Count of lions in Gir

Four-day census will involve 1,600 people and documentation will include photography for first time
AHMEDABAD MIRROR BUREAU
Around 1,600 people, including 100 non-governmental agencies and 200 local residents of Gir will be part of the forest department and Gir National Park’s census of Gir lions from April 24 to 27.
The Asiatic Lion is at present concentrated in the ‘Bruhad Gir’ area spanning four districts — Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Amreli and Porbandar. The programme for the primary and final census will be conducted during the day and night.

359 AT LAST COUNT

LAST CENSUS of lions was undertaken in Gir forest in 2005 by the State Forest Department and the number of lions arrived at was 359.
S K Nanda, principal secretary of the forest department said, “The census of the Asiatic Lion is done every five years. It was earlier done in 2005 and again this year. The direct census method will take place near the various water bodies of the selected site. We have finalised 450 sites out of 642 sites for the census. All these sites were surveyed during the precensus exercise. NGOs and wildlife experts from all over the state will be present for this census programme for the first time in 15 years.”
The four major districts where the lions will be censused are Amreli, Bhavnagar and Porbandar which are included in the Gir National Park and Sanctury. Gir and adjoining areas will be divided into seven regions, 28 zones and 100 sub-zones.

TECH PUT TO USE

A TEAM of 200 camera persons, 100 global positioning systems (GPS), geographic information system (GIS) and wireless technology for the location and documentation of the lions will be distributed in these districts. Photography will take place for the first time during this year’s census.
Various methods will be used to identify and scan the lions including sketching their movements, details about their body weight, the number of cubs and lionesses in the pride and the marks and scars on their body or face. According to the Forest Department, the birth rate is only 5 to 10 per cent, while 40 to 50 lions and cubs die each year.