Wanted: New homes for pride of Gujarat
THREE years after a deadly virus struck India’s endangered Asiatic lions in their last remaining natural habitat, conservationists are hunting for new homes to help booming prides roam free.
The majestic big cats, slightly smaller than their African cousins and with a fold of skin along their bellies, were once found widely across southwest Asia. Hunting and human encroachment saw the population plunge to just 20 by 1913, and the lions are now found only in a wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat state. Following years of concerted government efforts, the lion population in Gir National Park has swelled to nearly 700, according to an official census last year. It was three years ago when the conservation success looked to be in danger as several lions started to die in one part of the 1,400-squarekilometre (545-square-mile) forest.
The canine distemper virus – a highly infectious disease – was detected among the royal beasts, killing at least 11 of them. “We picked all the lions from the area and isolated them,” Dushyant Vasavada, the park’s chief conservator of forests, said.
The lions have low genetic diversity due to their small population size, making them more vulnerable to epidemics. Authorities imported special vaccines from overseas and each animal was given three doses each, followed by a booster shot. Cattle and dogs near the park were also inoculated.
Wildlife biologist Ravi Chellam said the sanctuary was also now too small for its steadily growing lion population. Efforts to move some lions to other states have been mired in legal wrangles with the state government, which wants to keep the animals in Gujarat. Meanwhile, rangers keep a close watch on the wandering lions with the help of dozens of imported radio collars.