Abstract
Asiatic lions typify most challenges faced by large carnivores: single population, historical bottlenecks, habitat loss, poaching, and conflict with humans. Their recovery from 500 occupying 13,000 km2 of agro-pastoral Saurashtra landscape, Gujarat, India is an enigma. We review and evaluate the multidisciplinary aspects of lion conservation-strategy that covers ecology, conflict, community perceptions, economics, management, and politics. The history of modern lions in India dates back to ~4-6,000 BP, but evidence suggests presence as early as 10-15,000 BP. Asiatic lions can be distinguished from African lions by their belly-folds; adult males and females weighing 160(±5) and 116(±4) kg respectively. Lion density ranged from 2-15/100 km2 in the Saurashtra landscape. Demographic parameters of Asiatic lions were comparable to African lions. Prides were related females and cubs; males lived separately in hierarchical coalitions having overlapping ranges with multiple prides. Lionesses mated with multiple coalitions to reduce infanticide and enhance genetic diversity of their progeny. Few hectares of scrub sufficed as daytime refuges, while >4 km2 patches were required for breeding. Sink populations outside Gir Protected Area (PA) were maintained by immigrants. Lions within PA fed primarily on wild-prey, while scavenging and predation on livestock was the mainstay outside. Monetary compensation for livestock-depredation, legal-protection, lion-related profits, combined with religious and cultural sentiments were major drivers of population recovery. The lion has become a socio-political instrument in Gujarat, which despite a Supreme Court directive, has not parted with founders to establish another population. Threats from epidemics loom large and currently a canine distemper virus outbreak is prevalent. Attacks on humans were rare, however, with increasing lion density the intensity of conflict is increasing. This, coupled with lowered tolerance of communities due to erosion of traditional values sets the stage for retaliation. Future of lions outside PA is uncertain as breeding refuges and their connecting corridors are vanishing rapidly. A human-free National Park of ~1000 km2 is essential for ensuring a viable population that retains its ecological role and evolutionary potential. Legalising lion based ecotourism by forming village consortia holds promise to prevent land conversion and promoting lion-human coexistence.
Highlights
Unprecedented human expansion and consequent resource exploitation in the last two centuries have sheared the range and imperiled the survival of biodiversity globally (Ripple et al, 2014)
In this paper we review relevant topics related to lion- history, origin, culture, ecology, conflict, economics, and politics
We propose that wildlife authorities should take the initiative to work with elected representatives of the local community to form consortia of one to several villages across the landscape to form “Community Lion Conservancies (CLCs).”
Summary
Unprecedented human expansion and consequent resource exploitation in the last two centuries have sheared the range and imperiled the survival of biodiversity globally (Ripple et al, 2014). To minimize encounters between large carnivores and humans as well as to enhance sighting of lions by tourists, wildlife managers often retrieve such livestock carcasses from forest settlements and dump them at tourist viewing spots This assured food source increased pride sizes and reduced their home ranges (Gogoi, 2015; Jhala et al, 2016). This possibly allows males to maximize their reproductive potential by encompassing many female prides within their home ranges simultaneously These arguments pertaining to prey- size and availability are in consonance with circumstances prevailing in West and Central African lion populations, where the lack of large prey has been reported to have resulted in small group sizes in lions (Bauer et al, 2003). A futuristic and multifaceted policy is required to permit this delicate balance of human-lion coexistence to continue
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