.
Male lions defend the pride's territory while females are the main
hunters of the pride even though males eat first.
5. Puma an Outcast?
Interestingly, mountain lions (pumas) are in the same family
(Felidae) as Asiatic and African lions, but they are not considered
lions, Live Science reports.
6. Sharp Night Vision
One Kind Org reported
that lions have terrific night vision. They are six times more
sensitive to light than humans. This gives them distinct advantage over
some prey species when hunting at night.
7. Royal Walk
Did you know that a lion's heels don't touch the ground when it walks? Yes, they don't, according to World Wildlife Fund.
8. Bed Buddy
Lions enjoy relaxing and lazing around. They spend 16 to 20 hours each day resting and sleeping, One Kind Org reports.
9. Pride is the Name of the Game
National Geographic reported
that young males eventually leave and establish their own prides by
taking over a group headed by another male. Talk about being
independent.
10. Amazing Leapers
A lion can run for short distances at 50 mph and leap as far as 36 feet, World Wildlife Fund reports.
Lions might be "king of the jungle," but their numbers are seriously declining.
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In fact, in Sasan-Gir National Park in India is primarily created
to protect the last remaining Asiatic lions. There are roughly 350 to
400 lions in that park. According to World Wildlife Fund, the lion was once found throughout Africa, Asia and Europe but now exists only in Africa with one exception.
August 10, 2016,Mysuru, DHNS Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, Mysuru, has added one more Asiatic lion to its collection of animals. Ranita,
a six-year-old female lion arrived here, on Thursday midnight (August
4), from Sakkarbaugh Zoo, Junagadh, Gujarat, on an animal exchange
programme.
According to K Kamala, Deputy Conservator of Forests
and Executive Director of Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, Ranita
is doing well and is kept under quarantine at an enclosure. Ranita will
be released for public view in a week’s time after she recovers from the
long journey.
With the addition of Ranita, the number of lions
has increased to four in the zoo. The zoo already has Asiatic female
lion Gowri and Afro-Asiatic lions Darshan and Rakshitha.
Rajya Sabha MP and RIL group president Parimal Nathwani has launched a
virtual crusade to save Asiatic lions and ensure national animal
status for the lions of Gir
Lion. The word conjures up an image of a wild creature that can
harm human life and livestock. Lions are meant to be in the jungle,
within a wildlife sanctuary like other wild animals. They may be the
chief form of entertainment in circus shows, but they are not allowed to
even reciprocate the applause they get for their performance from the
audience, beyond the cage and ring.
Lions are believed to have
been spotted north of the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the past. They gradually migrated
towards Saurashtra and settled around Gir, in Gujarat, the only place in
the world where Asiatic Lions are found now.
During British
rule, only a dozen lions survived the heinous game of hunting. Later,
the Nawab of Junagarh and subsequently, the Gujarat government, issued
successive directives to punish hunting of lions.
The
mythological and historical significance of this wild creature inspired
Parimal Nathwani, wildlife lover, Rajya Sabha member and group president
of Reliance Industries, to restore the lion to its glory, using his
political and social clout. He has launched a virtual crusade to accord
‘national animal’ status to lions.
Nathwani has always stood
for the cause of protection and survival of lions. Be it in his capacity
as a top honcho of the corporate world or as a member of Parliament
(MP), Nathwani has always upheld the cause of lions. He continues to
press the Union government, both in Parliament and outside, to grant
national animal status to lions through a legislation.
Nathwani
has taken a vow to protect this rare species of the big cat family from
becoming extinct. He contends that no other wild animal in the country
deserves the honour that lions do. The lion has always been the king of
the jungle. Neither the scriptures, nor ancient Indian history could
ignore its importance. The king’s throne, for instance, was called
‘Simhasan’. Simply put, the king’s seat was considered as glorious as
that of a lion.
Even India’s national emblem features four lions
standing back to back —derived from sculptures built by King Ashoka, to
portray the bold face of the nation.
The recent apex court
order to translocate lions from Gir in Gujarat could not dampen
Nathwani’s crusade to protect the lives of Asiatic lions. In his
argument against the Supreme Court’s order to form a committee to
recommend shifting of lions from Gir within six months, Nathwani says
that Gir was the most suitable habitat for lions in the light of its
geographical and environmental location. Moving lions out of Gir could
deter ongoing efforts to save this rare species from extinction.
Nathwani
contends that translocation of animals is never conducive to their
well-being, because the changed environment and habitat is not always
good for their health.
He rules out unfounded apprehensions about
wildfires and epidemics in Gir. He claims that neither forest fires nor
epidemics have occurred in the Gir sanctuary. In the light of the
Supreme Court directive to the Centre forbidding importing cheetahs from
Africa for the Kuna sanctuary, Nathwani has asked the apex court to
also stop translocation of lions from Gir.
Nathwani was appalled
when he learnt of the expenditure on conservation of Asiatic lions in
Gujarat. In reply to a question posed by Nathwani in the Rajya Sabha,
the ministry of environment and forests informed that in the past three
years, Rs 34.39 crore had been released for conservation of Asiatic
lions, while Rs 488.58 crore had been released under Project Tiger.
Nathwani
expressed anguish at the gaping difference. Despite the fact that lions
need more attention for preserving their population, the government
has failed to pay proper attention to their conservation when
sanctioning money for the purpose.
Nathwani has mobilised Rs 1
crore to cover about 1,300 potholes in the Gir enclosure. Potholes,
meant for providing water to animals, were uncovered and small animals
often fell into them and died.
Notwithstanding the criticism
Nathwani has received for his obsessive love for lions, he has braved
on. A section of wildlife activists reacted to his demand to confer
national animal status for lions, saying it was a well-hatched
conspiracy against tigers. In his defence, Nathwani says, “If I support
lions, it does not mean that I hate other animals and I am against the
national animal stature for tigers. I admire the ongoing efforts to save
tigers across the country by the government and different NGOs as well.
But my contention to support lions is that lions are found in a single
state while tigers are found in many states. If we support lions by
giving them the status of national animals, we can protect and promote
this rare wild cat species the way we have done with tigers under
specific sections of the law.”
Nathwani claims, “In fact, on
several occasions, I have taken up the issue of safety and security of
tigers too. Both animals are important to wildlife and need to be
conserved with the best possible efforts. Tigers are found in 17 states
and commendable efforts have been made to conserve them while lions are
found only in Gir of Gujarat. I believe it’s time that lions are
accorded the status of national animals and tigers should now dispense
with the stature, as they have got enough projection over the decades.
Like financial support lent by the Centre under Project Tiger, funds
must be allocated for survival of Asiatic lions too. The government has
spent Rs 488.58 crore under Project Tiger, while Rs 48.71 crore was
spent for conservation of elephants. It has also released a total of Rs
206.09 crore under Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats in the
past three years. But, incidentally, the Centre has sanctioned only Rs
34.39 crore for Gir in the past three years. I propose to declare every
animal as a national animal by rotation after a considerable period of
20 years.”
He substantiates his demand, by pointing to the
growing population of tigers with government support. He adds that a
remarkable increase had been ensured in the population of tigers from
1,411 in 2008 to 1,706 in 2011, with substantial monetary support from
the Centre and that it had now reached 2,226, which was half the world’s
population of tigers. He seeks similar support for the protection of
lions too from the Centre.
Nathwani’s proposal to replace
tigers with lions as the national animal may not evoke a positive
response from pro-tiger activists and those unlikely to accept the lion
in place of the tiger. Nathwani says he would continue his struggle for
the cause of lions, though, and even launch offensives against the
system if necessary. The author is a veteran journalist and has worked for several national dailies, magazines and channels.
This article was published in BW Businessworld issue dated 'Aug. 22, 2016' with cover story titled 'Are Cows, Culture Wars And Dalits Atrocities Derailing Modi’s Economic Agenda?'
Disclaimer: The views expressed in
the article above are those of the authors' and do not necessarily
represent or reflect the views of this publishing house
A top wildlife institute has favoured shifting of
about 40 lions from Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh's Palpur Kuno sanctuary,
which has been delayed by over three years despite a Supreme Court
verdict. By: PTI | New Delhi |
Published: August 7, 2016 2:25 PM
The Madhya Pradesh government has been seeking “immediate” transfer of
Asiatic lions from Gujarat to its Palpur Kuno sanctuary. (Source: IE)
A top wildlife institute has favoured shifting of about 40 lions from
Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh’s Palpur Kuno sanctuary, which has been
delayed by over three years despite a Supreme Court verdict.×
In a project report to the Centre, Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute
of India (WII) has said that lion reintroduction within the sanctuary
would not wait for the completion of an ongoing study since the
institute’s earlier ecological assessment had already validated the
potential of that area to support about 40 lions.
“The current study in concurrence with the lion reintroduction
exercises would serve as a benchmark for post-release long-term
monitoring of lions, prey and other predators and would be mostly
helpful in identifying social and ecological status of the landscape
outside the sanctuary boundary which lions are likely to explore once
the population reaches its carrying capacity of 40 lions inside the
sanctuary after 15 years,” it said.
The report was received in response to an RTI query filed by wildlife activist Ajay Dubey.
The Madhya Pradesh government has been seeking “immediate” transfer of Asiatic lions from Gujarat to its Palpur Kuno sanctuary.
In a recent communication to Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change, the state government has rejected all concerns raised by
the Gujarat administration for not giving lions to it.
“It is a very common sight to see ‘Bagh Dev’ in many of human
settlements in and around tiger reserves of Madhya Pradesh wherein
people give a deity space to the tigers around and adore them.
“Therefore, once the lions are reintroduced at Kuno, the cultural
bondings between the lion and human beings will get established in a
natural way,” the MP government had said, in its reply to the issues
raised by Gujarat.
The reintroduction plan of lions in Madhya Pradesh had faced stiff opposition from Gujarat.
In April 2013, the Supreme Court had ordered shifting of some of
lions to Kuno. The apex court had directed the Environment Ministry to
shift them by October, 2013. However, not a single lion has been shifted
so far.
Palpur Kuno Sanctuary, in Sheopur district of Gwalior division, has
been chosen as the second home for over 500 Asiatic lions in Gir.
In its letter, the MP government cited the 2015 floods in parts of
Amreli Bhavnagar area in Gujarat which “resulted in washing away of more
than 1,600 blue bulls, 90 spotted deer and 10 Asiatic lions. The MP
government requested its Gujarat counterpart to immediately kick off the
execution of Supreme Court’s order without any further delay.
The copy of letter was also received by Dubey in response to another RTI query.
Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Anil
Dave had recently told the Lok Sabha that his ministry had not received
any request for the “immediate” transfer of Asiatic lions from Gujarat
to Madhya Pradesh.
“No request for immediate transfer of Asiatic lions from Gujarat to
Madhya Pradesh has been received from the government of Madhya Pradesh,”
Dave had said.
The Minister said the process of translocation of a few Asiatic lions
from Gir National Park to Palpur Kuno is a “long-term action”.
“The whole programme encompasses action for over 25 years. The
Ministry of Environment and Forest has constituted an Experts Committee
for planning and implementation of translocation of Asiatic lions from
Gir to Kuno. The group includes representatives of Madhya Pradesh and
Gujarat,” he had said.
Nikhil M Ghanekar | Thu, 4 Aug 2016-08:10am , New Delhi , dna
Even as environment and forest minister Anil Dave informed the Lok
Sabha on Tuesday that Madhya Pradesh government had not sought
'immediate' transfer of Asiatic lions from Gujarat to Kuno-Palpur
sanctuary, official records show exactly the opposite. Earlier in May,
Ravi Srivastava, former Principal Chief Chief Conservator of Forests
(Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Madhya Pradesh, wrote to the
environment ministry and stated explicitly for immediate execution of
the lion translocation project, to implement orders of the Supreme
Court. The Supreme Court had ordered translocation of lions in April
2013 but a petition of the Wildlife Conservation Trust, Rajkot,
challenged the order and the matter is currently sub-judice.
Srivastava's letter, addressed to Roy P Thomas, joint director,
wildlife, of the environment ministry, had pointed out that floods
witnessed in Amreli and Bhavnagar in July 2015 had killed 1600 blue
bulls, 90 spotted deers and 10 Asiatic lions. He added that such natural
calamities pose a threat to the lion population and thus requested the
ministry to, "immediately kick start execution of Hon'ble Supreme
Court's order dated 15th April 2013 without any further delay." Dna has
accessed a copy of the letter.
Dave, in his reply, flatly denied having received any request for
transfer of lions. Dave's fellow Members of Parliament from Madhya
Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kamal Nath had posed the question on
translocation of lions.
In his reply to the Parliament, Dave had added that the
translocation matter is a long-term action and the whole programme
encompasses action for over 25 years. "The Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change has constituted an Expert Committee for
planning and implementation of translocation of Asiatic lions from Gir,
Gujarat to Kuno, Madhya Pradesh. The group includes representatives of
Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat," Dave had informed the Parliament.
dna tried to get Srivastava's reaction to Dave's reply but he did
not respond to calls or text messages. dna also tried to contact Roy
P.Thomas for a comment but could not reach him.
Bhopal based wildlife activist, Ajay Dube, who had sourced the
letter under the Right to Information Act, 2005, told dna, "Anil Dave is
lying and it is shameful he is doing so even as belongs to Madhya
Pradesh. His ministry should follow Supreme Court's decisions. I will
inform the Members of Parliament (Scindia and Kamal Nath) about the
letter and the false claims made by the minister," Dave said.
Scientists and activists have long pushed for the translocation as
Gujarat is the only place where Asiatic lions are found in wild. There
are fears in the conservation community that a big natural calamity or
epidemic may wipe out the entire population, thus rendering India bereft
of the majestic big cats. It is also argued that since their population
has crossed the carrying capacity of Gir forests and adjoining regions,
translocating them will be helpful.
Gir's lion population is now spilling into neighbouring human
settlements, leading to regular conflicts. As per the latest population
enumeration carried out in 2015, there are an estimated 523 lions in the
Gir forests.
(Representative Image)
The Madhya Pradesh government has been seeking “immediate” transfer of
Asiatic lions from Gujarat to its Palpur Kuno sanctuary. (Source: IE)
Top Comment
Pay attention sir ( Minister of Forest and environment)Rajiv Gandhi