India’s exclusive population of Asiatic lions in Gujarat has risen by 32% since 2020, reflecting successful but spatially stretched conservation efforts.
Asiatic Lion Census 2025
- Population Surge: The lion population in Gujarat rose from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025, a 32% increase. Adult females increased by 27% to 330, signaling strong reproductive potential.
- Distribution Beyond Core Zones: For the first time, more lions were found outside protected zones (Gir National Park and Paniya Sanctuary) than within them, highlighting significant range expansion.
- Satellite Populations Growing: New lion populations have emerged across nine satellite regions, including Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, Jetpur, Babra-Jasdan, and corridor areas with 22 individuals, totalling 497 lions.
Asiatic Lion
- Taxonomic Identity: The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) is genetically distinct from its African counterpart, with a smaller mane and reduced size.
- Exclusive Range: The species is found only in Gujarat, making it one of the few big cat species globally restricted to a single geographic region.
- IUCN Status: The Asiatic lion is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to its limited population, restricted range, and vulnerability to epidemics or environmental disasters.
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- Expansion of Territorial Range: The lions’ range expanded from 30,000 sq. km in 2020 to 35,000 sq. km by 2025,a 16.67% increase driven by natural dispersal and prey availability.
- Rising Numbers in Non-Core Sanctuaries: Mityala Wildlife Sanctuary doubled its lion population to 32 since 2020, reflecting effective corridor-based conservation efforts.
Concerns Over Carrying Capacity and Human-Wildlife Conflict
- Approaching Ecological Limits: Gujarat’s prey base can support up to 2,000 lions, but ecological saturation risks are growing. Evidence includes rising cattle carcass counts and shrinking wild prey-buffer zones.
- Increased Human-Wildlife Conflict:A study in Conservation Biology reported a 10% annual increase in villages experiencing livestock predation, with a 15% rise in livestock killed per village.
- Local Tolerance Under Strain Though 61% of surveyed villagers remain tolerant of lions, the study emphasizes the urgency of participatory and economically beneficial land-sharing strategies to ensure coexistence.
- Need for Relocation:Conservationists advocate creating new lion habitats beyond Gujarat
- Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, originally intended for lions, remains a viable option.
Project Lion
- Launched in 2020, Project Lion is a flagship conservation initiative
- Aim: To ensure the long-term survival of the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica), an endangered species found exclusively in Gujarat.
- Implementation: The project is designed as a 10-year plan, with implementation led by the State Government of Gujarat, in collaboration with national-level institutions such as the Central Zoo Authority.
Key Focus Areas
- Landscape-Based Conservation Approach: Project Lion adopts a landscape ecology-based strategy, promoting conservation beyond protected areas and focusing on ecosystem-level planning for sustainable lion habitats.
- Habitat Restoration and Expansion: The project prioritizes the restoration of degraded habitats and the identification and development of additional secure areas for lion dispersal and population stability.
- Community Engagement and Livelihood Development: Recognizing the role of local communities, the project emphasizes community participation, aiming to build livelihood opportunities and foster coexistence through compensation and awareness programmes.
- Health and Disease Management: A crucial component of the project is disease surveillance and management, with the aim of establishing India as a global hub for big cat health research, diagnostics, and treatment to prevent epidemics within lion populations.
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