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.
Gujarat High Court seeks reply from railway ministry, state over lion deathshttps://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/report-gujarat-high-court-seeks-reply-from-railway-ministry-state-over-lion-deaths-2698897
Read more at: https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad/others/two-cubs-found-dead-in-gir-forest/articleshow/66797831.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
Read more at: https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad/others/now-night-surveillance-through-drones-at-gir/articleshow/66715241.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
Read more at: https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad/others/two-lions-radio-collared-in-gir/articleshow/66672655.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
An American researcher, who worked on
mitigating the canine distemper outbreak in Tanzania’s Serengeti
National Park in 1994, talks to Down To Earth about how many more Gir
lions could have been exposed to the deadly virus
Three more lions died in the Dhari division of
Gujarat on October 22, say highly placed sources in the Gujarat Forest
Department. Credit: Getty Images
After the recent deaths of
21 Asiatic lions in Gir National Park owing to canine distemper virus
(CDV), the administration, in a knee-jerk reaction, took several steps
like forming 140 teams to comb the forest area for diseased lions,
calling experts from Wildlife Institute of India, Delhi Zoo, Indian
Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, and quarantining around 30
lions in Jasadhar and Jamvada rescue centres. But all in vain. Three
more lions died on October 22 in the Dhari division of Gujarat, say
highly placed sources in the Gujarat Forest Department. “Bodies of three
more lions have been found in the Dhari division, and it might be that
they died of CDV,” said the forest official requesting anonymity.
Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, which is a Mecca for leonine
aficionados and experts alike, has also been the site of tragedy. In
1994, an outbreak of the canine distemper virus (CDV) killed 1,000 of
the 3,000 lions in the park. Still, the habitat is resilient. Within
four years, lion numbers had come up. Serengeti offers lessons to Gir.
Craig Packer, director of the Lion Research Centre at the University
of Minnesota in the US and part of a team involved in mitigating the CDV
outbreak at the Serengeti sanctuary, spoke to Down To Earth. Excerpts: How was the epidemic brought under control at Serengeti?
We knew of several. outbreaks, and they always ran their course Once
infected, an animal either dies or develops lifelong immunity (just like
we do with measles). It’s probably too late to do anything now to stop
the current outbreak in Gir because many of the lions could have already
been exposed to the virus but haven’t yet shown symptoms. Have there been any outbreaks of CDV among Serengeti lions after 1994?
There have been outbreaks in the Serengeti every 5-13 years since the
1970s, but the disease only caused minor symptoms during most
epidemics. The high mortality rates in the Serengeti in 1994 and in
Ngorongoro Crater in 2001 resulted from co-infection with unusually high
levels of Babesia, a tick-borne parasite that spreads from prey animals
to lions during droughts. Are Gir lions more vulnerable to CDV because they are genetically not very diverse?
Our studies of the similarly inbred lion population in Ngorongoro
Crater suggest that these animals are more susceptible to infectious
disease—as would be expected from our knowledge of the mammalian immune
system. Gene regions involved in protection against infectious disease
are among the most diverse in our entire genome. In a population with
reduced genetic diversity, the parasite is more likely to find new
victims with the same genetic susceptibility. (This is the second section of a four-part series on the death of
Gir Lions. It will also appear in Down To Earth's November 1-15 print
edition under the headline 'Pride goes before a fall'. Reach the first
section here) https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/-it-may-be-too-late-to-contain-virus-outbreak-killing-gir-lions--61977
There are close to 150 captive Asiatic lions in Europe.
(Keystone)
The recent death of 23 Asiatic lions in India –
including three from the highly contagious Canine Distemper Virus (CDV)
– has highlighted the risk of confining the species to a small part of
the country. In a worst-case scenario, can captive animals in European
countries like Switzerland help re-establish the species?
It is
lunch time and the suburban neighbourhood of Zurichberg reverberates
with the guttural call of a male lion. A 20-minute tram ride from
Zurich’s main station, Zoo Zurichexternal link
is by far the biggest attraction here, especially during the school
holidays. Visitors flock to the lion enclosure, drawn to the sounds of
the king of the jungle.
The Zurich zoo has four Asiatic lions: A 13-year-old male, a
15-year-old female and their two female cubs aged nine and eight.
The four lions – one male and three females – do not belong to
the African savannah but to deciduous forests of Gujarat state in
northwestern India. Just over 600 Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica)
in the Gir Protected Area and surrounding region are all that is left
of the wild Asiatic lion. The species once ranged from Greece in the
west to India in the east but is now confined to a corner of an Indian
state. Despite several proposals to relocate a few animals to other
parts of the country, including an order from the Supreme Court in 2013,
Gujarat has refused to part with “its lions”. It is a decision that
could prove costly for the species.
Within a span of two weeks in
September, 23 lions died in the Gir forest. Canine Distemper Virus
(CDV) was detected in five of 24 samples tested, which indicated at
least three of the dead lions were infected. Further testing of 80
samples from 27 lions that were placed under observation at the nearby
Sakkarbaug Zoo revealed that 21 animals had tested positive for CDV.
“This
indicates active disease transmission among the Gir lions,” confirmed a
statement from the Indian Council of Medical Research on October 9.
This
could have a serious impact on the population if history repeats
itself. In 1994, an outbreak of CDV in the Serengeti in Tanzania
decimated a third of the lions there.
“When you only have a small
population of Asiatic lions it would be a great risk to the survival of
the species if a third were wiped out,” Robert Zingg of Zoo Zurich told
swissinfo.ch.
According to him, the relatively large number of
lions in a small area means the risk of spread is high as more
interactions are likely.
Buffer population
Zingg is a
strong advocate of creating a second population of Asiatic lions in
India. The Zurich zoo had financially supported attempts to develop a
second home for the lions in the Kuno wildlife sanctuary in central
India. Funds sent by the zoo were used to create an inventory of plants
and animals in the sanctuary. Six years on, Kuno still hasn’t received
any lions despite being deemed a suitable habitat for the big cats.
“In
a country with so many people, every place prepared for wildlife should
be used. It is not easy to find large enough spaces to establish a
certain number of lions,” says Zingg.
Apart from disease, Zingg is
worried about the fact that many of the lions in Gujarat live near
villages where people graze livestock. He is afraid that people will
retaliate if lions kill many cattle or even attack people.
Zurich
zoo was one of three zoos – along with London and Helsinki – lucky
enough to obtain pure Asiatic lions in the 1990s from the Sakkarbaug Zoo
in Gujarat. A pair named Bhagirath and Mena were a gift to commemorate
the 700th anniversary of the founding of Switzerland. Along
with the London and Helsinki zoos, Zurich’s launched a European breeding
programme and two decades later, 43 European zoos have a total of
almost 150 Asiatic lions.
stats
Captive lions stats
“The programme was so successful that today, it is difficult to
find places for the lions. So we do not breed any more at the moment,”
says Zingg.
The females have a hormonal implant that prevents
them from getting into oestrus. If called upon, the zoo is capable of
resuming the breeding programme. But there is a slight hitch. The
breeding female was born in 2003 and her age makes it uncertain she
could have any cubs. The two younger females are the progeny of the
current male, hence no breeding is possible. The zoo will have to
exchange its females for another male to make it work. This is where
cooperation with India is required.
“They can help us in ensuring
the zoo populations in Europe are genetically healthy. This would mean
that additional animals are sent from India to European zoos when
necessary,” says Zingg.
The Indian authorities have said that
they don’t have enough animals to send to Europe but suggested
artificial insemination instead. According to Zingg, this method is
difficult to implement successfully, and it is much easier to exchange
animals.
Swiss lions in wild?
While it is the
responsibility of zoos to have animals that are genetically sound, can
they really offer the possibility of re-establishing a big cat species
that has been lost in the wild?
“The zoo populations of lions and
all big cats are relatively robust and serve as a backstop from
extinction – but the priority must be in ensuring the wild populations
like the Gir lions stay safe,” says Doug Cress, CEO of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariumsexternal link (WAZA).
That
said, Cress underlines the role of zoos in the successful
re-establishment of species that almost went extinct in the wild like
the California condor, Black-foot ferret, Corroboree frog and the Golden
Lion tamarin. Captive animals have acquired greater importance when
evaluating the overall chances of survival of a species.
“Any
population of wild animals could be re-established through the captive
populations cared for in zoos and aquariums, and that is one reason the IUCN Red List of Threatened Speciesexternal link will now include captive populations when assessing the extinction threat levels for species,” says Cress.
Despite the sufficient numbers it is notoriously difficult to re-establish big cats from zoos into the wild. A ten-year old studyexternal link
that examined over 45 attempts at re-establishing carnivores including
cheetahs and tigers found that the success rate of projects using
captive-born animals was a mere 13% compared to 31% from wild-caught
animals.
The lions at the Zurich zoo have managed to kill birds
like herons that entered their enclosure, but their hunting skills are
not good enough to survive in the wild. Zingg estimates that it will
take two generations to create animals that have these skills to
transmit to their offspring – a process that would require sacrificing a
lot of prey animals.
Depending on how India copes with CDV crisis, it might not come to that.
“It is important to be aware that when you are the only country with a species you have a great responsibility,” says Zingg. https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/viral-disease_europe-offers-last-line-of-defence-for-the-asiatic-lion/44506140
The Rajya Sabha was told that 50 unnatural lion deaths were reported between 2015 and 2018 Himanshu Kaushik | TNN | Oct 28, 2018, 07:04 IST
AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat
government has always maintained that Gir is a safe haven for the
Asiatic Lions, but in reply to a question in the budget session of the Rajya Sabha this year, the state government for the first time since 2007 admitted that a lion was killed by poachers in June 2016.
Giving details of lion deaths in Gir from 2015 to 2018, on a
question raised by Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh, Dr T Subbarami
Reddy, Union ministry of forest and environment informed the House that
the poaching incident was reported in Vadal. The Rajya Sabha was told
that 50 unnatural deaths were reported between 2015 and 2018.
Last
year, one of the absconding accused in the 2007 lion poaching case,
Sarfaraz Qureshi, was arrested from Fatehpur area in Allahabad (now
Prayagraj) in Uttar Pradesh by a team of Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad
(ATS). Eighteen persons have so far been arrested in the 2007 poaching
case.
According to Sanjay Mehta, the chief
conservator of forests (CCF), the incident had taken place in Vadal area
and one Balu Moji, a resident of the village, was also arrested. "He
had laid the trap in the revenue area. During investigation, Moji
claimed that the trap was not for lions but for animals like neelgai,"
Mehta said, adding, "The case is pending in a court and Moji is out on
bail." A former CCF, who had served in Junagadh,
said that usually farmers lay such traps for catching neelgais and to
keep them away from the fields. "We usually do not register such cases
as poaching," he said.
Even IUCN has in its report in 2016
stated that though the lion population outside the protected area of the
Gir sanctuary has increased by around 400%, these lions in Gujarat are
under threat of illegal trade of body parts, similar to that in Africa.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/poachers-killed-a-lion-in-2016-admits-gujarat-govt/articleshow/66397695.cms
By Alok Brahmbhatt, Ahmedabad Mirror | Updated: Oct 25, 2018, 10:23 IST
The exercise comes at a time when 26 lions have died due to illness or infighting in the last 45 days.
Forest department celebrated Sharad Poonam
(Wednesday) searching, sighting and screening lions in Gir and
adjoining areas. Officials said it is a regular exercise every poonam
night. Interestingly, senior officials too are camping in lion landscape
while the screening is going on.
The exercise comes at a time when 26 lions have died due to illness
or infighting in the last 45 days. Different teams comprising of
trackers and beat guards in supervision of the officials undertook the
exercise on Wednesday. Sources also confirmed that senior officials from
Gandhinagar too have reached Sasan to monitor screening.
Chief Conservator of Forest D T Vasavada said, "It is a regular
exercise whether there is any issue or not. Our team is in field every
poonam as it is brightest night to monitor movement of nocturnal animals
focusing on Lions." Vasavada did not comment about senior officials'
visit but confirmed that they are in Sasan.
Along
with 23 lions dead in Dalkhaniya of Gir east, three cubs were found
dead in Khambha of Gir east recently. One lion was reportedly found sick
in Ambardi near Dhari of Gir east range on Wednesday.
https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad/others/forest-department-screens-lions-during-full-moon-day/articleshow/66358042.cms
The
sole objective of the SC judgment was to protect the endangered Gir
Lions of Gujarat, concluded the court after detailed discussions with
eminent wildlife biologists of India, apart from meticulously evaluating
the scientific studies of the Wildlife Institute of India, said Justice
KS Radhakrishnan.
But it seems that the judgment was scuttled without caring for the
lions. Those who scuttled it should be brought before law for contempt
of court proceedings as well as subjected to prosecution, he said in an
interview to Mathrubhumi Online.
The judgment was delivered by a division bench of the court on April 15, 2013.
At least two decades back Dehradun’s Wildlife institute has been
carrying detailed scientific studies to protect the lions. Asiatic lions
are now living only in Gir.
The institute had felt that the Gir lions need a second home, because
in case an epidemic spreads, the entire lion community would be wiped
out. Such a frightening and unusual incident happened in 1994 in
Tanzania when thousands of lions died as a result of viral infection.
If any such thing occurs in Gir, it would cause irrecoverable havoc.
So in order to save the lions it was thought that a second home be
provided.
After studies, the wildlife institute came to the conclusion that
Kuno forest in MP is an ideal location with the same habitat like Gir
with similar terrain, grasslands, water availability and enough prey.
The union forest ministry had approved the same while we considered a
petition to translocate a few lions to Kuno and gradually implement the
union ministry’s project so that a part of them can be shifted and
protected. The Court had detailed discussions with wild life biologists
who were present in the court.
We bestowed our anxious considerations to protect a species but the judgment was scuttled, Justice KS Radhakrishnan said. A lion in Gir Forest. Photo: Mathrubhumi Archives
But from the very beginning, the Gujarat Government was objecting to
the second home in Kuno. The Government said the lions were well
protected but che Court on the basis of scientific studies approved the
project as fully supported by the union Government.
The Union Government was directed to implement the judgment within
six months from the date of pronouncing the order. A committee was
formed by the union government to implement it. At first, at least 10
lions were to be taken to Kuno and gradually in a time bound project
more lions would be shifted. But nothing happened, the committee was
silenced.
In 2015, the then Forest Minister Prakash Javadekar told the
Parliament that the implementation will take some more time though the
Court had fixed six months. That sounded the death knell of the
committee.
Justice Radhakrishnan opined that the union government should find
out who were all responsible to scuttle the judgment. They have to be
prosecuted for violating the judgment of the court which was wholly
aimed to protect an endangered species called Gir Lions.
Now the scenario is alarming. 23 lions are dead due to viral
infection. But unofficial toll rate were put at 60. Though the Gujarat
forest department said that death was due to infightings among the
lions, the Virology Institute of Pune has said that viral infection was
the cause of death.
Lions in Gir forest. Photo: UNI/File
It has come out through press reports that Gujarat forest department has not taken due care and caution to protect the lions.
The judgment was delivered imbibing the spirit of the Wildlife
Protection Act, Biological Diversity Act and numerous proceedings taken
by the Union Ministry of Forests to protect the endangered species. But
it was given scant respect, observed Justice Radhakrishnan.
Now a bench of the SC headed by Justice Madan Lokur is aware of the
serious situation of non-implementing a well-considered judgment of
2013.
There are around 520 lions now in Gir. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/features/specials/prosecute-those-who-scuttled-sc-judgment-to-protect-gir-lions-justice-ks-radhakrishnan-1.3251655
Despite claims of strict action against illegal lion-show organisers in
Gir area to fight the spread of deadly Canine Distemper Virus (CDV)
among the big cats, another video of such a show has gone viral.In the short video suspected to be shot somewhere in Gir forests
in Gir Gadhada area of Gir Somnath district, a man sitting on a chair
could be seen holding a hen in his hand and tempting a lioness standing
quite close-by. The lioness, after first few attempts, succeeds in
catching the hen.
A forest official said that the matter is being
investigated. It would also be checked as to whether it was an old or a
recent video.
Notably, in the same area seven people were jailed some time back for organising lions shows.
Between
September 12 and October 2, altogether 23 lions of a same group had
died in Dalkhaniya range of Gir forests, the sole abode of Asiatic
lions. The deadly CD virus was held responsible for it. The CDV had
killed more than 1000 lions in a forest in East Africa in 1991. It was
suspected that the infected meat consumed during the illegal lion shows
could also be responsible for spread of CDV among lions.
UNI RAJ SB 1351 https://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20181025/3461470.html
Ahmedabad Mirror | Updated: Oct 25, 2018, 06:15 IST
Toadd ears and eyes to forest department in lion territory, a recruitment drive began on Tuesday.
Gir East division has begun the process to recruit 42 Van Mitras
(friends of the forest) — 30 for recently sanctioned villages along with
filling 12 vacant posts.
As many as 26 lions died recently in Dalkhaniya range of Gir East,
while three cubs were found dead in Khambha on Monday and a sick lion
was reportedly sighted near Dhari on Wednesday.
https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad/others/recruitment-of-van-mitras-begins-in-gir/articleshow/66353406.cms
When most people think of lions, they probably think of Africa. But
another, lesser-known subspecies of lion actually lives in India, where
they represent a major conservation victory — for now, at least.
Asiatic lions are a distant cousin of the much bigger African lions
that diverged from the African continent over 100,000 years ago. They
once roamed throughout the Middle East, including Mesopotamia, Syria,
Iran, Palestine, Arabia and Balochistan, along with much of Northern
India to the Bay of Bengal. Sadly hunting caused the lion’s numbers and
territory to shrink, until they were only found on the Indian
subcontinent. After that, trigger-happy British colonialists and Indian
maharajahs shot practically all of India’s lions except for a handful in
the Gir deciduous forests in Junagarh, a district in Gujarat in western
India.
By the beginning of 20th century only an estimated 20 Asiatic lions
remained in the wild. Their fate would have been sealed forever if not
for the timely act of the nawab of Junagarh who offered immediate
sanctuary — from a king to the king of the jungle — and the lions
finally found a safe haven. The nawab was succeeded by his son, an even
bigger animal lover, who in 1922 totally banned hunting of lions in Gir
and declared the region as a protected area.
Over the next 100 years, as colonial rule gave way to an independent
democratic country, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries started
sprouting across India especially to save the national animal — the
tiger. Gir became a government-protected reserve and, as the last
bastion of Asiatic lions, has continued to play a vital role in the
conservation of the species.
New Troubles
The last census of the cats’ population in 2015
showed 356 Asiatic lions living in the Gir National park and another
167 in the unprotected forest and revenue areas of Gujarat state.
The lions owe their survival and recovery to the assiduous efforts of
India’s Forest Department, the state and central governments, and the
local communities who have revered the lions as the true king of their
last abode. It came as no surprise when, in 2015, the Asiatic lions
became the first big carnivores to be downgraded from “critically
endangered” to “endangered” on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.
They’re a rare conservation victory any nation would be proud of.
But is it all good news for Asiatic lions? Perhaps it seems that way
when you look at their rising numbers, but it appears less so when you
look at the bigger picture of a shrinking habitat. With more than 500
lions in the 8,494-square-mile park (22,000 sq. km), many experts feel
there’s just not enough room for their population to continue to grow.
Meanwhile, keeping them all in one place also leaves the lions
vulnerable to the ravages of a future natural or man-made disaster like
fire or floods, which could spell doom for the whole species.
In fact one of those disasters may have now arrived, as at least 23
Asiatic lions have died in the past few months. About half of the deaths
have been linked to an outbreak of canine distemper virus, an infectious disease that has also threatened other wild cat populations. In response, the Gujarat State Forest and Animal Husbandry departments have started a program to vaccinate local cattle and dogs, from which the disease probably spread to lions, but it’s as-yet unknown how many lions remain at risk.
The People Problem
Meanwhile, there’s another threat: With millions of tourists flocking
to see the animals each year, the villagers living on the fringes of
the forest have found a new way to earn quick bucks by showing off
“their state’s pride” to passing tourists.
In May this year seven people were arrested in Gujarat
for planning an illegal lion show, where a somewhat tamed lioness was
lured out of the forest with live chicken bait. The viral video — and
many other such episodes of locals abusing wild lions through staged
hunts and wild chases that surfaced one after the other — burst the
bubble for the custodians of the forest, who had until then believed
they were doing everything right to protect the lions.
The Gujarat state government immediately took stern steps. New rules
include a ban on taking videos of the wild lions, which will now amount
to hunting. Any individuals shooting a lion with a camera could get
seven years of imprisonment and will be booked under section 9 of the
Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
Other initiatives suggested are radio collaring each of the wild cats
to track them constantly and the enrollment of local guardians into a
troop called SinhMitras (Friends of the Lion) who, accompanied by dogs,
would roam the forests to keep a watch not on the lions but the tourists
and ensure no one uses any illegal means to get a glimpse of the lions.
The state is also intent on adding two additional safari parks and
turning them into protected areas to reduce the tourism pressure on the
current safaris.
Wednesday, 24 October 2018 | Archana Jyoti
| New Delhi Indian wildlife experts will be assisted by their counterparts from
Russia in a study to check the health of big cats in the tiger reserves
across the country.
A team of researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will
kick-start the study soon with an aim to protect the beleaguered tiger
population in the country from zoonotic diseases like Canine Distemper
Virus (CDV), which has wiped out over 30 lions in the Gir Forest in
Gujarat
Following the Lions’ death, the National Tiger Conservation
Authority (NTCA), meanwhile, also issued an alert to all reserves to
keep a close watch for symptoms of the CDV.
“Wildlife experts from Russia are being roped in for our study as the
country is facing similar challenges as India on conservation front.
Today, fewer than 500 Siberian tigers-- the largest of the tiger
subspecies - survive. The Russians have experience in protecting and
researching the Amur tiger, as well as outline a long-term,
comprehensive system of conservation measures,” said a senior official
from the NTCA, the top tiger conservation body of the government in the
country.
He said that an agreement will soon be signed between Dehradun-based
WII and A N Severtsov Institute of Ecology in Evolution Academy of
Sciences, one of the leading biological Institutes of Russia. The
Institute is a scientific research centre on ecology, biological
diversity, ethology, evolutionary morphology and nature conservation.
One of the study’s objectives will be to formulate a strategy for the
protection of the tigers from the fatal diseases, if any, the official
said noting that emerging infectious diseases are a concern not only to
humans but also to the conservation and welfare of wildlife species.
As per the proposed study, the researchers will test every tiger
carcass they finds for the virus or any other threatening disease.
Efforts will also be taken to vaccinate dogs around the periphery of the
reserves against canine distemper.
According to a 2014 study from the Wildlife Conservation Society
(WCS), CDV has the potential to be a significant driver in pushing the
tigers towards extinction. The authors evaluated these impacts on the
Amur tiger population in Russia’s Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Zapovednik
(SABZ), where tiger numbers declined from 38 individuals to 9 in the
years 2007 to 2012. In 2009 and 2010, six adult tigers died or
disappeared from the reserve, and CDV was confirmed in two dead tigers
leading scientists to believe that CDV likely played a role in the
overall decline of the population. https://www.dailypioneer.com/2018/india/russian-wildlife-experts-to-help-indian-counterparts.html
Earlier last month, as many as 23 lions died in Gir forest reportedly
due to infighting, Canine Distemper Virus and Protozoa infection. Published: 23rd October 2018 12:51 AM |
Last Updated: 23rd October 2018 12:56 AM
By PTI
AHMEDABAD: The carcasses of three lion cubs were Monday
found from the outskirts of a village in Amreli district near the Gir
Wildlife Sanctuary, Forest department officials said.
Primary investigation has revealed that the three cubs, in the age
group of 4 to 5 months, were killed by male lions during infighting
between prides to establish dominance, said a statement from the
department.
Locals had alerted the forest staff after spotting the carcass of a
lion cub on the outskirts of Khadadhar village of Amreli district.
"Upon reaching the spot, the forest staff found two more carcasses of
lion cubs from a nearby area. Forensic experts and veterinary doctors
found deep wounds of canine teeth on their bodies. They also found pug
marks of other lions in the area" the statement said.
"Carcass of a nilgai, killed by lions, was also found in the area.
These signs indicated that the cubs might have been killed by other male
lions during an in-fight" the statement said, adding that a panel of
doctors would do post mortem on the carcasses.
Earlier last month, as many as 23 lions
died in Gir forest reportedly due to infighting, Canine Distemper Virus
and Protozoa infection.
Ravi Chellam, a wildlife biologist, said that keeping wild lions in captivity for long periods is risky. (File)
After the multiple deaths,
the forest department launched an extensive drive to screen each lion in
Gir forest and other protected areas from September 23.
Written by Gopal Kateshiya | Rajkot |
Published: October 20, 2018 8:46:02 am
WHILE THERE has been no report of any lion death due to disease in
the last 20 days, 36 Asiatic lions that were rescued after a spate of
deaths in Dalkhaniya range last month are still under observation.
Forest officers said they have not decided on any timeframe to release
them back into the wild.
Between September 12 and 29, 23 Asiatic lions died in Dalkhaniya
range of Gir (east) forest division. All the big cats that died had
settled in Sarasiya Vidi, a 25 sq km forest patch in Dalkhaniya range.
While carcasses of seven lions were found in Sarasiya Vidi, four others
that had been shifted to rescue centres died while undergoing treatment.
After the multiple deaths, the forest department launched an
extensive drive to screen each lion in Gir forest and other protected
areas from September 23. During the drive, which covered 3,000 sq km, a
lioness in Sarasiya Vidi was found to be ill and died before she could
be treated. Another lion cub that was shifted to a rescue centre also
died.
The forest department rescued the remaining 13 lions from Sarasiya
Vidi and shifted them to Jasadhar Rescue Centre in Gir (east) forest
division. As a precautionary measure, the department caged 31 lions from
Semardi area and two from neighbouring Paniya range. The lions from
Semardi were shifted to Jamwala Rescue Centre in Gir (west) forest
division and those from Paniya were transferred to Babarkot Rescue
Centre in Amreli social forestry division. However, 10 of the 13 lions
rescued from Sarasiya Vidi died by September 29.
The remaining 36 lions have been under observation at the three
facilities for almost three weeks now. After the National Institute of
Virology, Pune announced that samples of some of the dead lions had
tested positive for the Canine Distemper Virus (CDV), veterinarians had
given CDV vaccine to the lions under observation. The NIV later
confirmed that samples of 21 out of 27 lions under observation had
returned positive for the viral disease.
“They are all well,” Dushyant Vasavada, Chief Conservator of Forests
(CCF) of Junagadh wildlife circle, told The Indian Express on Friday
when asked about the 36 lions under observation.
The forest department has imported 300 doses of CDV vaccine from the
US and placed an order for 500 more doses. However, the CCF said they
had not decided whether to give the two booster doses and when to
release the carnivores back into their territories. “The first booster
dose can be given only 21 days after the initial dose. The second
booster can be given three weeks after the first booster dose,” Vasavada
said.
Ravi Chellam, a wildlife biologist, said that keeping wild lions in
captivity for long periods is risky. “Since lions are territorial
animals, they mark their territories on a daily basis by roaring and
scent marking. If territories are not marked, other lions will recognise
that the territory is vacant… Some other lions will take over the
territory without any challenge… This will significantly reduce the
chances of the captured lions surviving after being released.” he said.
He also advocated eliminating potential sources of disease rather
than rescuing lions and treating them in captivity. “The problem is our
approach to dealing with wild animals as if they are semi-captive,
rescuing them at will. We shouldn’t treat wild animals in that way. What
we should do is prevent poaching, lions falling into wells, being run
over by trucks and trains,” Chellam said, adding that regular disease
monitoring and ring-vaccination of domestic animals is important.
He advocated a credible, multi-disciplinary and independent investigation into the disease outbreak https://indianexpress.com/article/india/gir-lion-deaths-36-lions-under-observation-time-for-release-not-decided-5410061/
Picture for representational purpose only Himanshu Kaushik | TNN | Oct 19, 2018, 06:30 IST
AHMEDABAD:
While the Gujarat high court advised the state government to accept
advice from experts on the conservation of lions, experts say it is time
to implement the Supreme Court order directing that the lions be
translocated.
The Gujarat CM has, however, categorically refused to translocate
the big cats. Lion experts have also said that there is no need to
vaccinate all wild lions. The Gujarat government has so far vaccinated
36 lions that had been caged from a range near that of the pride which
had lost 23 of its 26 members. The high court, acting on a petition, on
Wednesday directed the state to follow advice of experts to tackle the
outbreak of disease. "There is an order of the Supreme Court from April
2013, which mandates the translocation of lions to Kuno. It clearly
states that translocation should be done in six months. It has been more
than five years now, and the governments of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh,
and the Centre should now cooperate and make this happen in the next 12
months. This will provide some geographical separation between two
populations of wild lions and reduce the risk of the sub species going
extinct through events like the recent disease outbreak," said Ravi
Chellam, a lion expert and the driving force behind the translocation
project.
Chellam said, "It is crucial that we fully understand the recent
disease outbreak, and this requires a credible, multi-disciplinary and
independent investigation of the outbreak. This knowledge will inform
the management of the crisis and help us plan more effectively for the
future."
Chellam further said that it is important that the sources and paths
of infection are identified quickly. Domestic animals, especially dogs
and livestock in and around Gir, should be ring vaccinated for all
potential diseases as standard practice. For this to be effective,
vaccination and disease monitoring programmes should be implemented
regularly.
About vaccinating the wild lions, he said that it is best to
restrict vaccination to lions that have been captured and all lions in
the wild should not be vaccinated. Care should be taken over the use of
recombinant vaccines, as there are legitimate questions over their
efficacy.
H
S Singh another lion expert and a member of the National Board for
Wildlife, who never openly advocated translocation, stated that in his
individual opinion, lions should be translocated to Kuno Palpur.
Singh also said all the wild lions
should not be vaccinated. He said, "After the virus outbreak, the state
was quick to react. In Tanzania, the action began only after 30% of the
population was wiped out."
WII lion expert Y V Jhala said, "It
appears that mortality in lions was not as expected and the deaths of 23
lions is insignificant. The forest department has vaccinated all lions
that were caged. People like Richard Kock and other experts who have
worked in the Serengeti should be roped in and their advice should be
heeded.
In a letter written to
Vijay Rupani on the issue, Paresh Dhanani sought action against those
responsible for not devising a proactive action plan to deal with Canine
Distemper Virus (CDV), believed to be the main reason for the deaths.
Congress alleged Gujarat government's lax attitude resulted in the deaths of the lions at Gir (File)
Ahmedabad: Alleging
that the Gujarat government's lax attitude led to the death of 23 lions
in Gir forest, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Paresh
Dhanani on Thursday sought explanation from Chief Minister Vijay Rupani
on this "man-made tragedy".
In a letter written to Mr Rupani on
the issue, Mr Dhanani sought action against those responsible for not
devising a proactive action plan to deal with Canine Distemper Virus
(CDV), believed to be the main reason for the deaths.
He alleged
that although the government knew that the disease has killed a large
number of lions in Africa in the past, the vaccine for CDV, which was
imported at the last moment, was not brought in advance.
"The
government knew that a vaccine is available to deal with CDV. However,
we imported it (from the US) only after 23 lions succumbed to the
infection. Such last minute arrangement led to this man-made tragedy.
Why didn't we bring the vaccine well in advance?" asked Mr Dhanani in
the letter.
"Lions could have been saved had the vaccine been made
available well in advance. I firmly believe that action must be taken
against those who were responsible for this man-made tragedy," the
Congress leader said.
He asked Mr Rupani to probe whether the unavailability of vaccine was a "conspiracy".
Referring
to the provisions enlisted in the Gir Management Plan for conservation
of lions, Mr Dhanani alleged that senior forest officials are not
carrying out their duty properly.
He claimed that the plan mandates that officials need to walk inside the protected forests for at least 50 kms in a month.
"In
reality, officials hardly follow this provision of conducting foot
patrolling. They only roam around in vehicles. As a result, health
status of lions living inside deep forest is not known immediately," Mr
Dhanani claimed.
Referring to a 2013 Supreme Court judgment asking
the state government to find a new home for lions, Mr Dhanani asked Mr
Rupani what steps his government had taken since then in that regard.
He
alleged that the state government had only given assurances to the
Supreme Court, but failed to undertake any concrete step to save the
lions.
Earlier,
the state government had admitted that CDV and Protozoa infection is
responsible for the death of at least 11 of 23 lions in Gir forest last
month. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/gir-sanctuary-gir-asiatic-lion-deaths-gujarat-gir-lion-deaths-spark-political-row-in-gujarat-1934241
Published:
15:45 GMT, 18 October 2018
| Updated:
15:45 GMT, 18 October 2018
A playful pride of lions have been filmed
rolling around on a mountain of pumpkin-spice inspired leaves after they
were specially scented with a blend of warming spices.
The zookeepers at ZSL London Zoo arranged for the Asiatic lions to enjoy the autumnal smells today in their enclosure.
In
the adorable footage Heidi, Indi, Rubi and Bhanu can be seen rubbing
their faces all over the leaves and gleefully rolling around in the
special pile.
+8
Bhanu waves his paws in the air as he rolls in the leaves which have been scented with cardamon, cinnamon and clove
+8
The eight-year-old male big cat made sure to rub his face into the leaves and soak up all of the warming autumnal smells
ZSL
London Zoo lion keeper Tara Humphrey said: 'Just like kids around the
country this half-term, Heidi, Indi, Rubi and Bhanu dived right into the
massive mound of leaves - scented with cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.
'Cardamom
in particular is Bhanu's favourite smell, and after waiting patiently
for the girls to finish rolling around he spent hours nestled in amongst
the leaves, basking in the warm autumn weather.
'All the lions loved using their
incredible sense of smell to explore the new aromatic scents in their
territory – who doesn't love rolling around in the autumn leaves.'
Bhanu,
a male lion who was born in Germany in 2010 and moved to Canada before
coming to ZSL London Zoo in 2016, can be seen kicking the leaves with
his paws and making a comfy spot for himself to enjoy the aromas.
He even tries to eat the leaves at one point and licks at the spices, clearly enjoying his special treat.
+8
One of the three female lions at London Zoo takes a break from rolling to show off her belly and huge paws on the leaf pile
+8
Zookeepers arranged for the special leaves to be put in the enclosure to mark the change of the season to autumn
+8
One of the three sisters, who
are called Rubi, Heidi and Indi, licks at the leaves during play time
and makes herself comfy on the mound
The
lionesses can also be seen rolling around and putting their legs in the
air as they relax into the leaves and kick start the autumn season.
Rubi,
Heidi and Indi are sisters and all three were born at ZSL London Zoo.
Seven-year-old Rubi is the oldest of the girls and usually the shyest
but she didn't hide away from rolling around in the leaves on Thursday
morning.
The sisters got in first and
made male lion Bhanu wait so they could make the most of the leaves and
absorb all of the warming autumnal smells.
The
females are seen sitting proudly on top of the pile in the adorable
footage, making it clear that Bhanu had to wait for his own
pumpkin-spice fix.
However once Bhanu
got his turn with their new play toy he wasted no time rubbing his fur
into the leaves and spent hours on the leaf pile.
Asiatic
lions are use to a dry forest habitat and their last remaining
stronghold in the wild is in the Gir Forest and surrounding area in
Gujuart, India. There are just over 600 Asiatic lions left in the wild.
+8
The female lions enjoyed the
leaf pile first meaning that male lion Bhanu had to wait patiently for
his turn while the girls played
+8
Once Bhanu (pictured) got on the pile he spent hours there sniffing the cardamon, cinnamon and clove spices
+8
One of the females can even be seen taking a nap on the leaves (left) while her protective sister watches over the sleeping lion
Share or comment on this article:
Zoo's playful pride roll in huge mound of leaves that have been scented with spices as autumn treat https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6290467/Zoos-playful-pride-roll-huge-mound-leaves-scented-spices-autumn-treat.html
The majestic Asiatic Lion in Gir, is facing a crisis, and ordinary citizens have stepped in to help. Image Credit: K Bhargava, Wikipedia
The pride of Gir is in danger, and citizens are doing all they can to help.
byRayomand EngineerAs reported
across several publications, approximately 23 Asiatic lions have died in
Gujarat’s Gir forest since September 12, due to the Canine Distemper
virus (CDV) and Babesiosis.
While the authorities scramble and try to find a way to help these
magnificent animals, ordinary citizens like you and me are going above
and beyond their scope of duty, to put in an effort to save the Asiatic
lion from extinction.
Here are five of them:
1. Purvesh Kacha
A registered medical practitioner, Kacha travelled 100 km from his
home turf in Amreli, to Sasan, to assist the staff of the forest
department in removing misconceptions about CDV and Babesiosis among
local resident.
2. Jalpan Rupapara
Jalpan is also a registered medical practitioner, who travelled to
Sasan along with Purvesh Kacha to help remove misconceptions about CDV. Speaking
to the Times of India he said that in some villages, people were
worried that CDV would spread to them, so he and Kacha carried out a
mass awareness drive to quash such baseless rumours.
3. Mahendra Khuman
Khuman is the sarpanch of the Liliya village, in the Kakarach area of
Gir. Taking time out from his busy schedule, he provides vital
information about the health of the lions to forest officials.
4. Babu Dhola
He is the trustee of the Jab Gaushala in Gir and was the person who
set off the first alarms about a disease outbreak hitting the Gir lions.
Speaking
to TOI, he said, “On September 10, one of my employees spotted a weak
lioness. I instructed my employees to keep a watch on the 29-member
pride, who were the first victims of the viral epidemic. We had
accompanied forest officials in their rescue missions. However, we could
save only three.”
5. Manoj Joshi
He is a wildlife enthusiast, who was the first to inform forest
authorities about Rajmata, the sick lioness who had a septic wound near
her tail. Thanks to his efforts, she was treated on time. Joshi also
informed the authorities that another cub went missing as well.
(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)
https://www.thebetterindia.com/162460/gir-gujarat-lions-citizen-saviours-news/
The death of 24 lions in Gujarat since early
September and another 21 lions reportedly testing positive for canine
distemper virus (CDV) rings warning bells for the state government. In
2013, Supreme Court had ordered relocation of some Gir lions to the Kuno
sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. This makes eminent sense given the risk of
extinction facing endangered species that is clustered in a single
geographical region. While Gujarat has cited the lack of adequate
facilities at Kuno, many wildlife experts are not willing to buy this
explanation.
The conservation of the Asiatic Lion at Gir even as it disappeared in
other countries is an Indian success story. The lions have also come to
be identified closely with Gujarati pride and prestige and local
politicians balk at the idea of sharing the limelight with other states.
Yet there comes a point where vanity must yield to reason and science.
Successful conservation led to population increase and fanning out of
lions into neighbouring Saurashtra districts but created fresh
complications. Infections like CDV and Babesia protozoa were possibly
contracted when the lions came into contact with cattle and dogs outside
the Gir sanctuary.
While the lion population increased 27% from 411 in 2010 to 523 in
2015, mortality is also high: 184 lions had died in 2016 and 2017. After
the first 10 deaths in September, Gujarat claimed these were
territorial deaths but was forced to backtrack after more deaths
surfaced. It exposed the state’s casual approach to medical monitoring
of lions. The dilution of environmental norms to allow construction,
mining, tourism and other human activity in the vicinity of Gir is also
facing questions. Gujarat must not live in denial. Neighbouring MP, with
which it has cooperated on the Narmada project, can be its partner in
this prestigious project to save the Gir lions.
This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India. https://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toi-editorials/shared-pride-gujarat-saved-the-asiatic-lion-but-must-give-it-new-sanctuaries-to-insulate-from-epidemics/
Three more lions died in the Dhari division of
Gujarat on October 22, say highly placed sources in the Gujarat Forest
Department. Credit: Getty Images 
After the recent deaths of
21 Asiatic lions in Gir National Park owing to canine distemper virus
(CDV), the administration, in a knee-jerk reaction, took several steps
like forming 140 teams to comb the forest area for diseased lions,
calling experts from Wildlife Institute of India, Delhi Zoo, Indian
Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, and quarantining around 30
lions in Jasadhar and Jamvada rescue centres. But all in vain. Three
more lions died on October 22 in the Dhari division of Gujarat, say
highly placed sources in the Gujarat Forest Department. “Bodies of three
more lions have been found in the Dhari division, and it might be that
they died of CDV,” said the forest official requesting anonymity. 
Craig Packer, director of the Lion Research Centre at the University
of Minnesota in the US and part of a team involved in mitigating the CDV
outbreak at the Serengeti sanctuary, spoke to Down To Earth. Excerpts:
It is
lunch time and the suburban neighbourhood of Zurichberg reverberates
with the guttural call of a male lion. A 20-minute tram ride from
Zurich’s main station, Zoo Zurichexternal link
is by far the biggest attraction here, especially during the school
holidays. Visitors flock to the lion enclosure, drawn to the sounds of
the king of the jungle.
The Rajya Sabha was told that 50 unnatural lion deaths were reported between 2015 and 2018
Written by Gopal Kateshiya | Rajkot |
Published: October 20, 2018 8:46:02 am
Picture for representational purpose only
Bhanu waves his paws in the air as he rolls in the leaves which have been scented with cardamon, cinnamon and clove
The eight-year-old male big cat made sure to rub his face into the leaves and soak up all of the warming autumnal smellsZSL London Zoo lion keeper Tara Humphrey said: 'Just like kids around the country this half-term, Heidi, Indi, Rubi and Bhanu dived right into the massive mound of leaves - scented with cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.'Cardamom in particular is Bhanu's favourite smell, and after waiting patiently for the girls to finish rolling around he spent hours nestled in amongst the leaves, basking in the warm autumn weather.'All the lions loved using their incredible sense of smell to explore the new aromatic scents in their territory – who doesn't love rolling around in the autumn leaves.'Bhanu, a male lion who was born in Germany in 2010 and moved to Canada before coming to ZSL London Zoo in 2016, can be seen kicking the leaves with his paws and making a comfy spot for himself to enjoy the aromas.He even tries to eat the leaves at one point and licks at the spices, clearly enjoying his special treat.
One of the three female lions at London Zoo takes a break from rolling to show off her belly and huge paws on the leaf pile
Zookeepers arranged for the special leaves to be put in the enclosure to mark the change of the season to autumn
One of the three sisters, who are called Rubi, Heidi and Indi, licks at the leaves during play time and makes herself comfy on the moundThe lionesses can also be seen rolling around and putting their legs in the air as they relax into the leaves and kick start the autumn season.Rubi, Heidi and Indi are sisters and all three were born at ZSL London Zoo. Seven-year-old Rubi is the oldest of the girls and usually the shyest but she didn't hide away from rolling around in the leaves on Thursday morning.The sisters got in first and made male lion Bhanu wait so they could make the most of the leaves and absorb all of the warming autumnal smells.The females are seen sitting proudly on top of the pile in the adorable footage, making it clear that Bhanu had to wait for his own pumpkin-spice fix.However once Bhanu got his turn with their new play toy he wasted no time rubbing his fur into the leaves and spent hours on the leaf pile.Asiatic lions are use to a dry forest habitat and their last remaining stronghold in the wild is in the Gir Forest and surrounding area in Gujuart, India. There are just over 600 Asiatic lions left in the wild.
The female lions enjoyed the leaf pile first meaning that male lion Bhanu had to wait patiently for his turn while the girls played
Once Bhanu (pictured) got on the pile he spent hours there sniffing the cardamon, cinnamon and clove spices
One of the females can even be seen taking a nap on the leaves (left) while her protective sister watches over the sleeping lion
While the authorities scramble and try to find a way to help these
magnificent animals, ordinary citizens like you and me are going above
and beyond their scope of duty, to put in an effort to save the Asiatic
lion from extinction.