Lions now roam across 11 districts, far beyond Gir National Park, says CM Bhupendra Patel

In a major conservation milestone, Gujarat’s Asiatic lion population has surged to 891, up from 674 recorded five years ago – a 32 per cent increase, as per the 2025 lion census released on 21 May.

Announcing the results, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel noted that the lions’ presence is no longer confined to Gir National Park, their historic habitat. “The increase of 217 lions is notable, but what is equally important is their expanded presence across 11 districts in the Saurashtra region, including coastal and non-forested areas,” he said, according to media reports.

The Gujarat Forest Department shared that the current population comprises 196 males, 330 females, 140 sub-adults, and 225 cubs, indicating not only a higher headcount but also healthy reproduction trends.

The 16th edition of the lion census, conducted from 10 May to 13, was the largest ever. It spanned 35,000 square kilometres across 58 talukas in 11 districts, including Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Bhavnagar, Amreli, Rajkot, Morbi, Surendranagar, Botad, Porbandar, Jamnagar, and Devbhoomi Dwarka.

The count was executed in two phases – a preliminary assessment and a final enumeration. Over 3,000 personnel, including forest officers, enumerators, and volunteers, took part in the field exercise.

Officials employed a combination of direct beat verification — a technique lauded for its precision — and modern technologies such as high-resolution cameras, camera traps, and GPS-enabled radio collars to track and document lions.

Enumerators logged detailed data on each sighting, including time, direction of movement, physical traits, age, sex, and exact location.

Rising population, rising conservation responsibility

Experts say the growth reflects not only successful conservation efforts but also greater adaptability of lions to human-altered landscapes.

However, the spread beyond protected forest zones also raises concerns about human-wildlife conflict, habitat fragmentation, and the need for decentralised conservation management across districts.

The Gujarat government has been under pressure from the Supreme Court and wildlife groups to consider translocation of a sub-population of lions to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, a long-delayed plan aimed at reducing risk from disease or other localized threats.

As of now, Gujarat continues to assert exclusive stewardship over the world’s only surviving population of wild Asiatic lions — a species once on the brink of extinction, now a flagship success story of Indian conservation.