Gujarat’s Asiatic Lion Population Rises 32% to 891, Expands Beyond Protected Sanctuaries

Gandhinagar, May 21, 2025 — Gujarat’s lion conservation efforts have borne fruit, with the state’s Asiatic lion population rising from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025 — a 32% increase over five years, according to the latest 16th Asiatic Lion Census.

The census revealed a remarkable shift, with nearly half the lion population now living outside traditional sanctuaries such as Gir, Mitiyala, Girnar, and Pania. While around 430 lions remain within protected areas, others have spread across the broader Saurashtra landscape, including Bhavnagar and the Union Territory of Diu.

Conducted between May 10 and 13, the survey covered 35,000 square kilometers across 11 districts. It employed high-resolution cameras, radio collars, the e-GujForest app, and GIS mapping, with contributions from nearly 3,000 trained volunteers and forest officials.

However, the success is tempered by ongoing risks. Between 2020 and 2024, 669 lion deaths were reported, 57 from unnatural causes. As lions increasingly venture into human-dominated areas, forest officials stress the need for long-term community engagement and strengthened human-wildlife conflict mitigation.

Despite the concerns, conservationists see the surge in lion numbers and habitat expansion as a testament to Gujarat’s robust wildlife management and public participation in preserving India’s only wild Asiatic lion population.