Total 261 lion deaths in and around Gir forests in Gujarat in last 2 years, only 17 unnatural

Gandhinagar: A total of 261 lions have died in last two year in and around Gir forest in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, which is the only natural abode of Asiatic lions, Forest and Environment minister of the state, Ganpat Vasava informed today.

In reply to a question in the state assembly today Vasava however said that most of the deaths of the lions was due to natural reasons as only 17 have died due to unnatural causes.
He said that in 2018 a total of 113 ( 59 adult lions and 54 cubs) died with only 10 of these deaths being caused by unnatural reasons. In 2019 the number of total deaths was 148 (79 adult and 69 cubs) with the number of unnatural deaths being only 7.

Vasava said that as per the last five yearly lion’s census of 2015, the total number of lions in and around Gir was 523.

He also said that the forest department in the state has taken a number of steps to protect the lions from unnatural deaths including fencing of around 40 km of railway track in the jungle, making parapet for over 38 thousand open wells in the jungle area.

He also informed that in the last two years a total of 340 leopards have also died across the state.

Notably during the year 2016 and 2017, a total of 184 lions had died the Gir forests and around it with the number of unnatural deaths being 32. In those two years 104 deaths ( 12 unnatural, 92 natural ) were in 2016 while 80 (20 unnatural and 60 natural) were in 2017.

Notably, the five yearly Lion Census conducted last time in May 2015 had estimated the population of Asiatic lions at 523 (27% up compared to previous census in 2010). The population was 411 in 2010 and 359 in 2005. As per the 2015 census, the population of lions in Junagadh district was 268, Gir Somnath 44, Amreli District 174 (highest increase) and in adjoining Bhavangar District was 37. Of them there were 109 males, 201 females and 213 cubs.

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