Gujarat at a Glance: Home of Gir lion

“Jewel of the Western Part of India” is how people describe Gujarat, an Indian state in the western part of the country. Most of its coastline is on the Kathiawar peninsula, which has a population of 60 million people and an area of 196,204 square kilometres (75,755 square miles). In the north, the state is bordered by the state of Rajasthan; in the south, by Maharashtra; in the east, by the Madhya Pradesh state of India; west, by the Arabian Sea; and east, by the Sindh province of Pakistan. Government headquarters are in Gandhinagar. Most people know about the Asiatic lions, which are its most renowned inhabitants. According to locals, Gujarat, a state in western India, is known as the “Jewel of the Western India.” Over half of the country’s 1,600-mile (2,000-kilometre) coastline is located in the Kathiawar peninsula, which is home to the bulk of the country’s 60 million residents. Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and the Arabian Sea to the west, Sindh province to the east and Sindh provinces of Rajasthan and Maharashtra to the north, border the state. The capital city of India is Gandhinagar. Its most renowned residents are the Asiatic lions.

One of India’s most famous national parks is Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (also known as Sasan Gir). Somnath is 43 kilometres (27 miles) north, Junagadh is 65 kilometres (40 miles) south, and Amreli is 60 kilometres (37 miles) south. In 1965, the Nawab of Junagarh established a wildlife sanctuary and a national park in the area of 1,412 km2 (545 sq miles), of which 258 km2 (100 sq miles) is entirely protected as a national park. [1] The dry deciduous forests of the Khathiar-Gir ecoregion encompass this area.

An Asian Lion Census was held in May of this year. The town had a population of 523 in 2015. Since the 2010 census, there has been a 27% rise in the population. In 2005, the population was 359, and in 2010 it had grown to 411. There were 268 lions in Junagadh District, 44 in Gir Somnath, 174 in Amreli, and 37 in Bhavnagar. There are 213 cubs, 109 of which are male, 201 of which are female, and 109 of which are male. 

Ecological problems

In Gir National Park and Sanctuary, the natural ecosystem is in danger. Natural disasters include, but are not limited to, cyclones, droughts, and forest fires. Invasive plants, overgrazing and encroachment are all instances of manmade threats to the natural environment. Environmental harm is exacerbated in the peripheral zone by both tourists and mining. The ecology is harmed by rail tracks that transverse the peripheral zone. Furthermore, the genetic base of large animals is becoming more and more restricted.

Best Time To Visit Gir National Park

There is just one site in the world where Asiatic lions may be found: Gir National Park, which is located 65 kilometres southeast of Junagarh district in Gujarat. On September 18, 1965, the sanctuary was established in Gujarat’s Saurashtra district and covers 1412 square kilometres. The Asiatic lion is the world’s most endangered species, and the park was established to preserve it. Because it is the only place outside of Africa where lions may be found, Gir draws a large number of researchers and hunters from across the world. There are 606 plant species, 2000 invertebrate species, 36 vertebrate species, and more than 300 bird species in Gir, which has developed to be a stable ecosystem.

In Ranthambore or Corbett, tiger enthusiasts may view their favourite wild predator, while lion enthusiasts can see the king of the jungle, the Lion, in his natural habitat in Gir National Park.

Asiatic lion

Asiatic lions need wide deciduous woods and dry scrub areas for their habitat. The number of lions in Gir National Park has increased from 411 in 2010 to 523 as of 2015, and they are entirely concentrated there. When the Asiatic lion’s population was estimated to be as low as 100 in 1900, it was designated as a protected species. In 1936, a census counted 289 animals. After a census in 1968 indicated that the population had shrunk to 162 from 1936, Mark Alexander Wynter-Blyth, Rajkumar College’s principal, and R.S. Dharmakumarsinhji performed their first modern-day lion count somewhere between 1948 and 1963.  

Conclusion:

Outside of Africa, Gir National Park is the only area in the world where a lion may be seen in its native environment. Gir lions are magnificent creatures, measuring 2.75 metres in length and with a thicker tail tassel, bushier elbow tufts, and pronounced belly folds than their African counterparts with larger manes. Gir is home to 40 animal species and 425 bird species.