Asiatic Lion - Data, Pictures & Videos

[Rishi]

Updates on the developments regarding post #1,390.

The lions that had preyed on a pig near Aji Dam on the outskirts of Rajkot on Monday night were sighted at Dhokalva village of in Surendranagar district on Wednesday evening.
“One of the lions is radio collared, due to which we are able to follow its movements. A team of 10 forest officials are monitoring the movements of the big cats, lest they cause any harm to any human being,” said J.K.Ambalia, range forest officer, Jasdan of Rajkot district.

The two lions seem be returning to Chotila area after travelling upto 20km from Rajkot city. This has left the officials scratching their head as to why the lions that travelled all the way to Gondal and Rajkot were returning back in a 150km long circuit.

A senior forest officer however said that lions coming back to Chotila taluka indicates that the two lions may be moving in search of mating partner. Also, it is now clear that they have established their territory in Chotila area, as well as could be moving back & forth between Chotila-Rajkot in search of mate and/or prey.
Another possibility is that these lions are part of a larger pride, scouting the area, under pressure from their southern neighbours & may be followed by the females or cubs to settle near Hindolgarh or Rampara Vidi forests.

*This image is copyright of its original author

The foresters are confident that those forests will now become new habitat for the big cats. They have all the characteristics of becoming a lion habitat. The region also has a good prey base of chital, neelgai, sambhar and wild boar. Rampara Virdi already home of another predator species the wolves, said foresters.

In 2010 Gujarat government had identified an area near Wankaner in Rajkot district for relocation of lions from Gir National Park, as a second location after Barda Dungar in the Porbandar district as part of the lion gene pool project.

Sources:
https://m.timesofindia.com/city/rajkot/c...531576.cms Reply