See the Last Asiatic Lions in the World, The Lions of Gir!
Our Readers Special Report
ASIATIC LIONS USED TO ROAM FROM EUROPE THROUGH THE INDIA-SUBCONTINENT. NOW THE FINAL PLACE IN THE WORLD TO SEE WILD ASIATIC LIONS IS GIR NATIONAL PARK IN THE JUNAGADH REGION OF INDIA. HIREn KHAMBHAYTA, HAS A PASSION FOR THESE BEAUTIFUL CATS. IMAGE: HIREn KHAMBHAYTA
This is another in our series of wildlife adventures reports from our readers. Have YOU been on a wildlife adventure? Tell us about it.
HIREN KHABBHAYTA, PHOTOGRAPHER AND BUSINESMAN
Hiren Khambhayta is a businessman whose hobby is wildlife photography – but his special passion is for the Asiatic lions of Gir National Park. These are Hiren's images of and report on:
The Last Wild Asiatic Lions on Earth
The last place on earth left to see and photograph wild Asiatic lions, is India’s Gir National Park, located near to the Junagadh district of Gujarat state. These are the world’s only lions to survive in the wild outside of Africa and (the) final remaining African lion (Panthera leo leo) sub species.
THE DRY SEASON IN GIR MEANS LESS FOLIAGE AND A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE ELUSIVE ASIATIC LIONS IMAGE: HIREN KHAMBHAYTA
✓Trip Tips
Where: Gir National Park, Gugarat State, India (East coast)
When: December to March. Park closed mid-June to mid-October
How: Airports, Keshod 70Kms, or Rajkot 160 Kms to Sason Gir.
Who: Adults, families
Tip: Home of Lion Queens of Gir, all female wildlife rescue teams.
Why Responsible: Supports human/wildlife co-existence.
Of All India’s Big Cats, The Lions Hold Special Meaning
The Asiatic lion is not the only iconic big cat species that India proudly hosts in one single country; there are four others: the Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, clouded leopard, and the snow leopard - but it is the lions of Gir that hold a special meaning for me.
Once threatened nearly to extinction, these Asiatic lions have made an amazing rebound.
(✍︎ Editor's note: Asiatic lions once roamed from Greece throughout all of Asia)
INDIA IS HOME TO THREE ENDANGERED BIG CAT SPECIES: ASIATIC LION, BEGAL TIGER, and SNOW LEOPARD AND TWO VULNERABLE BIG CATS: CLOUDED LEOPARD AND INDIAN LEOPARD (above). LOCALS, ORGANIZATIONS AND THE GOVERNMENTAL GROUPS ARE ALL TAKING STEPS TO PROTECT THESE SPECIES. IMAGE: Thanks to Gir National Park
How India’s 20th Century Rulers Saved the Asiatic Lion
Persecution and trophy hunting by India’s 19th-century rulers and before nearly caused the extirpation of the species. By the start of the 20th century, the remaining lion population totaled just 12 individuals. It is only through the strict protection imposed for the species and the foresightedness of the Junagadh’s Nawab in the early 1900s, that (wild) Asiatic Lions still survive today. Their (continuing) conservation efforts have resulted in India’s Asiatic lion population numbering 521 individuals as per (the results of the most recent Gir) lion census in 2015,
ASIATIC LIONS HAVE SMALLER MANES THAN THEIR AFRICAN COUSIN. HAVING IS PORTRAIT TAKEN DID NOT SEEM TO BOTHER THIS YOUNG MALE. IMAGE: HIREN KHAMBHAYTA
Asiatic vs. African Lions
Asiatic lions have certain physical traits that are different from African Lions. Asiatic Lions are 10-20 per cent smaller than their African cousins with comparatively sparse and skimpy mane and sometimes even a little mane-less “bald” area on top of their head. Another characteristic that separates the Asiatic Lion from their African cousins is the distinct fold of skin at the belly in both males and females (missing in African lions)
Villagers & Lions, A Unique Understanding
Visitors to Gir may be surprised to notice two unusual things pertaining to these lions. The first is that the lions of Gir rarely attack humans. There are villages inside the park as well as semi-nomadic tribal herdsman called Maldharis. The herdsman and the lions seem to have an understanding, a mutual respect, maybe centuries old. The lions do take some cattle, and the government does subsidize the losses, but a study in 2013 found that 30% of the cattle predated were unproductive. It also found that were the Maldharis lived the lions thrived.
ALTHOUGH ASIATIC LIONS ARE 10-20% SMALLER THAN THEIR AFRICAN COUSINS, THESE CATS ARE STILL FORMIDABLE HUNTERS BRINGING DOWN DEER, ANTELOPE, WILD BOAR AND THE OCCASIONAL WILD BUFFALO. IMAGE: HIREN KHAMBHAYTA
COMMON OR HANUMAN LANGUR WATCHING THE WATCHERS. IMAGE: HIREN KHAMBHAYTA
The Many Species of Gir National Park
Gir Provides the Perfect Habitat for Many Wildlife Species. Gir National Park is a semi-evergreen flora with grasslands, hills, streams, and rivers and with a couple of larger bodies of water which also has a maximum number of Mugger crocodiles, so (it) holds a unique spot in every wildlife enthusiast’s list.
These uniformly colored big cats have made Gir their home because the forest remains dry and pale for most of the months except monsoon. Although their African lion cousins may reside in (a) broad variety of habitats, Asiatic Lions choose Gir’s dry deciduous and teak forests with acacia savanna which helps them to get camouflage.
Gir Forest National Park is the home of 39 species of mammals of which the main attractions are Asiatic Lions and Indian leopards. Along with them, there are many other mammals to see like Sambar, Blackbuck, Chinkara, Spotted deer (chital), Blue bull (nilgai), and Chousingha (the world’s only four-horned antelope) and many more.
THE LARGE NUMBERS OF NATIVE CHITAL OR CHEETAL ALSO CALLED SPOTTED DEER IN GIR NATIONAL PARK ARE THE PRIMARY PREY OF THE ASIATIC LIONS. IMAGE: HIREN KHAMBHAYTA
Gir forest hosts about 300 species of birds among them main attractions are Asian paradise flycatcher, Tickell's blue flycatcher, white-eye, common and Marshal’s iora, black-naped monarch, white-browed fantail, red-headed (king) vulture, oriental honey-buzzard, Scop's owls, mottled wood owl, nightjars and many more
AT GIR NATIONAL PARK COMBINE LION SPOTTING WITH BIRDWATCHING FOR A COLORFUL TREAT. THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL ASIAN PARADISE FLYCATCHER. IMAGE: HIREN KHAMBHAYTA
A Gir National Park Safari
Kamleshwar Dam: Crocodiles
Kamleshwar Dam, often termed as “the lifeline of Gir”. You can step up at the watchtower and capture a panoramic view of the forest and tribal villages. It is also a good spot to see the Mugger crocodiles.
MUGGER CROCODILE, OR CROCODILE OF THE MARSH, ARE FOUND THROUGH OUT THE INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT, BUT IN VERY GREAT QUANTITIES AT KAMLESHWAR DAM. IMAGE: ©SHARIQKHAN⎮ DREAMSTIME.COM
THE LIONS THE WITH VILLAGERS (MAALDHARIS) WHO LIVE TOGETHER IN GIR SEEM TO HAVE A SPECIAL UNDERSTANDING. IMAGE: HIREN KHAMBHAYTA
Maaldharis Nes: Where Lions Are Part of Village Culture
Unlike other big cats, lions are social animals and they have proved to be social with the people of Gir as well. They reside within the local communities of Kathiyawar called Maaldharis. The unique bond between the man and animal is seen here in the region with high tolerance of the animals and of the community as well. (The villagers have) affection and cultural reverence towards the majestic cats.
The Maaldharis, living in the Gir region with their old profession of milk and cattle still have their homes called Nes inside the sanctuary area. But lions rarely kill cattle like cows and buffalos. Although people over there make fences of dried branches (as) a sort of boundary for lions.
There are cases that people ( villagers) are going walking and (the) lion doesn’t do any harm to them and people go to their farm at night for watering plants and lions do stay there also.
Sometimes they behave as friends as their existence (the lions) makes their farm safe from other animals, like deer, who destroy their vegetation by eating (it).
ONE OF THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT DISTINGUISHED ASIATIC FROM AFRICAN LIONS IS THE FOLD OF SKIN THAT RUNS ALONG ITS BELLY, AFRICAN LIONS DO NOT HAVE THIS FOLD. IMAGE: HIREN KHAMBHAYTA
DEVALIYA PARK: The Gir Interpretation Zone
Devaliya Safari Park also known as Gir Interpretation Zone - Devaliya, is the establishment of particular eco-tourism zone to reduce (the) overload of tourists from Gir Forest Visit and to provide whole wildlife of Gir at (a) single place in safe habitats.
This Interpretation Zone comprises of 412 ha chain link fenced area which is regarded as ‘Gir in a nutshell’ covering all habitat types and wildlife of Gir. The basic aim of creating this facility is to provide an opportunity of viewing lions and other animals in their natural habitat within a short period of time at cheaper rates. Gir Interpretation Zone is 12kms from Gir Sanctuary.
THE INTERPRETATION ZONE, A SPECIAL AREA ABOUT 12KM (7.4 MILES) IS A GOOD PLACE TO SEE THE ASIATIC LINS IF SPOTTING THE ELUSIVE CATS PROVES DIFFICULT IN THE NATIONAL PARK ITSELF. IMAGE: HIREN KHAMBHAYTA
Spotting a lion is guaranteed here because some 15-20 lions (approx.) roam around freely in this cordoned area. You can actually skip it if you had a good sighting during jeep safari as safari here will be in (a) bus but given that you have to be patient to spot a lion inside the national park itself, you may consider using this (the Interpretation Zone) as a backup if sighting lions in National Park was not fulfilled.
(Note: The Interpretation Zone is 12 km (7.4 miles) from Gir National Park. Open: 8AM to 11AM & 3PM to 5PM)
ONLY THE MALE CHITAL OR SPOTTED DEER HAS ANTLERS. LISTEN FOR HIGH PITCHED GROWLS THEY MAKE TO PROTECT THEIR FEMALES. IMAGE: HIREN KHAMBHAYTA
A MALE COMMON IORA IN BREEDING PLUMAGE, ONE OF THE MANY BEAUTIFUL BIRDS THAT CAN BE SEEN IN GIR NATIONAL PARK. IMAGE: HIREN KHAMBHAYTA
Which is the best season to visit Gir national park? Summer, From March to June, is the best season to spot lions.
The dry forest makes the forest less dense and hot weather makes lions move frequently towards water reserves. However, Gujarat tends to be very warm in summer. So, you can consider visiting Gir national park in winter also. Spotting chances are less but still good.
A good time to visit for birding is from December to February when many migrants can be seen. However, the hot months of May also show many resident species in breeding plumage and giving mating calls.
Note: National Park remains closed from 16th June to 15th Oct every year. This is the monsoon season, so lots of mud and water make tracks non-assessable. This is also the said to be the lion’s breeding season, so the government does not want to disturb them during this time.
Festival days like Diwali (the Festival of Light marking the Hindu New Year) and Janmashtami (Birth of Lord Krishna) (also) not the best time to visit due to heavy rush. (Note: These festival times are determined by the lunar calendar so the dates fluctuate from year to year)
THREE OF THE LAST WILD ASIATIC LIONS IN THE WORLD DRINK DURING THE DRY SEASON AT A SPECIAL WATER TROUGH AT GIR NATIONAL PARK, INDIA IMAGE: HIREN KHAMBHAYTA
Watch this preview of Nature's documentary, "The Wandering Lions of India" for more on the amazing human/predator partnership that is propelling the return of the last Asiatic lions.
Special Thanks
Hirem Khambhaya for sharing his passion for the lions of Gir.
And to Gir Lion National Park Facebook page for use of their wonderful leopard image
This story was first published in August 2017 with updates July 2018
Please help spread the word about these magnificent cats by sharing this story.
And let's connect below or here
More
How a (Former) Wildlife Trafficker & Biologist are Saving Species
Parnaiba Headwaters National Park, Piaui State, Brazil
The Secrets of a Kruger Park Field Guide. Marc Cronje Tells All
Nelspruit, South Africa (North-East boarder)
My Awesome Adventures with Grey Whales A Reader's Report
Baja California, Mexico
8 Magic Places to See Wolves in the Wild
From The US to the Himalayas
