World Lion Day is celebrated on August 10 to mobilise support for the protection and conservation of lions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India’s lion population has seen a steady increase in the last few years as he greeted people on World Lion Day.

The number of Asiatic lions, who live primarily in the Gir forests, was estimated to be 674 in 2020, an increase of 29 per cent in five years. 

Asiatic lion

•  The Asiatic lion is one of the 21 critically endangered species identified by the government for taking up recovery programmes. 

•  Asiatic lion population estimate is an integral part of wildlife management in the area known as Asiatic Lion Landscape, which includes Gir National Park and Sanctuary, falling in eight districts — Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Porbandar, Rajkot, Gir Somnath, Botad and Jamnagar. 

•  Asiatic lion is an endangered species, scheduled at Schedule-I in Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 which is present in the local areas of Asiatic Lion Landscape. 

•  The free ranging lions today exist as two disjunct populations: Panthera leo leo in Africa and Panthera leo persica in India. The former are presently found in savannah habitats across sub-Saharan Africa. 

•  The government notified the large geographical extent of ‘Sasan Gir’ as a wildlife sanctuary on September 18, 1965 in order to conserve the Asiatic lion. It covers a total area of 1,412 sq km of which 258 km forms the core area of the National Park. 

•  The Gir forest is well known all over the world for the only wild gene pool and for the last home of the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica). 

Project Lion

•  During his Independence Day speech in 2020, PM Modi announced the initiation of Project Lion for better conservation of the species in lines of ‘Project Tiger’. 

•  The Project Lion will entail habitat development, engage modern technologies in lion management and address the issues of disease in lion and its associated species through advanced world class research and veterinary care. 

•  The project will also address human-wildlife conflict and will be inclusive involving local communities living in the vicinity of lion landscape and will also provide livelihood opportunities through activities such as eco-tourism, promotion of local art and handicrafts, home stays etc.

Asiatic Lion Conservation Project

•  In February 2019, the environment ministry launched the ‘Asiatic Lion Conservation Project’ aimed at protecting the world’s last free-ranging population of the species and its ecosystem.

•  The total budget of the project for three years, amounting to Rs 97.84 crore, was funded from the centrally sponsored scheme — development of wildlife habitat (CSS-DWH) with 60:40 contributions by the Union and the state governments.

•  This project has “species conservation over a large landscape” approach. The Greater Gir Region (GGR) was divided into various zones and management approach of “Zone Plans and Theme Plans” for the conservation of the Asiatic Lion.

•  Modern Information and Communication Technology (ICT) was proposed in the conservation, protection and development efforts of the Greater Gir Region. Additional ICT includes:

GPS-based Tracking:

• Surveillance Tracking

• Animal Tracking

• Vehicle Tracking

Automated Sensor Grid:

• Magnetic Sensors

• Movement Sensors

• Infra-red heat sensors

• Night vision capability enhancement

• GIS-based real time monitoring, analysis and report generation.

Earlier, many initiatives for consolidating the conservation of Asiatic Lions have been taken. These include:

• The concept of Greater Gir has been adopted through which additional suitable habitat for lions is being developed.

• Besides Gir National Park & Sanctuary, Girnar, Pania and Mitiyala have been notified as sanctuaries to widen the protected area network and home of lion

• Habitat improvement measures have been undertaken.

• Additional water points are being established and the existing water points are being maintained.

• Protection mechanism has been strengthened with creation of Wildlife Crime Cell at state level and Task Force for the GGR (Greater Gir region).

• Open wells are being covered with parapet walls to prevent death of wild animals due to fall in the well.

• Intelligence gathering system has been strengthened.

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