Asiatic Lion:
- Scientific Name: Panthera Leo Persica.
- Common Name: Asiatic lion, Indian Lion.
- Status: Listed in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, in Appendix I of CITES and as Endangered on IUCN Red List.
- Characteristics: Asiatic lions are slightly smaller than African lions. The most striking morphological character, which is always seen in Asiatic lions, and rarely in African lions, is a longitudinal fold of skin running along its belly.
- Major threats: The Asiatic lion currently exists as a single subpopulation, and is thus vulnerable to extinction from unpredictable events, such as an epidemic or large forest fire. There are indications of poaching incidents in recent years.
- Population: There are about 700 lions presently in the Gir Forest and they are increasing in number.
- Habitat and Distribution:
- Asiatic lions were once distributed upto the state of West Bengal in east and Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, in central India. At present Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is the only abode of the Asiatic lion.
- The last surviving population of the Asiatic lions is a compact tract of dry deciduous forest and open grassy scrublands in southwestern part of Saurashtra region of Gujarat.
Asiatic Lion Conservation Project:
- Project Duration: Three financial years FY 2018-19, FY 2019-20 and FY 2020-21.
- Budgetary allocation: It has been launched with the budgetary contribution of Rs 97 Crore from Central Government. With the contribution of the State Govt, about 300 crore rupees will be spent.
- Approach:
- This project has “Species Conservation over a large landscape” approach. Besides this approach, the Greater Gir Region (GGR) is being divided into various zones and management approach of “Zone Plans and Theme Plans”.
- “Zone Plans” include the Core Zone, the Sanctuary Zone, the buffer Zone.
- Theme Plans include Habitat improvement, wildlife health service, addressing to man-wild animal conflict issues, awareness generation and ecotourism.
