Centre wants to shift lions outside state to save them from extinction

[Guest guest]

26-11-2007

Centre wants to shift lions outside state to save them from extinction

Indian Express By Tanvir A. Siddiqui

 

Ahmedabad, November 25; The Centre is contemplating shifting some of the lions

from Gir to other parts in India. Officials say the single population in Gir

faces risk of extinction in the event of any outbreak of virus or any other

deadly disease. This is why the Gir lions, the only remaining Asiatic lion

species, should have habitats far and apart, said Meena Gupta, Union Forest and

Environment Secretary.

 

But the state government is opposing the proposal tooth and nail despite the

death of a number of lions in the region in the recent past due to reasons as

diverse as electrocution, or falling into a well.

 

Elsewhere, Gupta, who is now in Ahmedabad to attend an international

conference on environmental education, is convinced that the state government

will see logic in her arguments and give the matter more thought in the interest

of the survival of this rare species.

 

She said the Centre was optimistic about convincing the Gujarat government

about shifting some big cats from the Gir sanctuary to Kuno-Palpur in Madhya

Pradesh. In an informal chat during the fourth International Conference on

Environmental Education (ICEE) here on Sunday, Gupta said she was aware of the

fact that Gir being the only natural abode of Asiatic Lion in the world, it was

the USP of Gujarat as far as tourism was concerned. However, for the benefit of

these lions, it was necessary to shift some of them from Gujarat. She said the

Centre was hopeful of successfully setting up another reserve for Asiatic Lions

outside Gujarat.

 

Gupta said the Centre was in continuous correspondence with the state

government on the subject and the last exchange of letters took place about a

month back.

 

In the letter, the State Environment and Forest Minister Mangubhai Patel had

said that shifting of the lions out of Gujarat was not necessary because the Gir

environment was suitable for them and secondly, their area was not limited.

 

Gupta said attempts to convince Gujarat on this have so far not been

successful, but the Centre was keeping its options open. If shifting of some of

these big cats did not materialise, then the animals would be procured from

other zoos and would be given a suitable environment to multiply.

 

She further said the government was well aware of the difficulties involved

with shifting such large animals, but it was necessary for the sake of the

survival of the species. “We must think of the future when the space for them is

going to be limited, which would reduce possibility of expansion,” she said.

 

 

 

Find a mall, hotel or ATM in any part of India.

 

 

[Guest guest]

 For the sake of preserving Asiatic Lions we should not make emotional or

political excuses .Scientific reasoning should be the basis to save the these

from extinction.The bifurcation and translocation will help in growth of Asiatic

Lions or Gir Lions.

we send our chidren to faraway to get more better education or job .

Dr.Sandeep K Jain

 

 

On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 Kishore Kotecha wrote :

>26-11-2007

> Centre wants to shift lions outside state to save them from extinction

> Indian Express By Tanvir A. Siddiqui

>

> Ahmedabad, November 25; The Centre is contemplating shifting some of the

lions from Gir to other parts in India. Officials say the single population in

Gir faces risk of extinction in the event of any outbreak of virus or any other

deadly disease. This is why the Gir lions, the only remaining Asiatic lion

species, should have habitats far and apart, said Meena Gupta, Union Forest and

Environment Secretary.

>

> But the state government is opposing the proposal tooth and nail despite the

death of a number of lions in the region in the recent past due to reasons as

diverse as electrocution, or falling into a well.

>

> Elsewhere, Gupta, who is now in Ahmedabad to attend an international

conference on environmental education, is convinced that the state government

will see logic in her arguments and give the matter more thought in the interest

of the survival of this rare species.

>

> She said the Centre was optimistic about convincing the Gujarat government

about shifting some big cats from the Gir sanctuary to Kuno-Palpur in Madhya

Pradesh. In an informal chat during the fourth International Conference on

Environmental Education (ICEE) here on Sunday, Gupta said she was aware of the

fact that Gir being the only natural abode of Asiatic Lion in the world, it was

the USP of Gujarat as far as tourism was concerned. However, for the benefit of

these lions, it was necessary to shift some of them from Gujarat. She said the

Centre was hopeful of successfully setting up another reserve for Asiatic Lions

outside Gujarat.

>

> Gupta said the Centre was in continuous correspondence with the state

government on the subject and the last exchange of letters took place about a

month back.

>

> In the letter, the State Environment and Forest Minister Mangubhai Patel had

said that shifting of the lions out of Gujarat was not necessary because the Gir

environment was suitable for them and secondly, their area was not limited.

>

> Gupta said attempts to convince Gujarat on this have so far not been

successful, but the Centre was keeping its options open. If shifting of some of

these big cats did not materialise, then the animals would be procured from

other zoos and would be given a suitable environment to multiply.

>

> She further said the government was well aware of the difficulties involved

with shifting such large animals, but it was necessary for the sake of the

survival of the species. “We must think of the future when the space for them is

going to be limited, which would reduce possibility of expansion,” she said.

>

>

>

> Find a mall, hotel or ATM in any part of India.

>

>