Context: As per the findings of the Asiatic Lion Census 2025, the population of Asiatic lions in Gujarat has witnessed a significant increase reaching an estimated 891 individuals.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Asiatic lions; Project Lion; Big Cat Alliance; CDV.
Asiatic Lion Census 2025
- 16th edition of the Lion Census. The last such census was conducted in 2020, which recorded 674 Asiatic lions in Gujarat.
- Estimated lion population: 891 in Gujarat. Gir forest in Gujarat is the only remaining natural habitat of Asiatic lions.
- Methodology: The census used advanced methodologies such as direct beat verification (high accuracy and minimal margin of error), supported by modern tools including high-resolution cameras, camera traps and GPS-enabled radio collars.
- Concerns: ~57% of the 891 individuals have been recorded in areas outside protected forest areas. This poses an increased threat of man-wildlife conflict.
Asiatic Lions
- The Asiatic lion is a big cat of the subspecies Panthera leo.
- Range: Gir forest, a dry deciduous forest ecosystem in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, is the abode of the last surviving population.
- Conservation Status:
- IUCN Status: Endangered
- CITES: Appendix I
- Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I
Concerns: Lions remain geographically isolated in Gir. This risks the spread of epidemic or disease; risk due to decline in prey or natural disasters. E.g., In 2018, 27 lions in Gir died due to canine distemper virus (CDV)
Canine Distemper Virus:
- Highly contagious viral disease caused by a single-stranded RNA virus. Affects wide range of carnivores
- Impacts several body systems, including the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, the spinal cord, and the brain.
- Symptoms: Dullness, lacrimation, cough, diarrhea, and seizures. It has a high mortality rate.
Conservation Initiatives
- Project Lion (2020): Infrastructure development for protection and security of Indian lions, especially health infrastructure. Focus on conflict mitigation, habitat improvement, radio-collar monitoring, and camera traps, and addressing human-wildlife conflict.
- International Big Cats Alliance (2023): Foster international cooperation among 97 range countries for conservation of big cats.
This growing presence underscores the continued success of conservation efforts and the need for expanded management strategies to support their increasing numbers.