Gujarat lions tamed for tourism, drives conflict in Saurashtra, finds new study
The lion population has grown significantly since the study period. The last census carried out in 2020 recorded 674 lions, up from 523 in 2015.
Private tourism hotspots, where lions are often baited, are leading to increased conflicts between humans and Asiatic lions in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region, according to a new study published in Conservation Biology, a science journal.
The research, conducted by Keshab Gogoi, Kausik Banerjee, Stotra Chakrabarti, Anirudh Pratap Singh, and Y.V. Jhala between 2012-2017 and recently released in the journal, revealed a complex dynamic between lions and humans, across a 30,000 square km landscape, shaped by history and economics.
Analysing 11,901 compensation claims, covering 14,099 livestock kills across 1,092 villages, the study found that these community tourism hotspots (CTHs) where locals conduct unregulated lion tours on private land had far reaching effects. The study found that proximity to these areas best explained (68.9%) the variability in the spatial occurrence of conflict. These tourism hotspots, where lions are often baited with livestock for visitor viewing, create risks extending up to 15 km around them.
The Gujarat forest department (GFD) pays compensation for livestock predation and for human injuries or deaths in attacks by carnivores. The researchers collected records of compensation from all forest divisions and forest ranges for 2012−2017 for livestock and from 2011−2017 for humans in the lion landscape.
“Areas of high lion conflict were in the proximity of CTH and lion refuge patches. These attack hotspots extended up to 15 km and 10 km for livestock and human attacks, respectively, from CTH. Baiting of lions is often practiced at these CTHs, and such provisioning can cause lions to lose the fear of humans and impede the learning of hunting techniques in juvenile lions, consequently resulting in adult lions becoming habituated to humans and losing their wild instincts,” the study said.
The study ‘Deciphering the enigma of human-lion coexistence in India’ examined compensation records for livestock from 2012-2017, with 91.38% of all recorded claims occurring outside protected areas. Based on a sample of 292 respondents, researchers estimated that 95% of livestock predation events resulted in compensation claims. While the GFD regulates official lion tourism within the Gir Protected Area, high demand for less restricted viewing has led to this parallel tourism economy. Compensation claims peaked during monsoon and winter months, according to the study.
The findings suggested that while these tourism spots provide income for local communities, their unregulated nature poses risks to both humans and lions. The researchers recommend bringing these sites under proper legal oversight to maintain their economic benefits while reducing potential dangers.
“Lion tourism in CTHs should be legalised with controlled mechanisms in place. Remember, economic incentive is a key driver as why humans are tolerant of lions in Gujarat. Conservation and Community Reserves under the wildlife protection act is one way to do it,” said Y.V. Jhala, a leading wildlife expert and one of the study’s authors. “Currently, people conducting illegal lion shows use livestock as bait and then claim government compensation for these losses. Essentially, taxpayer money is subsidising these illegal activities.”
The second factor that contributes to the animal-human conflict is the density of lions (24.2%) as areas of low lion density, which are typically human-dominated landscapes outside Gir Protected Areas, showed higher probability of livestock predation than areas with high lion density inside the protected areas, as per the study. The research showed distinct seasonal patterns - livestock predation increased during monsoon (July-October) and winter (November-February), while human incidents peaked in summer months.
Another important aspect of the study is that 61.86% of 1,434 surveyed communities in Saurashtra region showed tolerance towards Asiatic lions despite risks of conflict.
The Maldhari communities have lived inside protected areas with lions for over 150 years while some communities near Gir have a three-decade history of coexistence. “This coexistence is related to a mix of sociocultural tolerance, enforced legal protection, government compensation, and mutual adaptation of humans and lions to each other,” the study noted.
Economic status significantly influenced attitudes - wealthy respondents were 5.75 times more likely to tolerate lions compared to economically poor respondents. “Economically well-off people rarely need to deal with lions at a personal level and thus can tolerate them in the neighborhood. Whereas livestock herders, one of the most economically impoverished strata in the society, confront lions on a daily basis to the detriment of their livelihoods and thus have a more negative attitude,” according to the research paper.
The lion population has grown significantly since the study period. The last census carried out in 2020 recorded 674 lions, up from 523 in 2015 - a 29% rise in five years. These lions inhabit not just the Gir National Park and Sanctuary but have spread across several districts of Saurashtra, including Girnar, Mitiyala, and Pania Sanctuaries, coastal areas, and adjoining regions of Amreli and Bhavnagar districts.