Gir Sanctuary lost 86 lions in three years

GANDHINAGAR: The last abode of Asiatic Lions, Gir Sanctuary, lost 25 lions in the year 2011-12 till December, the Gujarat assembly was informed.

Total of 86 lion deaths were reported in the last three years in Gir.

As per the 2010 census, there were around 297 lions in Gir Sanctuary (59 males, 121 females, lions in teens 35, 61 cubs and 21 whose age could not be ascertained).

There were 411 lions (a rise of 52 over 2005) in all, in the entire Gir forest region which extends beyond the Sanctuary, upto Amreli and Bhavanagar districts of the state, as per 2010 census.

In a written reply to query of Congress MLA from Karjan, Chandudabi, forest minister Mangu Patel informed that 85 lions died natural deaths in last three years.

25 lions had died till December 2011, and 30 lions each had died in the years 2009-10 and 2010-11. One lion died in a fight with another.

Asiatic lions figure in International Union for Conservation of Nature's endangered species list.