Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will celebrate World Wildlife Day on Monday (March 3) and chair the 7th meeting of the National Wildlife Board in Gujarat’s Gir.
This year, World Wildlife Day has been themed ‘Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet’. As Gujarat is home to the last population of Asiatic lions, has undertaken several landmark initiatives to protect these majestic creatures and enhance biodiversity.
Project Lion is an important wildlife conservation initiative launched by the government in 2018 with the aim of ensuring the long-term survival and conservation of the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica), which is found only in Gir National Park and its surrounding areas in Gujarat, India.
The primary goal of the project is to stabilize and increase the population of the Asiatic lion, which is listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been involved in Asiatic lion conservation since his tenure as Gujarat’s Chief Minister.
In 2007, after a poaching incident, his government established the Greater Gir Wildlife Protection Task Force to monitor wildlife crimes and strengthen conservation measures.
The Greater Gir Conservation Model was introduced, expanding lion protection beyond Gir National Park to 30,000 sq. km, ensuring a safer habitat. His tenure also saw the historic recruitment of women beat guards, with 111 women currently working in the Gir region.
Additionally, the formation of the Gujarat State Lion Conservation Society (GSLCS) helped fund conservation initiatives through eco-tourism revenue, and the ‘Vanya Prani Mitra’ scheme was launched to involve local communities in wildlife protection.
Currently, Asiatic lions roam across 30,000 square kilometres spanning 53 talukas in nine districts of Gujarat. To strengthen conservation, the state government has set up a National Referral Centre for Wildlife over 20.24 hectares in Junagadh and a high-tech monitoring centre along with a state-of-the-art wildlife hospital in Sasan.
Achievements of Project Lion:-
Increase in Lion Population: Thanks to Project Lion and other conservation efforts, the population of Asiatic lions has steadily increased. As of the latest census in 2020, the lion population in Gujarat has crossed 600, a remarkable recovery from less than 20 lions in the early 20th century.
Expanded Habitat Areas: The lion’s range has expanded beyond the Gir Protected Area, with the establishment of new sanctuaries and the translocation of lions to different areas, like the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary, which aims to reduce the density in Gir and allow the species to spread to new regions.
Positive Community Engagement: Increased involvement of local communities in conservation efforts, such as creating awareness programs, building infrastructure for eco-tourism, and engaging in activities that provide alternative livelihoods, has been a positive outcome of Project Lion.
