Their last home
RADHA H.S.
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Since the Asiatic lion was declared an endangered species, a Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park have been established in the Gir forest.
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According to the 2005 census, there are 359 lions in the Gir forest.
PHOTO: SUSHANTA PATRONOBISH
KING OF THE JUNGLE: An endangered species.
Gir forest in Gujarat is the last home in the wild for the Asiatic lion. Once its natural distribution had spread from southeastern Europe to southwestern Asia. But the late 1800s saw the population dipping to about 20. Since the Asiatic lion was declared an endangered species, a Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park have been established in the Gir forest. Today the numbers have increased to about 359 lions (2005 Census) in Gir.
Pride of place
The Asiatic lion is smaller than its African cousin and on an average hunts smaller prey. Lions normally kill once or twice a week. Sleeping through the hotter part of a day. Lions sleep longer after a good meal.
Prides may have three to four adults and two or three cubs. The lioness teaches the cubs the basics of defence, hunting and feeding. Once the male cubs reach adulthood, they leave the pride and find another where they can oust the male and take over the pride.
We reached Gir in the evening. We set out at six the next morning in our quest for lions. Besides the lions, we also saw peafowl, spotted deer and sambhar. We drove towards the low, rolling hills. A serene man-made reservoir has been created on the Hiran. Climbing a tower we saw the vast expanse of the Gir.
Surprisingly there in a clearing were people and buffaloes. Our guide explained that the clearing was a ness where the Maldharis lived and reared their water buffaloes.
According to Dr. Ravi Chellam, Programme Officer, Sustainable Environment and Energy Division, UNDP-India and an expert on the Asiatic lion in India, wildlife sanctuaries could have human settlements as long as the wildlife populations were not endangered by them. According to the records, Maldharis have lived in the Gir for more than a 100 years.
Wildlife authorities are trying to achieve the right balance between the requirements of humans and lions. Maldharis traditionally know of no other way of lions and for the lions, Gir is their last home.
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Sight to remember
We fell silent as the beautiful lioness strode across the mud road, at a leisurely pace. She walked past our jeep, just 50 to 75 metres away. The mud road, the colour of her coat and the surrounding dry deciduous forest was stunning in the morning light. There was something stuck on her tail. Our driver said it was a porcupine quill. The run in between the two must have been interesting.
A minute later, our guide pointed to the left. A beautiful lioness walked by with a lion behind her: we were told it was a cub. Our drive through the Gir forest had been fruitful.
