Estimated population of Asiatic lions in Gujarat has increased to 891 according to the Lion Census conducted this month. Lion count went up by 217. Also animals were found outside the Gir National Park, their traditional habitat. They were found across 11 districts of Saurashtra including non-forested and coastal areas as per officials.
Estimated population of Asiatic lions has increased to 891said Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel told media in Gandhinagar.
According to the last census conducted in June 2020, population of Asiatic lions, a subspecies only found in Gujarat’s Gir area, was estimated at 674. As per the latest count, there are estimated 196 males, 330 females, 140 sub-adults and 225 cubs, updated Gujarat Forest Department. With increase in lion population, their spread in Saurashtra region has also expanded. Big cats were earlier confined to the Gir National Park in Junagadh and Amreli districts. Now they have spread to 11 districts, As many as 384 lions were counted in Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary and 507 were found outside its limits.The areas outside Gir where lions were spotted included sanctuaries like Pania, Mitiyala, Girnar and Barda.
Some animals were spotted in non-forested areas and coastal areas too. Seventeen lions were counted in Barda sanctuary, 15 km from Porbandar.The highest number of lions recorded in a single pride was 17 in Bhavnagar district.The 16th Asiatic lion census, 4-days exercise, was conducted from May 10 to 13 in two phases, covering an area of 35,000 square kilometres across 58 talukas of 11 districts.Preliminary census was conducted on May 10 and 11, the final count was held on May 12 and 13 with the help of 3,000 volunteers, including regional, zonal and sub-zonal officers, enumerators, assistant enumerators and inspectors. The census was conducted through a more accurate method called ‘direct beat verification’, which provides 100% accuracy with almost 0 margin of error due to statistical analysis and ease of implementation.A lion census is conducted every 5 years by the state Forest Department.The 11 districts where lions were spotted are Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Morbi, Surendranagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Amreli, Porbandar and Botad.
