Description

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Context

Asiatic lions are now moving beyond Gir and venturing into Coastal belts e.g. Diu Island, Girnar hills, Agricultural fields and human settlements. They are also crossing state borders raising ecological, administrative and conflict concerns.

This Indicates healthy population growth but also pressure on carrying capacity of Gir.

Proposal for Second Habitat

Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh is yet to materialize due to interstate issues.

About Asiatic Lions

The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) also known as the Indian or Persian lion is a unique subspecies of lion found exclusively in India.

It is a symbol of India's successful species specific conservation program with Gir National Park in Gujarat being its last natural habitat.

Distribution

Period	Range
Ancient Times	Widespread across West Asia, Middle East and Northern India
Present	Restricted to Saurashtra region

Latest Census conducted in 2020 by Gujarat Forest Department

Population is 674 individuals
Area Covered is 30000 km2
Geographical Spread is 9 districts and 53 talukas of Saurashtra

Asiatic Lion vs African Lion

Feature	*Asiatic Lion (P. leo persica)*	*African Lion (P. leo melanochaita)*
Size	Slightly smaller	Generally larger
Mane	Shorter, less developed	Fuller, denser
Social Behavior	Males stay with pride	Males often leave pride
Habitat	Dry deciduous forests (India)	Savannas, grasslands, shrublands
Distribution	Gir, Gujarat (only)	Sub-Saharan Africa
IUCN Status	Endangered	Vulnerable
CITES Listing	Appendix I	Appendix II
Protection in India	Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 – Schedule I	–

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List

Declared Critically Endangered in the 1990s

Downgraded to Endangered since 2008 due to conservation success

Legal Protection

Schedule I species under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

CITEs Appendix I prohibits international trade

Project Lion announced in 2020.

About Gir and Girnar Sanctuaries

Gir

Established in 1965.

Located in Junagadh, Amreli, Gir Somnath, and Bhavnagar districts

Area is 1,412 sq km + 470 sq km buffer zone = 1,882 sq km

Flora includes Teak, dhak, acacia

Fauna includes Asiatic lions, leopards, Chinkara, Chousingha, crocodiles, 300+ bird species

Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary

Established in 2008.

Located in Girnar Hills, Junagadh.

Extension habitat for lions. Connects Gir with surrounding forested areas.

Major Threats to Asiatic Lions

Genetic bottlenecks due to isolated population.

Canine Distemper Virus outbreak in 2018.

Lion movement near villages/agricultural land.

Expansion of infrastructure like roads, railways.

Lack of Alternate Habitat.

Types of Lions

Common Name	Scientific Name	Status	Distribution	Key Features
Asiatic Lion	Panthera leo persica	Endangered (IUCN)	India (Gir Forest, Gujarat)	Smaller size, short mane, longitudinal skin fold along belly
Barbary Lion(North African Lion)	Panthera leo leo	Extinct in the Wild	Formerly North Africa (Morocco, Algeria)	Largest lion subspecies, dark, full mane; some survive in captivity
West African Lion	Panthera leo leo	Critically Endangered	West Africa (e.g., Senegal, Nigeria)	Isolated populations, genetically distinct
Central African Lion	Panthera leo leo	Vulnerable	Central Africa	Smaller pride sizes, adapted to dense habitats
East African Lion	Panthera leo nubica	Vulnerable	Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia	Classic African lion appearance, large prides
Southern African Lion	Panthera leo melanochaita	Vulnerable	Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe	Healthy population in reserves like Kruger, Kalahari-adapted lions
Cape Lion	Panthera leo melanochaita (formerly separate)	Extinct (since 1800s)	South Africa (Cape Province)	Black-maned, large size; some genes believed to exist in captive lions
Congo Lion	Sub-population of Panthera leo leo	Possibly extinct	Republic of Congo	Poorly studied, possibly extinct in wild