Gir Forest National Park

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Gir Forest National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Location Map
Location:	Junagadh District, Gujarat, India
Nearest city:	Junagadh
Area:	1,412 km²
Established:	1965
Total Visitation:	60,000 (in 2004)
Governing body:	Forest Department of Gujarat

Asiatic Lion

The Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (also known as Sasan-Gir) is the sole home of the pure Asiatic Lions (Panthera leo persica). Measuring about 258 km² for the fully protected area (the National Park) and 1153 km² for the Sanctuary, the area is considered to be one of the most important protected areas in Asia due to its supported species.

Established in 1965, the total area of 1412 km² is located about 65 km to the south-east of Junagadh city of the Junagadh district in the kathiawar peninsula of Gujarat state, India.

The ecosystem of Gir, with its diverse flora and fauna, is a result of the efforts of the Government forest department, wildlife activists and NGOs. The forest area of Gir and its lions were declared as "protected" in the early 1900's by the then Nawab of the princely state of Junagadh. This initiative assisted in the conservation of the lions whose population had plummeted to only 15 through slaughter for trophy hunting.

The April 2005 census recorded the lion-count in Gir at 359, an increase of 32 compared to 2001. The lion breeding programme covering the park and surrounding area has bred about 180 lions in captivity since its inception.

1 Climate
2 Geography
- 2.1 Water reserves
- 2.2 Flora
3 Wildlife
4 Inbreeding in Asiatic Lions
5 Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project
6 See also
7 Cited references
8 External links

[edit] Climate

In addition to the two seasons of summer and winter, Gir has a tropical monsoon climate. It can become very hot during the summer, with noon temperature reaching 43 °C or 109 °F, and humid during the monsoon in June. In winter the temperature drops to about 10 °C or 50 °F. The normal monsoon starts from mid-June and lasts till September, with the annual rainfall ranging between 600 mm and 1000 mm. However, because of the irregular monsoon and uneven distribution of rainfall across the peninsula, drought years are common.

The park and the sanctuary remain open all year but the cool and dry weather between late-November and early-March is the recommended visiting period. During this period it is easier to sight the wildlife in the open.

[edit] Geography

Gir National Park and Gir Wildlife Sanctuary.

[edit] Water reserves

The seven major perennial rivers of the Gir region are Hiran, Saraswati, Datardi, Shingoda, Machhundri, Ghodavari and Raval. The four reservoirs of the area are at four dams, one each on Hiran, Machhundri, Raval and Shingoda rivers.

During peak summer, surface water for wild animals is available at about 300 water points. When drought hits the area following a poor rainfall, surface water is not available at a majority of these points, and water scarcity becomes a serious problem (mainly in the eastern part of the sanctuary). Ensuring the availability of water during peak summer is one of the major tasks of the Forest Department staff.

[edit] Flora

More than 400 flora species have been recorded by the survey of Gir forest by Samtapau & Raizada in 1955. The Botany department of M.S. University of Baroda has revised the count to 507 during their survey. According to the 1964 forest type classification by Champion & Sheth, the Gir forest falls under "5A/C-1a—very dry teak forest" classification. Teak occurs mixed with dry deciduous species. The degradation stages (DS) sub-types are thus derived as: 1) 5/DS1-Dry deciduous scrub forest and 2) 5/DS1-Dry savannah forests (Locally known as "vidis"). It is the largest dry deciduous forest in western India.

Teak bearing areas are mainly in the eastern portion of the forest, which constitutes nearly half of the total area.

The forest is an important biological research area with considerable scientific, educational, aesthetic and recreational values. It provides nearly 5 million kilograms of green grass by annual harvesting, which is valued approximately at Rs. 50 crores (Rs. 500,000,000) (US$ 10 million). The forest provides nearly 15,000 metric tons worth of fuel wood annually.

[edit] Wildlife

The count of 2375 distinct fauna species of Gir includes about 38 species of mammals, around 300 species of birds, 37 species of reptiles and more than 2000 species of insects.

The carnivores group mainly comprises Asiatic lions, Leopards (nearly over 500), Jungle cat, Hyenas, Jackals, Mongoose, Civet cats, and Ratels. Desert cats and Rusty-spotted cats exist but are rarely seen.

The main herbivores of Gir are Chital, Nilgai (or Bluebull), Sambar, Four-horned Antelope, Chinkara and Wild boar. Blackbucks from the surrounding area are sometimes seen in the sanctuary.

Among the smaller mammals, Porcupine and Hare are common but the Pangolin is rare. The reptilians are represented by Marsh crocodile (highest population among all protected areas in India), the Indian Star Tortoise and the Monitor Lizard in the water areas of the sanctuary. Snakes are found in the bushes and forest. Pythons are sighted at times along the stream banks.

The plentiful avifauna population has more than 300 species of birds, most of which are resident. The scavenger group of birds has 6 recorded species of Vultures, including the King Vulture. Some of the typical species of Gir include Crested Serpent Eagle, endangered Bonelli's Eagle, Crested Hawk-eagle, Brown Fish Owl, Great Horned Owl, Bush Quail (or Quailbush), Pygmy Woodpecker, Black-headed Oriole, Crested Swift and Indian Pitta. The Indian Grey Hornbill was not found in the last census of 2001.

[edit] Threats to the Asiatic Lions

Even though the Gir Forest is well protected there are incidences of Asiatic Lions being poached. The lions are also poisoned for attacking livestock. Some of the other threats include floods, fires and the possibility of epidemics and natural calamities. All the wild Asiatic Lions of the entire world are presently found only in the tiny Gir Forest, Gujarat, India. Having now grown to about 350 they need more room but the Gir forest is boxed in on all sides with human habitation. Due to the overpopulation the lions have started migrating out of Gir into unprotected farmland where they come in regular conflict with humans.

Over the decades hundreds of lions have died, drowned and broken their bones by falling into the 10000 to 15000 open-wells dug by the farmers in and around Gir Forest. Open wells are now a threat to the last 300 odd wild Asiatic Lions found living at Gir Forest. Every year the farmers dig more open wells but the State Government of Gujarat (India) has done nothing to make these illegal. There is an urgent need to pass a law to make open-wells illegal and farmers should be legally required to build a parapet wall around the wells and fence them in.

Farmers on the periphery of the Gir National Park frequently use illegal electric fences to protect their crops from raiding wild animals, specially from herds of Nilgai and connect high voltage overhead power lines directly to these fences. This has on several occasions led to the electrocution of Asiatic Lions and other wildlife.

The biggest threat faced by the park is the presence of Maldharis. These communities are vegetarian and do not indulge in poaching because they are basically pasturalists, with an average of 50 cattle (mainly Gir Cow) per family. So during grass-scarce seasons Maldharis, even from outside the sanctuary, bring their cattle into the park in the guise of selling them and take them away after the monsoon season. So eventually it has become grazing ground for a large number of cattle, not only of the Maldharis but also for those living in an area of say 100 km around the park. These people are legally entitled to live in the park but slowly the area around the nesses (small hamlets where Maldharis live) is becoming denuded of vegetation. The population of Maldharis, as well as their numbers of cattle, is increasing and some Maldharis have houses outside the forest but still keep their cattle inside the forest to get unlimited access to forage. One of the outcomes of this is that the natural population of the wild ungulates of the protected area which forms the prey base suffers and sometimes the Asiatic lions which have attacked livestock are poisoned.

[edit] Gir Interpretation Zone, Devalia

Gir National Park and Sanctuary does not have a designated area for tourists. However, to reduce the tourism hazard to the wildlife and to promote nature education, an Interpretation Zone has been created at Devalia within the sanctuary. Within its chained fences, it covers all habitat types and wildlife of Gir with its feeding-cum-living cages for the carnivores and a double-gate entry system. Typically the inside population of the zone includes about 100 spotted deer, about 100 Nilgai (or Bluebull), about 15 wild boars, about half a dozen sambars and blackbucks, and other mammal and reptilian species along with birds. In addition limited number of tourists are allowed into the sanctuary on designated routes. The best time to visit the area is outside the monsoon season.

[edit] The Lion breeding programme and lion-counting

Year	Count	Male:Female:Cub
1968	177	-
1974	180	-
1979	205	76:100:85
1984	239	88:100:64
1990	284	82:100:67
1995	304	94:100:71
2000	327	-
2005	359	-

The Lion Breeding Programme creates and maintains breeding centres. It also carries out studies of the behaviour of the Asiatic lions and also practices artificial insemination. One such centre has been established in the Sakkarbaug Zoo at the district headquarters of Junagadh, which has successfully bred about 180 lions. 126 pure Asiatic lions have been given to zoos in India and abroad.

Asiatic Lioness, named MOTI, at Bristol Zoo, England (1996).

The census of lions takes place every five years. Previously indirect methods like using pugmarks of the lion were adopted for the count. However, during the census of April 2005 (which originally was scheduled for 2006, but was advanced following the reports and controversy over vanishing tigers in India), "Block-Direct-Total Count" method was employed with the help of around 1,000 forest officials, experts and volunteers. It means that only those lions were counted that were "spotted" visually. Use of "live bait" (a prey that is alive and used as a bait) for the exercise, though thought to be a traditional practice, was not used this time. The reason believed to be behind this is the Gujarat High Court ruling of 2000 against such a use of animals.

[edit] Inbreeding in Asiatic Lions

The wild population of more than 300 Asiatic Lions is thought to be derived from just 13 individuals thus was widely thought to be highly inbred. Many studies have reported that the inbred populations could be susceptible to diseases and their sperms were deformed leading to infertility. In earlier studies Stephen O'Brien, a geneticist, had suggested that "If you do a DNA fingerprint, Asiatic lions actually look like identical twins... because they descend from as few as a dozen individuals that was all left at the turn of the 20th century."^[1] This makes them especially vulnerable to diseases, and causes 70 to 80% of sperms to be deformed — a ratio that can lead to infertility when lions are further inbred in captivity.

Indian Scientists have since reported that the low genetic variability may have been a feature of the original population and not a result of the inbreeding. They also show that the variability in immunotypes is close to that of the tiger population and that there are no spermatazoal abnormalities in the current population of lions.^[2]

Latest information from the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZA) reports "the Asiatic lions and Indian tigers are not as inbred as previously reported by S.J. O' Brien and do not suffer from inbreeding depression".^[3]

The figure of 13 Asiatic lions that was supposedly left at the turn of 1900s is regarded as innaccurate by many who work with conservation. In 1910 there were reported to be fewer than two dozen lions left in the wild although this low figure may have been publicised to discourage lion hunting - census data from the time indicates the population was probably closer to 100. ^[4]

[edit] Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project

Main article: Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project

Work has been going on over the past decade to establish the world's second completely removed population of the wild free ranging Asiatic Lions at the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. Conservationists, scientists all over the world and the Central Government of India agree that this is necessary to save the last Asiatic lions from extinction due to epidemics and natural calamities in the near future. It is also very important to start a separate second population because not only it serves as a life insurance for the last surviving Asiatic Lions but it will also help to develop and maintain genetic diversity.