Asiatic Lion

WHY IN NEWS?

• Recent census of Asia’s exclusive population of Lions in Gir Forest in Gujarat indicates numbers have risen by 29% over five years.

ABOUT ASIATIC LIONS:

• Asiatic lion is one of five pantherine cats inhabiting India, along with the Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, snow leopard and clouded leopard.
• It is classified as Endangered in IUCN Red List because of its small size and area of occupancy.

HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION

• Asiatic lions were once distributed upto the state of West Bengal in east and Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, in central India.
• At present Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is the only abode of the Asiatic lion consisting of dry deciduous forest and open grassy scrublands in southwestern part of Saurashtra region of Gujarat.

CONSERVATION ISSUES

• The lions face the usual threats of poaching and habitat fragmentation.
• The Asiatic lion faces threat of genetic inbreeding arising from a single population in one place.
• The spread of canine distemper virus (CDV) has also affected lion population at Gir.
• However the lion population has steadily increased since 2010.

ASIATIC LION REINTRODUCTION PROJECT

• Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project is an initiative of the Government to provide safeguards to the Asiatic lion from extinction in the wild by means of reintroduction.
• The project aims to establish a second independent population of Asiatic lions at the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.

PRELIMS QUESTION:

Q. Consider the following statements regarding Gir national Park:

1. 1. It has the only wild lion population in Asia.
   2. Lion population in Gir has declined consistently in last five years

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to Prelims question