The Asiatic lion news archive - 2002

Stories relating to the Asiatic lion and updates on the captive breeding programme from 2002.

DATELINE: April 28, 2002
Gir lion census from May 15.

Lion census at the Gir National Park in the western Indian state of Gujarat, the only abode of the Asiatic lion, will be conducted from May 15 to 17, according to Conservator (Wildlife), Junagadh circle, Bharat Pathak.

With the Indian Board for Wildlife turning down the state forest department's plea to use buffaloes as bait for the lions census, the department has decided to utilise the beat-wise counting method for it, Pathak told PTI on Friday over phone from Junagadh in Gujarat. The counting of lions would be carried out in about 180 beats dotting the Gir forests, with three beat guards assisted by "puggies" (experts in identifying lions' foot-prints) to be pressed into service in each of these beats, he said adding the foresters will supervise this exercise.

The first exercise of the millennium, the census is taking place after a gap of six years, as last year it could not take place due to unseasonal rains. In normal circumstances, the lions census is conducted every five years, Pathak added.