Incidents of Gir lions killing domestic animals rising: Govt data

This increase in the lions preying on domestic animals is despite an increase in prey animals within the Gir forest -- the only natural habitat of the Asiatic lion -- over the past six years.

New Delhi: Incidents of lions killing domestic animals in Gujarat's Gir forest have steadily increased, reaching a peak of 4,385 in 2023-24, according to recent government data.

This is despite an increase in prey animals within the Gir forest -- the only natural habitat of the Asiatic lion -- over the past six years.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, citing data from the Gujarat government, informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that incidents of lions killing domestic animals rose from 2,605 in 2019-20 to 3,244 in 2020-21, 3,659 in 2021-22, 3,670 in 2022-23, and 4,385 in 2023-24.

There is a sufficient prey base for lions in Gir and the population of the prey animals has been increasing, he said.

Data shows the number of prey animals in the Gir forest rose from 1,55,659 (1.55 lakh) in 2019 to 2,02,993 (2.02 lakh) in 2022 and further to 2,13,391 (2.13 lakh) in 2024.

The most recent estimate in June 2020 put the Asiatic lion population in Gujarat at 674, up from 523 in 2015.

A document from the Gujarat chief wildlife warden's office shows that the lions' distribution area rose from 22,000 square kilometres in 2015 to 30,000 square kilometres in 2020.

A 2022 scientific report in the Nature journal revealed that 48 per cent of the current lion population had dispersed outside the protected areas, spanning nine districts and 13 forest administrative divisions.