Gir sanctuary

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…