Success in saving India's Asiatic lion poses new problems
Document Type:
Media
Citation:
Agence France-Presse. (2007, December 22). Success in saving India's Asiatic lion poses new problems. [Online]. Available: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gtEBeo9JLvuehjih7YbbfybO8aOg [2007, December 22].
Year Published:
2007
Type Work:
News Release
Availability:
Online
Language:
English
Country:
India
Url:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gtEBeo9JLvuehjih7YbbfybO8aOg
Bushmeat Asian Type:
Wildlife Trade
Keywords:
India; Asiatic lion; habitat; human conflict; encroachment; population; endangered; poaching
Abstract:
Success in saving the rare Asiatic lion in India has in turn created new challenges to the king of the jungle in its last natural habitat, as problems with human encroachment and poaching mount.
The population of lions in the Gir forests of western Gujarat state has climbed from 20 in 1913 to more than 350 today, experts say.
"The increase in the population of lions in Gir is posing a problem," said Daval Mehta of the Wildlife Protection Society of India in Gujarat. "The lions are dispersing to reclaim their earlier habitats which is bringing them into increasing conflict with humans."
A wake-up call to the growing troubles for the lion in the Gir forests came this year, when more than 30 of the animals died between January and November -- the most lion deaths in one year on official record.
Among one of the biggest threats to lions are thousands of open wells, said Kishore Kotecha, head of the voluntary Wildlife Conservation Trust, noting that 25 of the animals have...












