Fencing of railway tracks in lion habitat a failure

AHMEDABAD: Keeping lions from venturing on to the 40km Rajula-Pipavav railway line, which passes just outside the Gir sanctuary has become a headache for the state government, especially after its moves to fence off the tracks with barbed wire and install virtual fencing, which administers mild shocks to big cats, have failed.

Between January 2018 and 2019, six lions were run over by goods trains, while officials reported at least 60 incidents of lions getting on to the tracks after passing the fencing.

The six lion deaths in 2014-15 had led to the fencing of the 40-km line in the Rajula area. However, despite the fencing, since December 2018 the state has reported four deaths since December 2018 and six since January 2018.

The forest department is now studying alternative measures. The department has even tried virtual fencing, but the project fell apart as it also failed to prevent lions from entering the fenced-off area.

The state government’s barbed wire fencing along the 40 km track has failed, as no less than 12 lions have died on the tracks in the last three years. Four of these deaths have come in the last two months.

The fencing project began in 2014-15. In October 2016 three forest officers had visited the area.

The team has been sent on the visit after 15 incidents were reported in which the train had halted, or lions were found inside the fenced area. In a couple of incidents, lions were found to have taken shelter under halted trains.

Officials said there are several unmanned and manned crossings for local villagers and these are a major hurdle as lions enter the fenced area through these openings. Despite underpasses being built, lions prefer the routes used by humans. “If these opening are closed, farmers and politicians will create a hue and cry, forcing the department to leave them open. There are no less than 50 such crossing on the 40-km stretch.”

A senior officer said on one or two occasions lions have even jumped over the fence, which is five feet high. “Once a lion enters the fenced area, it is difficult to remove as they are virtually trapped inside.”

A K Saxena, the state’s principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), says “The fencing option is not as effective as it should have been. We even called an agency for virtual fencing, but that option was not workable either. We are looking at other technology options. These technologies have to be examined within the limitations of the railways.”

He further said that after the deaths of the three lions, they formed a closed group including station masters, railway staff and local people, and information is passed on to the closest station master about lions on the tracks. This information is in turn passed on to locomotive drivers.”

Meanwhile, the railways has issued directives to reduce the speed of trains in lion habitat to 50km per hour. Despite these restrictions, deaths have been reported. It is worth noting that the meter gauge train passing from Gir sanctuary has not been a cause of any accident as the speed is reduced to just 30 km per hour as it passes from the sanctuary.