More than 200 lions and lion cubs died in the state in the last two years, the state government said in the assembly on Friday. However, the government claimed that a majority of deaths were due to natural causes.
Forty-three adult Asiatic lions died in the state in the year 2017, and 67 in 2018, forest minister Ganpatsinh Vasava said in a written reply to a question by Congress MLA from Talala, Bhaga Barad.
According to the minister, out of 43 lions in 2017, 31 died due to natural reasons, while 12 died of unnatural causes. For 2018, 58 lions died because of natural reasons, and nine on account of unnatural causes.
Surprisingly, in response to a question by MLA Pratap Dudhat, the minister said that 34 lions had died in Gir sanctuary due to an outbreak of canine distemper virus, babesia, streptococcus bacteria, and gram-negative bacteria in the year as of January 29, 2019. The discrepancy in numbers would suggest that the majority of the lion deaths as a result of these diseases have been classified as because of natural reasons, and not due to unnatural causes. Vasava's reply said that 94 lion cubs had died in the state in 2017 and 2018. Of them, six deaths were because of unnatural reasons, while 88 had died due to natural reasons. In the same two-year period, more than 250 leopards and 75 leopard cubs also died in the state. While 118 leopards and 30 cubs were reported dead in 2017, the number was 138 and 45 respectively for 2018. The government said 76 leopards and 10 leopard cubs had died due to unnatural reasons, while the death of 180 leopards and 65 cubs was because of natural causes.
"Parapet walls are being constructed around open wells in revenue areas in Gir sanctuary. Chain link fencing has been undertaken on both sides of Surendranagar-Pipavav railway track in Amreli district," the minister said in reply to a question about steps taken to prevent deaths of the wildcats.
3,159 open wells in Gir vicinity
There are as many as 3,159 open wells in a 5-km radius of Gir sanctuary area, the state government said in the assembly. However, forest minister said that no lions or other protected animals had died or suffered injuries on account of falling in an open well without a parapet wall in Gir sanctuary area in the last two years.
