The next stage in protecting Asiatic lions

Relocating a chunk of the population to protected areas elsewhere has become a conservation imperative

In an era of fast-eroding biodiversity, the rise of the Asiatic lion population by a third is certainly heartening. Gujarat, the lone state playing home to the animal, saw numbers rise from 674 (2020) to 891. This rapid rise, of course, can be attributed to Project Lion, which was launched by the Union government in 2020, and focused on habitat restoration, prey-base enhancement, and mitigating human-animal conflict.

In 2020, Project Lion identified six other protected areas in the country, in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and elsewhere in Gujarat (Zoo officials)

But, the fact that, of the 891 Asiatic lions in India, only 384 were resident in protected areas while 507 lived outside, in revenue areas and lion corridors, underscores the skewed impact of conservation efforts. Given research pegs the natural home ranges of Asiatic lion prides and individual animals (solitary males) at anywhere between 15 to over 400 sq kms, the existing protected habitat can’t sustain such a large population — a fallout of which is animals straying into human habitats. Relocating a chunk of the population to protected areas elsewhere has become a conservation imperative. Though this has been discussed for about five decades, the Gujarat state government has steadfastly resisted the idea. In 2020, Project Lion identified six other protected areas in the country, in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and elsewhere in Gujarat (the Gir National Park is the primary protected habitat at present) for lion relocation. Doing this is essential to create a balance between natural prey availability, avoiding territorial clashes, and reducing the chances of conflict with humans.