Gujarat Forest Dept fines 5 people Rs. 90K for illegal lion sighting

Gir: The Gujarat Forest Department has taken strict action against five individuals caught illegally attempting to spot lions in the Kodiya Vedma area of the Khambha Tulsishyam range in Dhari Gir East.

As per officials, during regular patrolling late Thursday night, the forest patrol teams stopped a car in the protected Kodiya VD zone. The group, consisting of two people from Bhavnagar and three from Khambha, had entered this restricted area without permission in an effort to see lions.

Under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the department imposed a fine of Rs 90,000 on the offenders and registered a formal case against them.

Unauthorized lion sightings and illegal safaris have been a rising concern in Gujarat, especially around Gir National Park — the sole natural habitat of Asiatic lions. Authorities warned that they will continue to enforce strict legal and financial penalties against anyone disturbing the natural habitat or risking the safety of both animals and humans. DeshGujarat