The Gujarat Forest Department on Friday ruled out any foul play, including poaching, in the deaths of 11 Asiatic lions during the last one week.
The lions were found dead in the Gir Widlife Sanctuary, the only abode of Asiatic lions in the world. Nine lions were found dead in Dalkhaniya range, and two in Jashadhar range of eastern Gir.
Principal chief conservator of forests G. K. Sinha said in Gandhinagar that eight lions died over territorial fights, while the postmortem results of three lions are awaited. According to him, none of them were infected with viruses of any sort.
Sinha, a senior forest officers, said six cubs of less than one year age, and three lionesses, were among the dead.
In the Dalkhaniya range, the forest department has witnessed the movement of lions from other regions. This happens when the lions staying in a particular range get older and younger lions move into the area, kill the older lion, and win over the lioness. Normally, the younger lion also eats the cubs fathered by the dead lion.
Gujarat has always seen the Asiatic lion as the pride of the state, and has always opposed any move to translocate the lions to Madhya Pradesh. The Widlife Institute of India had identified Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary for translocation of lions. The idea was to ensure that the species does not become extinct in the event of any epidemic in the regions.
While the translocation is a court matter, and also debatable, the number of lions in Gir has been on the rise. According to the Gujarat Forest Department, the population of wild cats in the region in 2015 was 523, as against 359 in 2005.
The forest department said that in 2016-17, 99 lions died—80 were natural deaths. In 2017-18, the number of deaths was 69, out of which 51 were natural deaths.
A team of senior forest officers have arrived at Gir to monitor the situation, Sinha said.