Gujarat: Lioness and two cubs camp near Gondal, 60 km from home in Girnar

That is the third consecutive winter that the massive cats have visited Gondal and specialists say that is a part of “inhabitants spilling over” from Gir forest and different protected areas unfold throughout Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts, and the lions recapturing their territory.

Officers of Morbi territorial forest division mentioned that the three carnivores have been roaming in varied villages of Gondal taluka since December 6. “They’re in search of refuge in non-public vidis (grasslands) and have preyed on a cow, one deserted bullock and a wild boar up to now. Our workers is monitoring their motion and
up to now no untoward incident has been reported,” mentioned Chirag Amin, incharge deputy conservator of forests (DCF) of Morbi division.

Amin mentioned that the three carnivores are believed to have come from GWLS close to Junagadh, greater than 60 km south of the realm wherein they’re roaming presently. He mentioned that this small satisfaction had entered Rajkot district by means of Jetalsar village in Jetpur taluka earlier than shifting additional north to Gondal.

From Gondal, GWLS is the closest recognized habitat of Gir lions. Final 12 months additionally, three male lions, believed to be from Dhari in Gir (east) wildlife division in Amreli district had entered Rajkot district through Jasdan taluka in November earlier than reaching the outskirts of Rajkot metropolis and spending round a month between Rajkot and Gondal. Finally, they have been caged in January this 12 months and have been launched of their territory in Gir.

Two sub-adult male lions that entered Rajkot in 2019 through Jasdan and had moved additional north as much as Chotila taluka in Surendranagar district had additionally crossed Gondal whereas on their method again to GWLS.

Rajkot district has been recording lion motion on and off since 2001. However in recent times, the massive cats have been visiting the district nearly each winter.

Retired IFS officer HS Singh, who’s a member of the Nationwide Board for Wildlife (NBWL) and has studied Gir lions extensively, mentioned lions visiting farther components of Rajkot is a part of the phenomenon of dispersal of lions from Gir forest and different protected areas, their final habitat on the planet. “I’ve been observing it for 15 years. Earlier when inhabitants was much less, just a few have been surviving in Girnar…. However now, inhabitants is spilling all over the place. Now, Girnar inhabitants is greater than 30 or 50. So, they transfer from Ginar to Gondal grasslands and villages looking for meals,” Singh mentioned including the lion inhabitants ranging freely in Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts of Gujarat’s Saurashtra area is round 700 and about 55 per cent of these lions have settled out of protected forests.

Lions are territorial animals. Male lions mark their territory and defend it from intrusion of different male lions whereas mating with females dwelling inside that territory till extra highly effective lions take over that territory. Additionally, younger male cubs are pushed out of a satisfaction as they method maturity. Such male lions typically discover new territories.

Singh mentioned that lions go to Rajkot throughout winters attributable to local weather. “Throughout summer time, it’s too scorching so they like shed, riverine patches the place temperature is four-five levels down in comparison with the encompassing space. So, they transfer again to Gir… they like open areas in winter as a result of they want daylight,” he mentioned.

Bhushan Pandya, a Rajkot-based conservationist who has recorded wildlife of Gir extensively by means of pictures, mentioned, “Availability of meals can be a motive for lions to maneuver to income areas. They’ll discover feral cattle and blue bulls (nilgai) relatively simply in such areas,” mentioned Pandya.