Himanshu Kaushik | TNN | Updated: Jul 9, 2020, 06:29 IST
AHMEDABAD: A forest department analysis shows that the lion population
of 674 is spread across 294 locations, 52.04% of which lie in forested
areas. The remaining 47.96% (141) of the locations are in non-forested
areas.
The analysis was accessed by TOI on Tuesday. It reveals that there are seven satellite populations of lions in the Gir Sanctuary. Data suggests that Bhavnagar coast is a recently established satellite population zone. The data for the analysis was gathered during Poonam Avlokan (roughly translated, ‘estimation during full moon’) on June 5 and 6.
Forest officials said it has emerged after the exercise that the adult
male to adult female ratio is 1:1.61. They said that the adult female to
cub ratio is 1:0.53. This is the first time that lactating lionesses
have been counted. Lionesses with cubs younger than one year old were
considered. Of the 260 adult females, 23% were recorded to be lactating.
Shyamal Tikedar, Gujarat’s principal chief conservator of forests, said that all the lion locations have been mapped. The detailed analysis was prepared by Dr Mohan Ram, the deputy conservator of forests, along with chief conservators D T Vasavada, S K Srivastava, and A M Parmar. Other officials involved in the analysis include deputy conservators Sandeep Kumar, Raj Sandeep, and Anshuman Singh.
The population density of lions in non-forested areas is 1.65 per 100 sq km as compared to 15.20 per 100 sq km in forested areas. The officials said that at present, 48% of the lions are outside the sanctuary areas; the figure was around 40% in 2015.
The officials further said that the density of lions is the highest in Gir-Somnath district (5.75 lions per 100 sq km). In Junagadh it is 3.30, in Amreli it is 3.28, and in Bhavnagar it is 1.23. The lion population is steadily rising in Bhavnagar.
The officials said they are concerned that lions outnumber lionesses in Bhavnagar district and coast. The adult male to adult female ratio in Bhavnagar district and coast is 2:1. Also, the number of cubs is just 5 each in the district and on the coast.
Shyamal Tikedar, Gujarat’s principal chief conservator of forests, said that all the lion locations have been mapped. The detailed analysis was prepared by Dr Mohan Ram, the deputy conservator of forests, along with chief conservators D T Vasavada, S K Srivastava, and A M Parmar. Other officials involved in the analysis include deputy conservators Sandeep Kumar, Raj Sandeep, and Anshuman Singh.
The population density of lions in non-forested areas is 1.65 per 100 sq km as compared to 15.20 per 100 sq km in forested areas. The officials said that at present, 48% of the lions are outside the sanctuary areas; the figure was around 40% in 2015.
The officials further said that the density of lions is the highest in Gir-Somnath district (5.75 lions per 100 sq km). In Junagadh it is 3.30, in Amreli it is 3.28, and in Bhavnagar it is 1.23. The lion population is steadily rising in Bhavnagar.
The officials said they are concerned that lions outnumber lionesses in Bhavnagar district and coast. The adult male to adult female ratio in Bhavnagar district and coast is 2:1. Also, the number of cubs is just 5 each in the district and on the coast.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/48-of-294-lion-locations-outside-forest-areas/articleshow/76862586.cms
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