Thursday, 21 February 2019 | Archana Jyoti
| New Delhi
Days after a Government report suggested the creation of a second
home for the Asiatic lions from Gujarat's Gir forest, a Parliamentary
panel too has recommended that wildlife experts may be consulted for
exploring the option of relocating/shifting some of the lions in nearby
areas or other sanctuaries, if feasible.
The panel, headed by Rajya Sabha MP Anand Sharma, in its report
'status of forest fire', observed that lion population in the Gir forest
is decreasing due to one reason or the other. "There are many
unprotected wells; lions sometimes fall down in these wells, leading to
their deaths. Frequent fights amongst the lions and man-animal conflicts
can also be attributed for reduction in number of lions..," said the
report tabled in Parliament recently.
Asiatic Lions are listed in the Schedule-I of the Wild Life
(Protection) Act, 1972, thereby according them the highest degree of
protection.
Warning that lions can go the tigers' way as happened in Rajasthan's
Sariska Tiger Reserve a few years ago where poaching of big cat was
"going on unabated and consequently, Sariska had become tiger less a few
years back," the panel noted that a real effort was made to populate it
again.
The Committee hopes that unprotected wells of all wildlife
sanctuaries/national parks of the country including the Gir Forest in
Gujarat would be covered properly in order to save the wild animals
falling into these wells and losing their lives.
In the wake of 23 lion deaths within a very short span of time ie
September- October, 2018, the panel had sought status report from the
Union Environment Ministry asking for the reason for fatalaities.
The Committee also expressed its concern that infighting amongst the
lions of Gir forest, Gujarat might be due to over population of the
lions in specific areas. The Committee recommends that wild life experts
may be consulted for exploring relocating/shifting some of the lions in
nearby areas/other sanctuaries, if feasible.
The suggestion echoes the views of the report, 'Asiatic Lion
Conservation Project', which was released by Union Environment Minister
Dr Harshvardhan on February 9, which said that among other conservation
measures," the Government may consider the establishment of a second
home for Asiatic Lions for securing the population from any threat of
disease or epidemic".
The report had noted that the current rate of development-induced
habitat fragmentation, loss of potential lion habitats owing to natural
calamities triggered by climate change besides poaching and poisoning of
prey carcasses plague the lions conservation, which are presently
confined in Saurashtra region of Gujarat.
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/india/parliament-panel-seeks-experts----opinion-on-gir-pride-relocation.html
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.
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