Save the lions, not false pride

The Gujarat forest department recently announced an increase in the population of Asiatic lions in the state from 523 five years ago to 674 now. The Gir forest sanctuary, which covers eight districts of the state, is the only home of the lions and a 29% increase in their numbers is very welcome. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took pride in tweeting the “good news”. But some doubts and reservations have been expressed by wildlife experts who have questioned the methodology adopted in the census, held on June 5 and 6. It was a limited operation conducted by about 1,400 forest officials who observed the lions near their watering holes. The lockdown is said to have made an elaborate census difficult. The 2015 census, which was undertaken by a larger group, including officials, experts and volunteers, is considered more transparent and reliable. It is felt that the actual count of lions could be less or more than the 674 announced now, with some experts feeling that a lower figure is more probable.

Any discussion on the count of lions in Gir has always brought up the issue of their safety in their only home. Many experts have felt that the sanctuary is overcrowded, and the territory not large enough for the growing number of lions. Many Gir lions have died in recent years for various reasons. Twelve of them perished in a flash flood in 2016; at least 25 of them died of an outbreak of canine distemper virus (CDV) and babesiosis in 2018. A babesiosis outbreak was reported this year also, which caused the death of around two dozen lions. Higher figures have also been cited for the deaths from diseases. Some have been killed by rushing vehicles. The lions in Gir are said to be vulnerable to diseases because of inbreeding. All this has strengthened the case for relocation of some lions to another sanctuary. The Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh has been found ideal and preparations have been made for shifting some lions from the Gir sanctuary to Kuno. But the Gujarat government has resisted the idea and has been unwilling to part with any lion.

Modi had also opposed the proposal when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. The Supreme Court had ordered the shifting of some lions to Kuno in 2013, but the order was never implemented. Modi and his successor in Gujarat consider the lions to be the state’s pride and do not want to share it with another state. But that attitude may be endangering the lives of the few hundreds of them that survive.