Project Lion

Project Lion is a 47-page publication advancing the proposal for the eponymous project announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2020. It was prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, in consultation with the Forest Department, Government of Gujarat. The stated goal for Project Lion is to ensure that Asiatic lions “perform their ecological role in the ecosystem and retain their evolutionary potential.” The proposal deems the attempts made for conserving Asiatic lions in the Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat, a “conservation success story”. Between 2015-20, there was a 29 per cent increase in the number of Asiatic lions found in Gujarat. The proposal calls for a greater involvement of local communities in ensuring both the expansion and the improvement of lion habitats. It states that lions are reaching areas in Gujarat with greater human population and communities unaccustomed to their presence. Mitigating potential human-wildlife conflict is an important objective of Project Lion, the proposal adds. The proposal emphasises on the need to increase areas which serve as dedicated habitats for lions...