Now Reading: Gir’s Asiatic lion population climbs to 896
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Gir’s Asiatic lion population climbs to 896
On World Lion Day, the Gir National Park in Gujarat remains the only home of the endangered Asiatic lion. The population has recovered from just 20 in 1913 to 896 today, a…
The Story in Brief
On World Lion Day, the Gir National Park in Gujarat remains the only home of the endangered Asiatic lion. The population has recovered from just 20 in 1913 to 896 today, a conservation win for India. The reserve also shelters leopards, hyenas, chital and over 300 bird species.
Visitors can reach Gir via Keshod (70 km) or Diu (100 km) airports, or by rail to Junagadh or Sasan Gir. Park entry shuts from June 16 to October 15 for monsoon. The best viewing runs from mid-November to March.
The Indian Opinion
This story is often spun as a simple triumph, but the real challenge is what comes next. A single sanctuary holding nearly 900 lions is fragile. The state must ensure new habitats are ready and corridors remain open. Watch for the next census count, and whether lions expand beyond Gir without conflict. That number will tell the true story, not World Lion Day fanfare.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
