Gir lion deaths: Lots of questions, few answers

To avoid a repeat, Gujarat must make public the exact reasons behind the deaths

The Wildlife Week celebrations began across the country on Monday. In the same week, it has emerged that within a month, 23 Asiatic lions have died at Gujarat’s Gir Forest National Park, which is home to all the world’s remaining 525 Asiastic lions. When the first deaths were reported between September 10 and 21, officials said it was because of “infighting” between the prides. Since then, another 10 have perished. Some reports have said canine distemper virus (CDV) has been found in four samples.

Experts say the Gir lions have always been susceptible to a viruses because they share territory with tribal herdsmen, their cattle and other domestic animals such as dogs. These deaths, they say, could have been avoided if a long-term epidemiological communicable disease study had been put in place at least 10 years ago to understand the disease load of the different prides. Moreover, animals don’t die because of just a virus attack but because of low immunity. There is high chance that lions in Gir have low immunity because of inter-breeding that has been taking place for centuries. The deaths of lions have also reignited a debate over the relocation of lions to the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. However, the virus attack and the deaths of lions and relocation are two different things because all populations of lions have to be taken care of. Moreover, Kuno may be ready with its prey base of wild animals but the lions of Gir are more used to large, easily available animals such as cattle than other fast-moving wild animals, and that unlike the tribesmen, who are rich (and so can absorb losses), the poor population around Kuno may not take to cattle killing very kindly.

But before any final decision is taken, it is very important to make public the exact reasons behind the deaths. Only when there is enough scientific knowledge, the problems dogging Gir can be rectified.