THE ASIATIC LION
In May 2010, as the country took
cognizance of the sorry plight of its national animal and efforts to save the
stripped cat gained momentum, spectacular news emerged from the dry deciduous
forests of Gir in Gujarat. While the numbers of the Royal Bengal tiger had
plunged to 1411, the population of its feline cousin – the Asiatic lion soared
from 359 in 2005 to 411, five years later. In fact, this was the first time
since the late nineteenth century that the numbers of the Asia’s apex predator
had surged past the 400 mark – infusing renewed vigor in the people involved in
this success story and showing the world that persistent and sustained efforts
alone can lead to astounding results as far as wildlife conservation is
concerned.
Meanwhile, the rising human population,
loss of habitat, trophy hunting by Asian royals and their colonial successors
and rapid urbanization meant that the large cat was wiped off from most of its
former range by the late nineteenth century. By early twentieth century, about
13 individuals remained in the Gir forests of Saurashtra, which primarily
lay under the territorial extent of the princely state of Junagadh. The
King of the Jungle, popularized in myth as a symbol of indomitable strength and
revered around the globe for their ferocity, was once widespread across the
Asian continent with its habitat covering much of modern day Arabia, Persia,
Asia Minor and India. Surprisingly, nearly two centuries ago, the Asiatic lion
would have competed with other big cats like the tiger, leopard and Asiatic cheetah for prey and territory. While the lion-leopard and lion-cheetah
conflicts are still recorded in Africa, how the two heavyweights – the lion and
the tiger shaped up against each other is today, distant history.
One of the earliest fillips to Lion
conservation in Gir came in 1900 when the then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon,
on his visit to Junagadh refrained from shooting the large beast and set an
example for others to follow. Instead records from the archives of the
erstwhile state show that the royal court was flooded with requests for game
hunting, both from British officials and other princely states. When the
British administration took control for a brief period in 1911, it enforced
tight rules to regulate trophy hunting. Notorious in history textbooks for
being one of the only two Indian royals who wanted to merge with Pakistan, in
spite of an over whelming Hindu populace, the last Nawab – Mahabathkhanji III
was a great animal lover and played a pioneering role in the conservation of
the Asiatic Lion. On one occasion, when the neighboring princely states refused
to provide similar protection to lions outside the dominion of Junagadh, he
threatened to burn down the Gir forests. After the annexation of Junagadh into
the Republic of India was complete, the lion was accorded protected status by
the government and Gir was declared as a National Park and Wildlife sanctuary
in 1965.
Encompassing a total area of 1412 sq km,
Gir is today considered to be one of the most important protected areas of
Asia. Besides being the last refugee of the Asiatic lion or ‘Babbar Sher’, as
they are locally referred to as, the largest dry deciduous forests in Western
India are home to a myriad species of flora and fauna. A lesser known fact
about Gir is that it is a major breeding centre for the Marsh crocodile under
the Indian Crocodile Conservation Project of 1977 and nearly thousand crocs breed
here so far have been introduced in waters in and around Gir.
Asiatic lions are
similar to their cousins, though they have less swollen tympanic bullae,
shorter postorbital constriction, and usually have divided infraorbital
foramen. They reach a weight of 160–190 kg for the males and 110–120 kg for the
females. The color ranges from reddish-brown to a highly mottled black to
sandy cinnamon grey. Asiatic lions are highly social animals, living in prides. Their lion prides are smaller than those of African lions, with
an average of only two females, whereas an African pride has an average of four
to six. The males are less social and only associate with the pride
when mating or on a large kill. It has been suggested that this may be because
their prey animals are smaller than those in Africa, requiring fewer hunters to
tackle them. Asiatic lions prey predominantly on sambar, chital, nilgai, chinkara, wild boar, water buffalo and livestock.
Thanks to the efforts of the Forest Department, the Staff, NGOs and activists, the population of the lions in the region has steadily risen to a significant and reassuring number. Unlike earlier times, when pug marks were the basis of the lion census carried once every five years, the authorities have introduced the ‘Block-Direct-Control Method’ since 2005,eliminating any margin of error in the final recordings. In the last census, which involved over a thousand volunteers, the authorities have counted 97 males, 162 females and 152 cubs. A majority of individuals counted were found to be in the sub-adult category, which is a healthy sign for the future of these majestic beasts. The Lion Breeding Program here maintains breeding centers, carries out studies of the behavior of the lions and also practices artificial insemination. One such center, established in the Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junagadh, has successfully bred about 180 lions. Besides, 126 pure breds have been given to zoos in India and abroad.
Although there is little doubt that the
Gir story is a tremendous success and a role model for many similar experiments
around the world, the threat to the survival of Asiatic lion persists even
today. They have been poisoned by poor farmers who look upon them as
‘livestock lifters’ and wells dug by them for irrigation act as traps, leading
to many of them drowning. Reports of poaching have also been recorded, though
they have been few and far between. Habitat destruction by the local Maldhari
community to meet the demands of firewood and over grazing by their cattle is a
serious cause of concern. Today, farmers grow mango, groundnuts and sugarcane
adjacent to the Gir Forest, increasing land values and depleting groundwater
and putting more pressure on the lion population.
Also the protected area can barely
sustain the large numbers of a territorial animal like the lion and the
population explosion of the big cat has exceeded the carrying capacity of Gir,
forcing many of them to stray away from the protected area, making them
especially vulnerable. The latest census has shown that as many as 76 lions are
found in the areas adjoining the reserve, known as Greater Gir which comprises
of four districts of Amreli, Bhavnagar, Porbander and Junagadh.
Perhaps, the single biggest threat to
the survival of Asiatic Lion is that the present population is highly inbred as
it is derived from as little as 13 individuals. Many studies have reported that such population could be susceptible to diseases due to a weakening
immune system, possibly causing their sperm to be deformed. This makes them
especially vulnerable to diseases and causes 70% to 80% of sperm to be deformed
— a ratio that can lead to infertility when lions are further inbred in
captivity. In fact a severe epidemic of anthrax or rabies, transmitted from the
domestic animals of the Maldharis can wipe out the entire lion population.
As such, the battle to save the
magnificent lion is far from won. The authorities here have initiated several
steps to boost the survival of the animal. Measures like suspension of logging
operations in some parts of the reserve, resettlement of Maldharis families and
the shifting of their livestock, and the payment of compensation in cases of
livestock killing by lions have been initiated. The forest department has also
established check posts, introduced a wireless communication network, and
deployed vehicles and weapons to control the movement of people and livestock
in the protected area. To counter the problem of drowning, suggestions for
walls around the wells, as well as, the use of "Drilled Tube wells"
have been made.
Considering the threat of disease and
population explosion in Gir, efforts has been made to establish a second
independent population of Asiatic lions at the Palpur-Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary
in Madhya Pradesh. Although, researchers at the Wildlife Institute of India
have certified it as ready to receive its first batch of trans-located lions
from the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, the state of Gujarat has been resisting the relocation,
since it would make the Gir Sanctuary lose its status as the world's only home
of the Asiatic lion. Meanwhile, Kuno officials are toying with the idea of
releasing some captive-bred lions into the wild, after training them in hunting
and survival techniques.
The story of Gir and the resurgence in
the population of the Asiatic lions is the result of continued efforts to save
the species. The Nawab of Junagadh, the Gujarat government and the people of
the state, all deserve their share of accolades and are an integral part of
this great success. With the application of scientific knowledge, patience and
hard work, the same experiment can be replicated with any other animal anywhere
in the country. If we have been able to save the Asiatic Lion from the brink of
extinction, we surely have the potential to do the same with the tiger, the
Gangetic dolphin and other critically endangered species.
While its primary nemesis, the Princes
and the British have long disappeared into the oblivion, the Asiatic lion,
besides ruling his tiny yet significant kingdom in Saurashtra, continues to
captivate the hearts and minds of the Indians. Though the era of the Rajas and
Maharajas is long over, the lion still occupies a preeminent position in the
Indian Republic as it is one of the few animals that have made it to the
National Emblem. The four lions standing back to back, symbolizing power,
courage, pride and confidence have become the face of the country to rest of
the world. The King of the Jungle, the last remaining scion of royalty in
modern India, is roaring and roaring with pride; for it knows that it future is
safe in the hands of its subject.
SOURCES
(1) Wikipedia – Asiatic Lion (Link)
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