Gujarat's top forest officer issued notice for critical remarks on Asiatic lions' management

The Gujarat government on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to a senior Indian Forest Officer (IFS) over his alleged "objectionable views" and "undesirable comments" on various issues pertaining to Asiatic lions, conservation efforts and wildlife policy as a whole in a webinar.

The officer Shyamal Tikadar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) & Chief Wildlife Warden, had said in the event that Asiatic lions, restricted to Gir National Park and Saurashtra landscape, should be looked at as a "resource" for local livelihood and not just "asset".

He rued the fact that wild cats such as tigers and lions have been branded as "commodity" due to marketing but they are not being treated as "resources" that can help the local community which tolerate these wild cats.

The state government that hails Asiatic lions as "pride of Gujarat" issued a press note on Thursday stating that Tikadar "presented certain objectionable views and made undesirable comments on various issues. The government of Gujarat does not agree with such personal views, which are far from truth & facts. For his irresponsible statements against the policies of the government, the government of Gujarat has decided to call his explanation and issue notice as per All India Service (Conduct) Rules."

During the webinar, Tikadar spoke at length on managing lions and changes that needed to be brought in the overall policy. "We have got a species which has been branded...has very long traditional linkages with the community or society. Same is the case with tigers and also with lions- tigers at the national level, lions at the state level. Now, this bonding gives rise to ownership and no owner would obviously like to give away the ownership."

Arguing that lions should be treated as "commodity" so that the local community can earn from them as it is the locals who are responsible for the lions' conservation, Tikardar said only "political" and "public will" can make such an arrangement happen. "Today, let me tell you very frankly that lion conservation or whatever the population of lions that exists in Gir and Saurashtra landscape, all the credit goes to the community. In Saurashtra, people are vegetarian and tolerant. And, this tolerance has given rise to a situation where a big cat-like lion, which is a prolific breeder, keeps on breeding. Given the right condition of food and space, it will keep breeding which it has been doing quite successfully so far."

But due to intensive management practices happening in the past and because "we consider this particular species vulnerable and very important, the wild lions per se no wilder, let me tell you. Almost 70 to 80% of them are microchipped as on date. They all have got Aadhaar cards the way we have it... They are not elusive like tigers," Tikadar said in the webinar. He added that "looking from a management perspective, lions and tigers have been branded and being marketed very well...branding has taken this to such a level that everybody considers it as their own... and even a natural thing like death is questioned 101 times."

According to Tikadar, the biggest question that has arisen is "how many lions can the society sustain or tolerate." He said, "someday or the other, apart from the disease aspect, there are revenge killings that do happen... I don't know how far this rubber band can be stretched till the tolerance level breaks and then it will be a disaster. I know this very well that we are sitting on a time bomb and it can burst anytime."