Seventeen Asiatic Lions died in Gir sanctuary in Gujarat in the past four months, eight of them due to poaching.
NEW DELHI: Seventeen Asiatic Lions died in Gir sanctuary in Gujarat in the past four months, eight of them due to poaching, and government has decided to shift other members of the endangered species to a forest reserve in Madhya Pradesh, the Lok Sabha was informed Monday.
Minister of State for Environment and Forests Namo Narain Meena said the decision to shift the lions to Kuno-Palpur sanctuary was taken because of fears that some 'adverse human actions or natural calamity may wipe out their whole population'.
Kuno-Palpur has been recommended as the best suited alternative place for the Asiatic Lions by an expert committee which had been asked to suggest measures for their protection, he said in reply to questions.
Informing that 17 lions died since January, he said eight of them were killed due to poaching. Three poaching incidents took place within last one month, Meena added.
The state government has suspended a Ranger and two forest guards after poaching incidents came to light and the matter is being probed by CB-CID, the minister said.
Other nine lions perished due to disease, accident or because of natural reasons, he said.
Meena said that locals are usually not found involved in poaching which is done by outsiders mostly.
Environment and Forests Minister A Raja said the government was determined to take strict action against poaching and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau was set up recently with this intention.
Meena also added that the expert committee, in its preliminary report, had also pointed out shortage of manpower at Gir and recommended strict vigil by the state government.
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