![]() Physical characteristics of Asiatic Lions A fully-grown up lion weighs up to one hundred and fifty kilograms to two hundred and fifty kilograms. The tail of the Indian Lion bears a dark tuft of fur at end. The lioness is smaller in size when compared to a male and reaches a height of eighty to one hundred and seven centimeters. The males are orange- yellow to dark brown in colour while the skin colour of the females is sandy or tawny. Males have a mane, which is dark in colour and is rarely found in dark colour. This mane is absent in females. The mane of the Asiatic Lion is shorter than that of the African Lion. Habitat of Asiatic Lions Indian Lions are gregarious who are found in large groups known as 'prides'. A common pride consists of fifteen members, which include lionesses, their cubs, and a few males. Male lions establish their pride's territories by roaring and by fiercely defending it. The lionesses and the cubs eat the leftovers of the food. Asiatic Lions also hunt in groups and are rarely seen hunting a prey in isolation. The Asiatic Lions inhabit in open grasslands and forests of India including the scrub jungles. They are carnivorous and depend on hunting for food. The prey of the Asiatic Lion consists of Deer, Antelope, Wild Boar and Wild Buffalo. They also live on young hippopotamus and elephants. The male lions mature at five years of age and the lionesses mature at the age of four years. There is no particular mating season of the Indian Lions. Ecology of Asiatic Lions in India Male Asiatic lions are either solitary or form loose groups with up to three other males. Pairs of males will rest, hunt, and feed together, often marking the same locations. In contrast, females form stronger prides with up to twelve other females and their cubs, sharing large carcasses among themselves but rarely with males. Male and female lions typically only associate for a few days during mating and do not generally live or feed together. Male coalitions defend territories containing one or more female prides, maintaining these territories longer than solitary males. Within coalitions of three to four males, a distinct hierarchy usually exists, with one male dominating. In Gir National Park, lions are primarily active during twilight and nighttime, coinciding with the activity periods of sambar, wild boar, and nilgai. Lions prefer large prey species weighing between 190 to 550 kg, regardless of their availability. Historically, domestic cattle have been a significant part of the Asiatic lions' diet in the Gir Forest. Within the park, their prey includes chital, sambar deer, nilgai, cattle, domestic water buffalo, and occasionally wild boar. Chital, weighing around 50 kg, are their most common prey, and they hunt sambar deer when these descend from the hills in summer. Outside the protected area, where wild prey is scarce, lions hunt water buffalo and cattle, and occasionally dromedary camels. They typically kill prey less than 100 meters from water sources, charging from close range and dragging carcasses into dense cover. Lions also scavenge on livestock carcasses left by Maldhari herders and prey on mugger crocodiles during the dry, hot months along the banks of Kamleshwar Dam. Distribution of Asiatic Lions in India In 1965, the Gir Forest in Saurashtra, covering 1,412.1 km² (545.2 sq mi), was designated as a sanctuary for the conservation of Asiatic lions. This sanctuary and its surrounding areas are the sole habitats for these lions. A national park, established after 1965, spans 258.71 km² (99.89 sq mi) where human activity is prohibited. Only Maldharis are permitted to graze their livestock in the surrounding sanctuary. Lions inhabit the forest remnants in the Gir and Girnar hill systems, the largest tracts of tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, thorny forests, and savannas in Gujarat, supporting diverse flora and fauna. There are five protected areas for the Asiatic lion are Gir Sanctuary, Gir National Park, Pania Sanctuary, Mitiyala Sanctuary, and Girnar Sanctuary. The first three form the Gir Conservation Area, a 1,452 km² (561 sq mi) forest block that constitutes the core habitat for the lion population. Mitiyala and Girnar sanctuaries protect satellite areas within dispersal distance of the Gir Conservation Area. Additionally, a sanctuary is being established in the nearby Barda Wildlife Sanctuary to provide an alternative habitat for the lions. The eastern part of Gir receives about 650 mm of annual rainfall, while the western part receives approximately 1,000 mm per year, with the vegetation consisting primarily of acacia thorn savanna. Conservation of Asiatic Lions in India The Asiatic Lions are highly endangered species and have become more or less extinct and are found only in the Indian subcontinent. By 2010, the lion population had rebounded from the brink of extinction to 411 individuals, with approximately 105 lions residing outside the Gir Forest, constituting about a quarter of the total population. Dispersing sub-adults formed new territories outside their natal prides, leading to a steady increase in the satellite lion population since 1995. By 2015, the population had grown to an estimated 523 individuals across a 7,000 km sq area in the Saurashtra region, including 109 adult males, 201 adult females, and 213 cubs. The 2017 Asiatic Lion Census recorded about 650 individuals. By 2020, at least six satellite populations had expanded to eight districts in Gujarat, living in human-dominated areas outside the protected areas. Approximately 104 lions lived near the coastline. Lions along the coast and between the coastline and Gir Forest have larger individual ranges. WWF collaborated with local partners and the Gujarat Forest Department to barricade 180 wells, which led to the Gujarat government doubling the subsidy and many farmers securing their wells with government support. WWF also provided support to Gir Protected Area to manage conflict and poaching and conducted a study to assess habitat changes over 20 years. |