Ahmedabad: Project Lion, imagined with the aim of preserving asiatic lions and preventing the risk of their extinction, will not have large cats that are translocated anywhere.
The RS 1,300 Crore Lion RS project recommended that eight satellite habitats for the king of the forest regardless of the sanctuary gear in the original Saurashtra itself.
This project has received initial approval from the Ministry of Competence for Forests and the Environment and has been sent to the ultimate nod of the Union Cabinet, the top sources said.
Satellite habitat for lions has been proposed in the Umath virdi in Bhavnagar, Gir, Girnar, Mentiyah, Jesor-Hipawadi, Babra Virdi, Hingolgadh, Beach belt from Krabula to Jafrabad and extend to Mahuva, said the senior state forest officials.
Ironically, the version of the Project Lion currently striped moves is very contrasting to the Project Lion Draft prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) who has recommended shifting asiatic lions outside Saurashtra to Succuaries in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and North Gujarat.
Project Lion Drafe prepared by the Wii has recommended a shift of several lions to seven protection places namely Madhav National Park, Asota Wildlife Gandhi Sagar, Ancient Palpur in Madhya Pradesh; Sitami Margasatwa Sitamata, Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve and Kumbalgarh Wildlife Reserve in Rajasthan and Jessore-Balaram Wildlife Ambaji in Baneskantha, Gujarat.
This proposal, however, was rejected by the Ministry of Forest and the Union environment.
“Gujarat hates to translate lions outside the state.
This is the main reason behind the rejection of the Wii proposal which recommends to shift the small population of lions into a half a dozen protection in neighboring countries and a list of Wii and lion experts.” State Posteaservent on the top state of the lion Unhealthy for moving large cats proposed to protect the lion population so it is not removed by the deadly virus outbreak in the future, “said the member.
It is necessary to mention that Gujarat has refused to shift the lion to the ancient Palpur Sanctuary as ordered by the Supreme Court in 2010 Also.
In 2015, the Lion census has calculated 523 lions in the state which grew to 674 according to new official estimates in June 2020.
In 2018, 29 lions had given up on the canine distemper virus (CDV) outbreak in the holy territory and heaven.