Increase in India’s Asiatic lion population as of 2025, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• India's Asiatic lion population increased significantly from 523 in 2015 to 891 in 2025.
• Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced this growth, attributing it to dedicated conservation efforts.
• The Project Lion, launched in 2020, is a key initiative focusing on habitat enhancement, disease monitoring, scientific population tracking, and community participation.
• The 16th Asiatic Lion Population Estimation, conducted in May 2025, confirmed these numbers.
• The geographical range of the Asiatic lion has expanded from approximately 30,000 sq km in 2020 to nearly 35,000 sq km in 2025, covering 11 districts in Gujarat.

Detailed Insights:

• The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) is exclusively found in the wild in India, primarily within Gujarat's Gir National Park and its surrounding landscape.
• The species is classified as 'Endangered' on the IUCN Red List, listed under 'Appendix I' of CITES, and protected under 'Schedule I' of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
• Conservation efforts for Asiatic lions began in the early 1900s when their population had dwindled to about a dozen, with Gir Forest being declared a sanctuary in 1965.
• Project Lion aims to secure and restore lion habitats, enhance livelihood generation for local communities, and establish India as a global hub for big cat disease diagnostics and treatment.
• A significant concern is that around 57% of the Asiatic lion population now resides outside protected areas, increasing the potential for human-wildlife conflict.
• The geographic isolation of the entire wild population in Gir makes it vulnerable to epidemics, such as the Canine Distemper Virus outbreak in 2018 that killed 28 lions.
• To mitigate these risks, Barda Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat is being developed as a 'second home' for Asiatic lions.
• The 2025 census utilized advanced methodologies including direct beat verification, high-resolution cameras, camera traps, and GPS-enabled radio collars.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica): A subspecies of lion whose only wild population exists in the Gir forest ecosystem in Gujarat, India.
• Project Lion: A comprehensive conservation initiative launched in 2020 by the Indian government for the long-term protection and recovery of the Asiatic lion and its habitat.
• Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary: The sole natural habitat for the Asiatic lion in the world, located in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, India.
• IUCN Red List: The world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species, classifying species based on their extinction risk.