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Jhala, Y.V.; Banerjee, K.; Basu, P.; Gayen, S.S.
Ecology of lions with emphasis on the agro-pastoral landscape of Greater Gir ecosystem - Phase II
2014  Full Book

Traditional land-use pattern in Saurashtra is fast changing under urban sprawl and intensive agro-industrial infrastructural developments. Understanding these for planning conservation strategies based on lion ecology and implementing them will ensure lions' future survival in the Gir landscape. The current study investigates lion ecology with emphasis on space use, resource selection and aspects of human-lion conflicts to assist formulating a viable lion conservation strategy for future. On submission of first phase's findings to the Gujarat Forest Department (GFD) and WII-TRAC through technical reports, an extension for the second phase of this project aiming at studying coastal lion populations was procured in 2011. However, owing to WII's research involvement in Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh and input in ongoing lion reintroduction legal battle in the Supreme Court, radio-collaring lions were not permitted by GFD after 2011. Therefore, some of the research objectives of the second phase of this project could not be achieved as proposed. However, we continued studying lion ranging and resource selection in the human-dominated Gir landscape based on radio-collared lions before 2011; achieved quantifying landscape architecture in and around Gir PA, assessed lion diet (prey abundance and preference) and evaluated aspects of lion-human conflicts during the tenure of this research project.

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