Open wells new threat for Gir lions

DEATH TRAP: Open wells increasingly becoming death traps for the Gir lions.

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Keywords: Wells, Asiatic Lions

Ahmedabad: The Asiatic lion of the Gir sanctuary, that is already the target of organised poaching, is facing another threat.

In the past one year alone, twelve lions have died because of falling into open wells located around the Gir sanctuary. Is this because the sanctuary is no longer an ideal habitat for the Asiatic lion?

An ignoble end for the king of the jungle. Last week, two rare Asiatic lions died after they strayed out of the Gir sanctuary in search of food and fell into a well in Rabarica village near Amreli. The owner of the well says he didn't have the money to build a boundary wall.

Rabarica Village farmer Chhagan Senjaliya says, “The forest department has now asked me to built a parapet wall. But they did a survey here long back ago, and did not give me a single rupee."

Unfortunately, deaths like these are being increasingly common. In the last one year, 12 lions have died of drowning in open wells located around the sanctuary. Wildlife watchers say the lions are moving out of the sanctuary, which is becoming too dense for good hunting.

Chalala Forest Club President Dr Vikram Bharad said, “Water and food are difficult to get in the jungle, and that is causing this migration. They easily get food in the revenue land. It easier to survive out of the sanctuary than inside it."

Forest department officials admit there's a problem. There are about 9000 wells around the sanctuary, which pose a clear danger to the lions. Officials say they are trying to educate farmers, and persuade them to either cover the wells or build walls around them.

Open wells are increasingly becoming death traps for the Gir lion. But the bigger question that the state government needs to answer is this - why is the Asiatic lion straying out of the Gir sanctuary.