ગુજરાતી
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Lion Safari Park not allowed near Ahmedabad and Narmada Dam
Dilip Patel
Ahmedabad, August 1, 2024
The central government has approved the construction of two new lion safari parks in Junagadh and Kutch. The lion safari near Narayan Sarovar in Kutch and Una in Gir Somnath district has been approved by the Central Zoo Authority. A total of Rs 100 crore can be spent behind both the safari parks. World Lion Day is celebrated from 10 August 2013. It was already approved. Not only lions but other species of wild animals will also be kept.
Kutch
According to Principal Chief Conservator Nityanand Shrivastava and Chief Forest Conservator of Kutch Sandeep Kumar, the Lion Safari Park will be built in 300 hectares of land near Narayan Sarovar. A project for tourism and lion breeding center.
Una
Una near Diu is an area adjacent to the Gir forest. There will be a lion safari here. Nalia-Mandvi of Una taluka is 8 km away from Diu. Which has already been announced 9 months ago.
Supreme Court’s approval will be sought
Both safari parks will be built on 400-400 hectares of forest department land. The proposal will be placed in the Supreme Court. Court permission is required to build a zoo or safari park on forest land.
3 Safari Parks
At present there are two safari parks in Junagadh and Amreli Gir. Sakkarbagh Zoo Breeding, Devaliya Safari Park, Ambardi Safari Park. There is a breeding center near Rajkot. A 28 hectare safari park is being built near Randarda Nursery in Rajkot.
Safari Park
Devaliya Safari Park is located in Junagadh. Gujarat’s second safari park is spread over 4000 hectares in Ambardi of Gir, 7 km away from Amreli Dhari.
28 hectares of land near Lalpari-Randara Lake Zoo in Rajkot for Rs. The zoo authority has earlier given permission to Rajkot Municipality to build a lion safari at a cost of Rs 30 crore. Fencing wall work has been done. The tender process is currently underway.
There is a lion breeding center in Junagadh in Saurashtra. There is a lion breeding center in Rajkot. More than 50 lions have been born here. There are 12 lions in the zoo.
Another house has been broken
The Wildlife Institute of India has asked to keep 40 lions under Project Lion in Barda Wildlife Sanctuary near Porbandar. Some have been brought. Barda-Alech can live in hills and coastal forests. The last time lions were in Barda was till 1879. The government’s project to settle lions in Barda Sanctuary has not been successful. The population of Barda area is being shifted elsewhere.
Lok Vachan
On October 6, 2018, the government had announced to build a Lion Safari Park in Ahmedabad but nothing was done. State Forest Minister Raman Patkar announced the introduction of lions in Ahmedabad during the Wildlife Conservation Week program in Vapi. Lions are being used to attract people.
After 5 years, in 2023, it was again announced in Ahmedabad that Gujarat’s largest jungle safari and biodiversity park would be built on 500 acres near Gyaspur village by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation at a cost of Rs 250 crore. Tenders were issued for the appointment of Intensive Forest and Design and Project Consultant.
The Lion and Tiger Safari Park was to be built in an area of 100 hectares, 6 km away towards the main canal at Kevadia near the Narmada Dam. ZSL was to prepare exhibits similar to those found in the London Zoo. Animals have been brought to the Kevadia Jungle Safari.
In 2018, Forest Minister Ganpat Vasava announced the construction of a lion park in 400 hectares of forest department land, 24 km away from GIFT City in Gandhinagar. It was to be launched in 2022. Nothing happened.
Population
The lion population has increased by 30 percent in 6 years.
In 2015, there were 511 lions. In 2020, there were 674 lions in the Poonam Observation Census. There were 736 lions in 2022. The lion population is likely to reach 850 by 2024.
Exodus
Lions are moving out of the 1,412 sq km Gir forest. It reaches Porbandar, Rajkot, Gondal, Chotila. Therefore, Asiatic lions are settling in other areas outside the Gir forest of Saurashtra. Lions have come in 7 districts. There are an estimated 400 lions outside the Gir sanctuary. They come out as soon as trees grow in Gir. Therefore, the process is underway to declare a part of the banks of the Shetrunji river near Bhavnagar as a sanctuary.
Deaths
123 lions died in 2020-21, 113 in 2020-22 and 89 in 2023-22.
Virus
23 lions died due to canine distemper virus in Dalkhania range east of Gir. The forest minister did not resign then. Lions are in danger.
