Gir sanctuary for Asiatic lions in Gujarat, India to be extended by 180 sq kms

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Gir sanctuary for Asiatic lions in

Gujarat, Indiato be extended by 180 sq kms

 

***NEWS***

Sasan Gir sanctuary to be extended further

18 May, 2008, PTI. The Economic

Times, Times of India

VADODARA: The Sasan Gir sanctuary, the only abode of Asiatic

lions, will be extended by 180 sq kms, an authority of the Gujarat Government's

Forest and Environmental Department said on Sunday.

 

" At present, the sanctuary is spread across 1464 sq kms area and will be

extended further by another 180 kms, " Sandeep Kumar Nanda, Additional

Chief Secretary, Forest and Environmental Department told the media.

 

Due to excessive hunting, poaching and forest depletion, there was a tremendous

decline of lion population in the country, he said.

 

" Considering the constant decline of lion population in the country, the

Gujarat Government set up a 258 sq km Gir National Park inside

the sanctuary itself. The Sasan Gir sanctuary is an entry point to this

park, " Nanda added.

 

The sanctuary is also a major tourist attraction for the tourists and foreign

dignitaries visiting the country, he said.

 

The forest has extremely rugged and hilly terrain and is the largest dry

deciduous forest in the western India.

 

It also houses about 300 species of birds including King Vulture, Crested

Serpant Eagle, Great Horned Owl, Bush Quail, Woodpecker

and Horn Bill.

 

With a view to spread the message of lion safety, the forest department, along

with the environmentalists, have been organising the Lion Safety March in the

Gir forest on several occasions, Nanda said.

 

" During such march, people roped in to save Gir Lion and also pledge to

save the big cats in and around Gir during such march, " he said.

 

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Sasan_Gir_sanctuary_to\

_be_extended_further/articleshow/3051080.cms

 

 

Gir lions¢ den gets bigger by 180 sq km

May 15, 2008, DNA, By Anil Pathak

GANDHINAGAR: The Asiatic lions at the Sasangir lion

sanctuary will soon be able to romp through a larger roaming ground, an

expansion that is expected to enhance their chances of survival.

The state government has decided to extend the sanctuary up to Girnar,

Junagadh, merging an additional 180 sq km, raising the sanctuary's total area

to 1640 square km.

The state forest and environment department has been compelled to expand the

limits because more than 100 big cats have strayed into the forests and nearby

villages, threatening milch animals and humans.

The state forest and environment secretary, SK Nanda, said that the

proposed extension of the sanctuary would provide a better habitat to the

lions, which had started moving to the nearby plains bordering Amreli and

Bhavnagar districts.

" The initiative is the need of the hour and the state government is

committed to preserving and protecting the lions at Gir, the lone abode of the

Asiatic lions in world, " Nanda said.

He said that the move was a part of several other measures the government

has envisaged as part of a Rs 40 crore plan announced by chief

minister Narendra Modi to save the lions.

Responding to increasing congestion in the sanctuary, the state government

had extended the sanctuary area twice in the recent past.

Earlier, authorities had incorporated Puniya into the limits of the

sanctuary in 1989.

But again, the lions had started moving towards the forest range of Amreli and

again the sanctuary area was expanded by merging the Mitiala stretch of the

forest into the sanctuary in 2004.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1164481

 

http://asiatic-lion.blogspot.com/2008/05/gir-lions-den-gets-bigger-by-180-sq-km.\

html

 

 

Status Girnar Forest

converted to Sanctuary

 

May 14, 2008,

Divya Bhaskar (Briefly translated from Gujarati)

 

Due to congestion in Gir forest, Asiatic Lions have been

staying at Girnar Forest since many years. Looking to need of the hour,

Government of Gujarathas decided to convert status of 180 sq km of Girnar forest

to Girnar

Sanctuary.

 

In 2004, Mityala Forest was converted in to Sanctuary. With this, now total

Sanctuary area for Asiatic

Lions is 1640 sq km.

 

Although declared as Sanctuary,

existing religious places inside it will have a permanent right of way.

 

http://asiatic-lion.blogspot.com/2008/05/girnar-forest-converted-to-sanctuary.ht\

ml

 

 

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