Porbandar: The Forest Department has begun relocating herbivores from Gir Sanctuary to Barda Wildlife Sanctuary in Porbandar to provide a food source for lions. Using specially modified vehicles, 23 chital (spotted deer) have been successfully moved as of now. 

Barda Wildlife Sanctuary offers a suitable habitat for Asiatic lions, similar to the Gir forests. Lions historically inhabited Barda until the late 19th century. In 2023, a male lion naturally returned to the area. However, Barda lacks a sufficient population of herbivores like chital and sambar, a vital part of a lion’s diet.

To address this, forest officials are using boma trapping techniques to capture chital in the Gir Sanctuary. So far, 23 chital have been successfully relocated and released in Barda. 

This project aims to boost the chital population, creating a long-term food source for the lions and other large predators in Barda. It will aid the long-term conservation of Asiatic lions and other large carnivores in the sanctuary. The initiative is overseen by Nitiyanand Srivastav, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Chief Wildlife Warden Lokesh Bhardwaj, and Deputy Conservator of Forests of the Porbandar Circle. DeshGujarat