Lions census ends, increased numbers likely

SASAN GIR - The four-day head count of the Asiatic lions in the sprawling expanse of the greater Gir in Gujarat\’s Saurashtra region ended Tuesday, with hopes high of an increased number of the big cats in their only surviving habitat.

Highly placed official sources said that everything went off well and indications were positive.

Though forest department officials refused to be drawn into numbers, pre-tabulation indications point to around 15 percent increase in the lion numbers to touch the 400 figure, over the 2005 census figure of 359.

\”A clear picture would be available only after the tabulation exercise is completed by the end of the month,\” a forest official said .

Some of those involved in the exercise had interesting experiences to narrate.

According to an eye-witness, a fierce fight had broken out in Babra area between a father and son for the right to mate with a lioness.The elderly lion nicknamed Jamba, who ruled the pack, was beaten by the son and fled.

The exercise, divided into preliminary and final counting with a rest day thrown in, involved almost 2,000 people and a large assortment of vehicles and support equipment.