Asiatic Lion - Data, Pictures & Videos

[Rishi]

Big News: multiple lions sighted 100km north of Gir forest after more than a century!!

Two male Asiatic lions were spotted in Gundala (Jas) village in Vinchhiya taluka of Surendranagar district almost 100 km north of Liliya in Amreli district, which is the nearest known habitat of Asiatic lions. Forest officers said the animals spotted were part of a group of three males in search of new territory. 
Hingolgadh Nature Education Sanctuary (HNES), is located at the southern edge of Gundala (Jas) village surrounded by hillocks. HNES is home to a healthy population of blue bulls, the antelopes which form the main prey-base of Asiatic lions outside Gir forest. 

Only a day ago a female & a subadult male were sighted in the adhoining Chotila Taluka. Whether these are the same animals mistakenly identified or indeed separate lions of same or different pride group, is yet to be ascertained. 

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Sandeep Kumar, incharge deputy conservator of forests of Morbi division, said, “Two days ago, this group of three male lions were spotted in Ambardi village near Jasdan where they made a kill. The same lions have moved towards Vinchhiya. This group has come from Babra (in neighbouring Amreli district) in search of new territory.”

A team of 20-25 officials of the forest department has been monitoring their movement since Monday night and keeping locals away from them. Forest officials said there are no immediate plans to rescue the animals or take them back to the area they originally belonged to, but observe movement of the lions for a few days to ensure that no unwanted event of man-animal conflict arises in the area.
On Wednesday, forest team held meetings with villagers and sensitized them on co-existence with lions. They have started advising the locals to not panic or harass the lions if they spot them.

According to historical records, lions were found in grasslands around Chotila. As their population shrank, their habitat got restricted to Sasan. However, as their numbers began to rise, the big cats have started exploring newer areas. They are seen in Junagadh, Amreli, Gir-Somnath, Bhavnagar and now in Surendranagar district.

Satellite tagging of 60-odd lions since thd CDV-babesiosis outbreak, has revealed that Asiatic lions are footloose and mobile with their home-ranges being fluid & constantly shifting.
"Tagging data has thrown up interesting information about movement of lions. Contrary to perception that lions stick to territories, there have been some groups who have moved in and out of the Gir sanctuary, travelling 60 km-70 km over half a dozen times in the past five months," said a senior forest official. "Asiatic lions in Gujarat are constantly on the move. One nomadic lion covered the entire Gir sanctuary in four days and went outside. On the other hand, a lioness and a cub travelled nearly 100 km from Babra in Amreli to Gir sanctuary. Lions have been found to constantly flit between sanctuary and revenue areas," said another senior forest official.


Sources: 
https://m.timesofindia.com/city/rajkot/t...150518.cms
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities...4607/lite/
https://www.deshgujarat.com/2019/11/20/n...n-gujarat/
https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/a...134033.cms Reply