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Great Habitat of Asiatic Lions
Amidst the vast arid landscape that dominates the state of
Gujarat, towards the tip of the Saurashtra Peninsula, lies
a wildlife oasis that has a pool of biodiversity the rest
of the world has lost a long time ago.
This 1,412sq km reserve, with a core zone of 260sq km, is
home to the last 300 Asiatic Lions (Panthera leo persica)
left on the planet. Once this majestic animal was found
all over Asia Minor, Arabia, Persia and India. But the
royal families’ insatiable desire to kill and to
‘decorate’ the walls of their palaces with stuffed
‘trophies’ led to a near wipeout of the species from the
jungles that cover this stretch.
Shikar Obsession of Royal Court
The obsession for shikar,or hunt intensified with the
advent of the British. One can see hundreds of photographs
with big game like lions or tigers lying dead in the
foreground, and a team of shikaris, or hunters standing
proudly behind it brandishing as many as 30 guns. The kind
of havoc these shikar parties have wreaked in the jungles
is just unbelievable. A British officer of the India
cavalry, who was posted in the princely state of Kathiawar
for three years, shot more than 80 lions. Another British
officer killed 14 lions during his ten-day visit to the
Gir forest. and the number of ungulates and birds that
must have fallen to the guns of the British, is anyone’s
guess.
Hunting- A Royal Treat
In fact, once upon a time, hunting in Gir was a privilege.
Dignitaries such as viceroys and princes of the Indian
states were formally invited to ‘enjoy’ a shikar of the
lion by the Nawab of Junagadh. and sure enough, people
craved to be royal guests at Junagadh as this ‘election’
was considered a matter of great pride and honour.
Things however changed for the better by the end of 18th
century when worried over the rapidly-dwindling population
of lions, Lord Curzon declined the invitation to hunt and
requested the Nawab to take steps to conserve the species.
It is believed that just 20 lions were left in the jungles
of Gir at the time. Immediately after this, the Nawab
imposed a ban on the shooting of lions. But he retained
the rights to allow royal guests to shoot a few animals
every year. However, the people of Junagadh, and
ironically so at the behest of the Nawab, left no stone
unturned to conserve the species.
Government Completely Banned Hunting
By 1911, the wildlife population in the jungles of Gir had
risen commendably. In the 1950’s, hunting lions was
totally banned. Since then, the area has seen a constant
rise in the lion population. Today the total count of
lions at Gir National Park stands at about 300.
The Best Time To Visit
The best time for sighting lions are the wee hours of the
morning and late evenings when lions are most active. They
can also be seen lazing under the shadow of trees during
peak summers. |
