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