Herbivore Census In Gujarat’s Gir Forest | Burning Issues

Table of Contents

Context

Every summer, the Forest Department of Gujarat conducts a Herbivore Census in Gir forest.
This year’s exercise is of particular significance because it is the last Herbivore Census ahead of next year’s Lion Census, which is a once-infive-years exercise.

Herbivore Census

The Herbivore Census covers ungulates such as spotted deer, blue bulls (nilgais), sambars, Indian gazelles (chinkaras), fourhorned antelopes (choshinga) and wild boars, as well as Indian langurs and peafowl.

Importance

Wild ungulates and langurs are the main prey of Asiatic lions
A count provides a sense of the available of the prey base
A strong prey base
In 2013-14, the last Herbivore Census herbivores were 1.32 lakh, higher than the about 1.25 lakh counted in 2012-13.

Why it’s done in summer?

During summer, foliage is reduced to a minimum
Also, wild animals concentrate around water points
The forest is divided into 19 routes and forest divisions for the census,

Population trend in recent years?

Since 1974, the population of herbivorous in Gir forest has been on the rise.
In 2013, the population of ungulates was estimated to be 1,26,893 or 76.49 animals per square kilometres.
That translates to 8000 kg of biomass available to carnivorous, very close to the levels in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
The population of ungulates was 1,07,172 in 2010.

Asiatic Lion Conservation in India

Asiatic lions that once ranged from Persia (Iran) to Palamau in Eastern India were almost driven to extinction by indiscriminate hunting and habitat loss.
A single population of less than 50 lions persisted in the Gir forests of Gujarat by late 1890’s.
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
With timely and stringent protection offered by the State Government and the Center Government, Asiatic lions have increased to the current population of over 500 numbers.
The last census in the year 2015 showed the population of 523 Asiatic Lions in Gir Protected Area Network of 1648.79 sq. km. that includes Gir National Park, Gir Sanctuary, Pania Sanctuary, Mitiyala Sanctuary adjoining reserved forests, Protected Forests, and Unclassed Forests

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