OUT OF THE WOODS IN GUJARAT: WHY ASIATIC LION’S FUTURE CAN’T BE SECURED BY NUMBERS ALONE

OUT OF THE WOODS IN GUJARAT: WHY ASIATIC LION’S FUTURE CAN’T BE SECURED BY NUMBERS ALONE

Why in the News?

  • The population of Asiatic lions (Panthera leo leo), also known as the Indian lion or Gujarat lion, has reached 891 in 2025, up from under 200 in the 1960s. This remarkable growth highlights the success of conservation efforts for these endangered species in India.
  • This marks a 32% increase since 2020, reflecting a significant conservation success for lions in India.
  • The Asiatic lion habitat range has expanded by 17% — from 30,000 sq km to 35,000 sq km in five years, showcasing successful dispersal.
  • Asiatic lions are now found across 58 talukas in 11 districts, up from 53 talukas in 2020, including the Junagadh district, which is a key area for lion conservation.
  • Experts emphasize the need for more quality forest habitats, away from human settlements, to sustain this growth and expand the home ranges of these magnificent cats.
  • Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel credited the growth to favourable geographic and climatic conditions and the state government’s sustained conservation efforts for the lion in Gujarat.

OUT OF THE WOODS IN GUJARAT: WHY ASIATIC LION'S FUTURE CAN'T BE SECURED BY NUMBERS ALONE

JOURNEY SO FAR: POPULATION RECOVERY

  • In the 1960s, only under 200 Asiatic lions remained, primarily in the Gir Forest. This critical situation led to their classification as an endangered species.
  • Special protection granted to Gir National Park led to a slow but steady recovery of the Asiatic lion population.
  • The population did not cross 300 until 1995, when Asiatic lions began moving beyond the Gir Forest, initiating natural dispersal.

Range Expansion and Population Growth

  • 1990–2005: ○ Range doubled from 6,600 sq km to 13,000 sq km ○ Population grew only 26%, from 284 to 359
  • 2005–2020: ○ Range doubled again from 13,000 sq km to 30,000 sq km ○ Population jumped 88%, from 359 to 674, supported by established satellite populations
  • 2020–2025: ○ Range increased by 17%, from 30,000 to 35,000 sq km ○ Population rose 32%, from 674 to 891 ○ This marks only the second time (after 2015) that population growth outpaced range expansion.

Conservation Concerns

  • The continued success of Asiatic lion conservation requires: More quality forest habitats beyond Gir Forest. Reduced human-wildlife conflict by limiting overlap with human settlements.
  • Experts note that the use of absolute numbers without a standard error range is unusual and lacks scientific robustness, which is crucial for accurate Asiatic lion UPSC preparation and conservation planning.

SPREADING THIN: CHALLENGES IN LION CONSERVATION

Recent Expansion

  • In the last 5 years, Asiatic lions have colonised 3 new areas: Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, Jetpur and Babra-Jasdan.
  • The population now stands at nearly 900 lions across 358 locations, reinforcing the recovery that led the IUCN to upgrade the Asiatic lion IUCN status from “Critically Endangered” to “Endangered” in 2008 on the IUCN Red List.

Disproportionate Growth

  • Since 1990, the Asiatic lion’s range expanded by 430%, but the population increased by only 214%.
  • This indicates that population growth has not kept pace with range expansion, highlighting the need for better management of Asiatic lion habitat.

Limited Protected Areas

  • The Saurashtra region, where lions are found in Gujarat, has few protected wilderness areas such as Gir National Park, and small sanctuaries like Pania, Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Mitiyala, and Barda.
  • These sanctuaries are approaching or have reached their carrying capacity, pushing Asiatic lions into: ○ Wastelands ○ Farmlands ○ Agri-plantations ○ Scattered forest patches

Habitat Quality Concerns

  • Only 56% of Gujarat’s 891 lions were found in forested areas as per government records, indicating a shortage of suitable Asiatic lion habitat.
  • According to the 2020 Asiatic lion census: ○ Lion density in forested areas: 15.2 per 100 sq km ○ Lion density in non-forested areas: 1.65 per 100 sq km
  • This stark difference highlights the urgency of expanding quality habitats to ensure long-term sustainability of Asiatic lion populations.

HUMAN – LION COEXISTENCE CHALLENGES

  • Non-forest areas near human settlements are not suitable habitats for large carnivores like Asiatic lions, leading to potential conflicts.
  • Incidents of retaliatory killings — including electrocution, drowning in wells, and shootings in self-defence — have been reported, often unofficially, threatening the lion in Gujarat.

Public Perception and Tolerance

  • Unlike leopards, Asiatic lions are seen as Gujarat’s pride, leading to higher public tolerance.
  • Asiatic lions are heavily managed by forest officials through Frequent rescues, Medical care, and Monitoring.
  • This management makes Asiatic lions less wary of humans, increasing the potential for conflict.

Ecological and Social Instability

  • Asiatic lions in human-dominated habitats tend to be more aggressive, with reports of unprovoked attacks.
  • Wildlife experts describe this as an ecologically unstable situation, affecting the natural behavior and home ranges of Asiatic lions.
  • A senior forest official notes that “social carrying capacity” — how much human-lion interaction society can tolerate — is limited.

Conflict Mitigation Measures

  • Current peace is maintained through Awareness campaigns, Media sensitisation and Timely compensation for livestock losses
  • Asiatic lions and people can coexist only when they share space or time — for example: ○ People work during the day ○ Lions roam the same areas at night

Feeding and Disease Risk

  • Availability of wild prey like nilgai, sambar deer, and chital helps reduce conflict and supports the Asiatic lion diet.
  • However, many Asiatic lions depend on Livestock carcasses (often dumped). This also attracts village dogs, increasing the risk of disease transmission among lions.

FUTURE OF THE PRIDE: KEY POINTS

Relocation Challenges

  • It has been 12 years since the Supreme Court ordered Asiatic lions to be shifted from Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh, with a six-month deadline that remains unmet.
  • Gujarat gave its assurance to the apex court seven years ago but relocation has yet to happen, despite the potential benefits for Asiatic lion conservation.

Project Lion and Proposed Sites

  • Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2020, Project Lion initially identified seven potential relocation sites: ○ Three in Madhya Pradesh ○ Three in Rajasthan ○ One in Gujarat
  • By July 2022, the government restricted the assessment of new habitats to sites within Gujarat only, potentially limiting the expansion of Asiatic lion range.

Current Habitat Expansion

  • Asiatic lions have naturally reached Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the potential sites in Gujarat.
  • However, Barda’s area of less than 200 sq km is too small to support more than a few Asiatic lions, highlighting the need for larger protected areas.

Conservation Needs for the Future

  • With goals to double the Asiatic lion population to 2,000, there is an urgent need for More quality forest habitats and Habitats located away from human settlements
  • These measures are crucial to Minimize human-wildlife conflicts and Prevent epidemic outbreaks that could threaten the species’ survival.

WAY FORWARD: ENSURING THE FUTURE OF ASIATIC LIONS

Expand and Improve Quality Habitats

  • Prioritize creating larger, contiguous forested areas that can sustain growing Asiatic lion populations.
  • Focus on establishing new protected sanctuaries beyond Gir Forest and its immediate surroundings to expand Asiatic lion habitat.
  • Improve the connectivity between existing habitats through wildlife corridors to allow safe Asiatic lion movement and support natural dispersal.
  • Ensure these habitats are far from dense human settlements to reduce conflict and provide suitable home ranges for Asiatic lions.

Implement the Supreme Court’s Relocation Orders

  • Expedite the relocation of Asiatic lions to identified sites outside Gir, especially in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, to reduce population pressure in Gujarat.
  • Conduct scientific habitat suitability assessments for all proposed relocation sites, including Kuno-Palpur in Madhya Pradesh.
  • Develop infrastructure and management plans at relocation sites to ensure Asiatic lions can thrive there.

Strengthen Human-Lion Conflict Mitigation

  • Enhance community awareness programs to foster coexistence attitudes in villages near Asiatic lion habitats.
  • Increase compensation schemes for livestock losses to reduce retaliatory killings of lions in India.
  • Promote non-lethal deterrent methods to keep Asiatic lions away from human settlements and farms.
  • Support timely rescue and medical intervention teams for injured or conflict-prone Asiatic lions.

Improve Scientific Monitoring and Data Transparency

  • Use advanced technologies such as GPS collaring, camera traps, and drones for accurate population and health monitoring of Asiatic lions.
  • Report population estimates with standard error ranges and scientific rigor to improve credibility and support Asiatic lion UPSC studies.
  • Facilitate regular, transparent updates to stakeholders and the public on Asiatic lion population trends and conservation challenges.

Enhance Prey Base and Ecosystem Health

  • Protect and boost populations of natural prey species like nilgai, sambar deer, and chital within Asiatic lion habitats to support the Asiatic lion diet.
  • Regulate hunting and poaching of prey species to maintain ecological balance.
  • Manage vegetation and water resources in forest areas to support prey and Asiatic lion survival.

Address Disease Risks

  • Monitor and control disease transmission risks, especially from livestock carcasses and village dogs that come into contact with Asiatic lions.
  • Implement vaccination and health checks for domestic animals in and around Asiatic lion habitats.
  • Establish protocols for disease outbreak preparedness and response among wildlife populations.

Promote Community Participation and Sustainable Livelihoods

  • Involve local communities, including Maldhari livestock herders, in decision-making and habitat management to align conservation with human welfare.
  • Develop eco-tourism and conservation-linked livelihood programs to incentivize protection of Asiatic lions.
  • Educate communities about the ecological and cultural importance of Asiatic lions.

Policy Support and Funding

  • Ensure adequate budget allocation for Asiatic lion conservation projects and habitat expansion.
  • Strengthen inter-state coordination for Asiatic lion conservation, especially in the context of relocation and range expansion.
  • Enforce legal protections and penalize illegal activities that threaten Asiatic lions or their habitats.

Research and Understanding

  • Conduct studies on Asiatic lion feeding ecology and pride structure to better inform conservation strategies.
  • Investigate the impact of habitat loss and genetic inbreeding on Asiatic lion populations.
  • Research the adaptability of Asiatic lions to different habitats, including dry deciduous forests and human-modified landscapes.
  • Study the Asiatic lion vs African lion differences to understand unique conservation needs of the Indian subspecies.

By implementing these comprehensive measures, we can work towards securing a sustainable future for the Asiatic lion population in India, ensuring their survival beyond the Gir Forest and into carefully selected habitats across their historical range. Understanding the Asiatic lion weight, which ranges from 160-190 kg for males, and the lion age limit of 10-14 years in the wild, can help in developing targeted conservation strategies. This holistic approach will not only benefit the lions in India but also contribute to the preservation of India’s rich biodiversity.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/out-of-the-woods-in-gujarat-why-asiatic-lions-future-cant-be-secured-by-numbers-alone-10022963/

Mains question

Discuss the key challenges in conserving the Asiatic lion population in India and suggest effective measures to ensure their long-term survival and expansion beyond their current habitat.