Swallow pride, find second home for Gir lions: Experts

AHMEDABAD: After alarming deaths of 23 lions due to deadly canine distemper virus (CDV) and babesiosis infection outbreak in Gir, the chorus is getting louder for a second home for the big cats -- be it within or outside Gujarat. Experts say it is imperative now that lions be shifted to an alternate habitat to safeguard them from a complete wipe out due to any disease outbreak in the future.

Asiatic lion expert and member of the National Board for Wildlife (NBW) H S Singh said, “It is high time that the big cats get an alternative home. I suggest it should be wiser if second habitat is in Gujarat.”

There are two options for a second home for lions and both have not fructified due to various technical, emotional and political reasons. The Supreme Court has directed translocation of lions to Kuno Palpur in Madhya Pradesh way back in April 2013. A 12-member expert committee has also been formed to monitor the shifting of lions to the sanctuary spread over 344.68 sq km.

No conclusion yet on lion translocation proposal

However, there has been no movement as Gujarat has dug its heels that translocation takes place following all guidelines laid out by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The state has insisted that 31 studies on preybase, habitat, people's attitude towards lions among other factors are conducted afresh before translocation.

Gujarat also asked MP to double the sanctuary area in Kuno Palpur. The matter is still pending with the 12-member committee. Lion expert Ravi Chellam and one of the key planners of lion translocation project says, “We have failed to hold the government accountable despite the very far-sighted SC judgement of April 2013. Unfortunately, the Gujarat government seems to be still in a denial mode.”

Closer home in Gujarat, state government has identified Barda Dungar sanctuary in Porbandar, located 80km away from Gir, as alternative site to Kuno Palpur. The identification had happened way back in mid-1990s soon after the Serengeti lion deaths in Tanzania in 1994. While the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has also given clearance to state for shifting lions this this sanctuary spread over 109 sq km, lions have not been shifted due to lack of political will and protests by local Maldhari community.

Akshay Saxena the Principal Chief Conservator for Forest (wildlife) told TOI, “We want the SC order on translocation to be strictly followed.” While the translocation debate is still on, the Gujarat government’s cabinet on Wednesday decided to procure 300 CDV vaccines from US to ensure timely inoculation of Asiatic lions.