Mumbai national park gets Asiatic lions from Junagadh
- November 27, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Mumbai national park gets Asiatic lions from Junagadh
Subject :Environment
In news-
- A pair of three-year-old Asiatic lions has been brought to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park here from Sakkarbaug Zoo, Gujarat in exchange for a pair of tigers.
Asiatic lions-
- The Asiatic Lion (also known as the Persian Lion or Indian Lion) is a member of the Panthera Leo Leo subspecies that is restricted to India.
- Its previous habitats consisted of West Asia and the Middle East before it became extinct in these regions.
- Today their range is restricted to the Gir National Park in Gujarat.
- The Asiatic Lion is one of the five pantherine cats native to India.
- The others being: the Bengal Tiger, the Indian Leopard, Snow Leopard and the Clouded Leopard.
Characteristics of the Asiatic Lion
- The colour of the Asiatic Lion ranges from sandy or buffish grey to silvery sheen in certain lightings.
- The males have a moderate mane growth at the top, compared to their African counterparts, as such their ears are visible.
- The mane is scarcely present around the cheeks and throat.
- It has a larger tail buff compared to the African lion.
- The most striking characteristic character of the Indian lion is a longitudinal fold of skin along its belly.
Shoulder height | Males: 107 – 120 cm Females: 80 – 107 cm |
Weight | Males: 160 to 190 kg Females: 110 to 120 kg |
Length | 2.92 m |
Skull length | Males: 330 to 340 mm Females: 292 to 302 mm |
Habitat | Restricted to Gir National Park in Gujarat but former habitats included Arabia, Palestine, present day Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Iran |
Conservation status | IUCN Red list- Endangered Wild life protection act 1972- Schedule l CITES- Appendix-l |
About the Gir National Park-
- The Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Junagadh district of Gujarat.
- The Gir Forests is the only natural habitat of Asiatic lions.
- It was declared as a sanctuary in 1965 and a national park in 1975.
- The Gir Forests is the largest compact tract of dry deciduous forests in the semi-arid western part of India.
- The Gir Forests forms a unique habitat for many mammals, reptiles, birds and insect species along with a rich variety of flora.
- Gir is often linked with “Maldharis” who have survived through the ages by having symbiotic relationship with the lion.
- Maldharis are religious pastoral communities living in Gir. Their settlements are called “nesses”.
- Other National Parks in Gujarat
- Black buck National Park
- Vansda National park
- Marine National Park