Ashish Chauhan | TNN | Updated: Jun 19, 2018, 06:32 IST
In a meeting held on Monday, the state government decided to use radio-collars the way they are for tigers in various sanctuaries of the country.
“In a meeting headed by Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, it was decided that it has become necessary to intensify the protection drive for the lions.
The use of radio-collars will be an essential part of the plan,” said
minister of state for forests, Ramanlal Patkar. “The device will be
GPS-enabled and will contain records of each lion, including its age and
territory. By tracking the lions, we will be able to protect them.”
Patkar said that the plan will be implemented in a month, with over 600 Asiatic lions being radio-collared. Highly placed sources said that the project cost will cross over Rs 2 crore.
If anything suspicious is noticed in the movement of lions — for instance, if a lion seems stuck at one point for too long — forest guards or cops will be sent to rescue the animal.
The minister said that the lion population has risen to over 600 from 513 (census 2015 figure). Sources said that the initiative had become necessary in the wake of 57 unnatural deaths of lions over the past five years. Recently, a video went viral in which a lioness was seen being lured with chicken in the jungle.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/every-gir-lion-to-be-radio-collared/articleshow/64640151.cms
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