Provide World Class Health Check-up and Treatment to Asiatic Lions: Parimal Nathwani

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Provide World Class Health Check-up and Treatment to Asiatic Lions: Parimal Nathwani

n the wake of 23 lion deaths since September 12, 2018 in Dalkhania Range of the only abode of the Asiatic Lion in the world – Gir National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary and Brihad Gir of Gujarat, wildlife enthusiast and Member of Parliament Parimal Nathwani has requested both Central and State Governments to immediately bring a team of foreign veterinary experts from Africa, US and Europe and provide world class health check-up and treatment to Asiatic Lions in Gir at the earliest.

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Nathwani said that there has been a shortage of ground staff to manage the lions spread beyond the limits of the national park in Gir. About 167 lions are outside the sanctuary area and each guard is required to patrol around 15-20 villages. He further added that with increasing number of lions in the Gir and Brihad Gir area, around 30% of lion population is present in non-protected areas so the Government needs to focus on them as well. “These lions are more prone to illegal lion shows and unnatural deaths,” he said.

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He also recalled that combination of Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) and Protozoan infection killed around 1,000 lions in Tanzania’s Serengeti Reserve in 1994. “The expert veterinary doctors from Africa, US and Europe have experience of controlling the lion deaths due to this disease. So the Government of India and the Government of Gujarat need to contact them and bring them to Gir. These experts will help in checking health of lions and control the spread of this disease,” said Nathwani.

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He also said that medical facilities for treatment of lions are inadequate compared to lion numbers. Even doctors are also few-only one or two. In fact, there has to have even an exclusive incentive care ambulance for lions so that any lion found ill or sick can be treated in the ambulance itself while being brought to the clinic.

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He also pointed out that the Government has no plan to contain the dog menace in the forest. The CDV is also found in dogs which caused the spread of disease to lions. If the Government can think of killing Blue Bull (Nilgai) then it can very well think of containing dog menace in the forest areas too, he added.

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Nathwani stated that promoting tourism in the Gir is one thing, but the forest department should take a clue from Tiger Reserves in the country where they have tourism capacity formula for each reserve thereby controlling the human disturbance to the wildlife.
It is high time for the Government of Gujarat and Government of India to pay more attention to conservation of Asiatic Lions, which is the pride of not only Gujarat and India but of the world, said Shri Nathwani.

As a long term measure for lion conservation, the area under eco-sensitive zone must be increased. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has suggested that the width of the ESZ could go up to 10 kms around the protected area, but in Gujarat it is only 100 to 500 meter from the boundary of protected area, Nathwani stated.

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He also suggested that some of the lions from revenue areas around Gir to be shifted to forests of Barda near Jamnagar-Porbandar and Rampara-Virdi near Vankaner which are conducive and climatically similar to Gir.

Rajya Sabha MP Nathwani has raised Lion related issues in Rajya Sabha time and again in last one decade. He has been promoting the cause of declaration of Lion as ‘National Animal’ of India. He has also raised the issue of launching Project Lion on the lines of ‘Project Tiger’ and ‘Project Elephant’ and allocation of more funds for creating infrastructure for long term lion conservation in Gir.

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Nathwani has written letters to the Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Dr. Harsh Vardhan, the Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Vijaybhai Rupani and Forest Minister of Government of Gujarat Shri Ganpatsinh Vasava on this line.

Dog intelligence ‘not exceptional’

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Dog intelligence ‘not exceptional’

People who think dogs are exceptionally intelligent are barking up the wrong tree, new research shows.

Scientists reviewed evidence that compared the brain power of dogs with other domestic animals, other social hunters and other carnivorans (an order including animals such as dogs, wolves, bears, lions and hyenas). The researchers, from the University of Exeter and Canterbury Christ Church University, found the cognitive abilities of dogs were at least matched by several species in each of these groups.

The study examined more than 300 papers on the intelligence of dogs and other animals, and found several cases of “over interpretation” in favour of dogs’ abilities.”During our work it seemed to us that many studies in dog cognition research set out to ‘prove’ how clever dogs are,” said Professor Stephen Lea, of the University of Exeter.

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“They are often compared to chimpanzees and whenever dogs ‘win’, this gets added to their reputation as something exceptional. “Yet in each and every case we found other valid comparison species that do at least as well as dogs do in those tasks.”

The review focussed on sensory cognition, physical cognition, spatial cognition, social cognition and self-awareness. “Taking all three groups (domestic animals, social hunters and carnivorans) into account, dog cognition does not look exceptional,” said Dr Britta Osthaus, of Canterbury Christ Church University.

“We are doing dogs no favour by expecting too much of them. Dogs are dogs, and we need to take their needs and true abilities into account when considering how we treat them.”

The threat finally sways away from the Asiatic lions of Gir: 453 Lions healthy, 7 have faced minor injuries

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The threat finally sways away from the Asiatic lions of Gir: 453 Lions healthy, 7 have faced minor injuries

An effort has been taken by 140 teams involving over 585 forest workers around an area of 954 Sq. kilometers to closely work around the health and habitat of these Asiatic lions.

A saddening incident that occurred recently was in the east of Dhari district, in the Dalkhaniya range where a total of 14 lions (including 8 cubs) had to depart from the earth in pain.

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The potential reasons figured out later were territorial infighting and liver infections. After this petrifying situation the Asiatic Lion castle of Gujarat, the Government has finally taken steps towards high security and caution towards the major habitat of Asiatic Lions.

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The government from the 23rd of September has enveloped 1045 Sq. kilometers of the area inside Gir while have also covered 695 square kilometers around Gir making it a total of over 1740 square kilometer in and around Gir. Through this effort, the Govt has successfully declared 453 lions fit and are still looking for healthier than before 7 lions that are under medication currently.

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The forest is prominently divided into two halves namely east and west. A total of 585 employees of the Gujarat Govt including a team of 140 forest guards, foresters, and trekkers, are appointed to keep a keen check on the national park, the sanctuary, and the areas around it covering a total of 954 sq. kilometers.

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This involves an area of 554 sq. kilometers in Gir while the rest 400 sq. kilometers around the same. Throughout this verified research, 396 lions became a part of it and 293 were found to be naturally fit, however, 3 Asiatic lions were found infected. Amongst the 3, 2 of them were treated on the spot in the national park itself. One lion that faced severe infection was taken to the rescue center at Bhavnagar.

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Dalkhaniya range that experienced a terrible death of 14 lions also spotted 7 more lions (3 lions,  3 lionesses and a cub) in completely good health. However, they’ve been taken to undergo various tests in case of any infection.

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Also, going through the test reports at Veterinary Molecular virology, Junagadh of two cubs that died earlier shows a severe deficiency of CD (Canal distemper). A lot of strategies have been designed and are in the process to save this pride of Asiatic lions.

http://wildstreakofnature.com/the-asiatic-lion/

Two lions die in Gujarat’s Sasan Gir forest, toll rises to 14

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Two lions die in Gujarat’s Sasan Gir forest, toll rises to 14

The lioness was rescued on Sunday by a forest department team engaged in screening sick lions, while the cub had been shifted to a rescue centre from Gir’s Dalkhania range on Monday, forest department officials said.

Earlier, carcasses of 11 lions, including cubs, were found between September 11 and 19. Nine of those were recovered from Dalkhaniya range and two from the Jashadhar range of Gir forest.

In a release issued Monday, the state Forest department said a chip was found fitted on the deceased lioness, which suggested that it was the same one that had been released last month after being provided medical treatment.

The death of the lion cub, the department claimed, was natural and as 70 per cent of lion cubs fail to reach adulthood.

Around 100 lions die annually, with the death rate peaking during monsoon. On an average, 31 to 32 lions in Gir die during the three months of monsoon every year, the release said.

On Sunday, the forest department had said 64 teams, having 270 personnel, had been formed to identify and rescue ailing lions in Gir forest.

According to a 2015 census, Gir is home to 523 lions, including 109 male, 201 female, 73 sub-adults and 140 cubs.

11 asiatic lions dead in past 11 days in Gir forest, state government orders inquiry

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11 asiatic lions dead in past 11 days in Gir forest, state government orders inquiry

At least eleven lions have died in Gir forest in the past 11 days prompting the state government to order an inquiry.

The government ordered enquiry will be conducted by the principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife). PCCF wildlife AK Saxena, who rushed to the Gir forest, said that most of the deaths are due to infighting and resultant injuries. “Most of the deaths are due to infighting and injuries caused thereby, mainly affecting cubs and females. This trend is being noticed over a period of three to four years. No foul play or suspicion is suspected,” Saxena said.

However, veterinary forest officer of Gir Forest West Hitesh Vamja said most of the lions have died due to lung infection. “It was found that in some of them, the infection had also spread to other organs leading to death.”

Vamja assured that the forest administration is making efforts to save the remaining tigers by providing them with proper medical care. “There is no need to worry as the forest department officials have taken necessary measures to prevent the spread of this air-borne disease to the remaining lions. We have vaccinated them to boost their immunity against the disease,” he said.

Giving out more details about the deaths of lions, V.M. Chaudhri, Incharge, Assistant Conservator of Forests, said, “The authorities have collected the viscera samples of the dead lions and have sent them to the Junagadh Veterinary Hospital so that the bacteria and the virus which is affecting the lions can be known to us. We are taking all the necessary measures to save the remaining tigers.”

The carcasses of the lions were found in Gir (east) division, mainly from Dalkhaniya range. A carcass of a lioness was found in a forest near Rajula of Amreli district Wednesday, while three more lions were found dead the same day in Dalkhaniya range area in the Gir forest. Carcasses of seven other lions were found in the last few days

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