Bad news in good? Lion count up 32% at 891, but 57% off protected forests
The 2025 census shows Asiatic Lion turf expanded by 16.67 per cent, but the large presence outside protected areas sets up conflict with humans and attacks on livestock
Gir National Park, located in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, India, is the last natural habitat of the Asiatic lion. Established in 1965, it spans an area of approximately 1,412 square kilometres. Also known as Gir Forest National Park, it gained attention on March 3, 2025, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the park for a jungle safari on the occasion of World Wildlife Day.
Gir is the only place in the world where the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) is found in the wild. The park is also home to other wildlife, including leopards, chital, nilgai, sambar, chousingha, wild boars, hyenas, jackals, and a variety of birds and reptiles. The forest features dry deciduous vegetation, shrubs, grasslands, and riverine flora. Tourists can enjoy jeep safaris to spot lions and other wildlife.
The best time to visit Gir is between October and June, while the park remains closed during the monsoon season (June to September).
The 2025 census shows Asiatic Lion turf expanded by 16.67 per cent, but the large presence outside protected areas sets up conflict with humans and attacks on livestock
Spreading beyond their natural habitat of Saurashtra, both new territories do not offer forest cover or prey base, raising concerns of human-animal conflict
India’s first large-scale lion population estimation since 2015 is being eagerly awaited by policy-makers for conservation strategies, environmentalists and local communities
PM Modi chaired the NBWL meeting on World Wildlife Day, announced the 16th Asiatic lion population estimation in May, and laid the foundation for key wildlife conservation projects. He also visited Gir National Park, Somnath temple, and Vantara.
The site for the proposed project is around 40 km from Gir National Park and is considered as a corridor connecting it to the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary
A video of an intense face-off between two lions and dogs has gone viral on social media. Scroll down to watch the video.
The forest department in Gujarat's Junagarh arrested three men after a video of them chasing three lions on their vehicle after trespassing into the Gir National Park went viral.
Rising lion numbers and corresponding human and industrial expansion have led to increased man-animal conflict in Gir. Everyone agrees the lions need to move. Whether it can be outside Gujarat is where things remain stuck
The clip goes on to show several snippets of the animals Ankita Konwar and Milind Soman spotted during their safari.
A video of a lion roaring loudly to mark his territory at the Gir National Park has gone viral on social media.
The Supreme Court said that the unusual deaths of lions at the Gir Forest National Park was an extremely serious matter
A video of a fight between two lions was captured by tourists during a jungle safari at Sasan Gir National Park in Gujarat. In the video, two lions can be seen fighting for their territory but are stopped by another lion.
In our image of the day, watch the visuals of a lion and lioness in a heated argument at Gir national park in Gujarat.