Project Lion: Safeguarding the Future of Asiatic Lions

Project Lion is a crucial initiative aimed at conserving the Asiatic lion population through strategic habitat management and community participation. Launched on Independence Day 2020, it involves a 10-year plan with a budget of Rs 2,927.71 crore, focusing on wildlife healthcare, conflict mitigation, and sustainable development.

In alignment with the theme of World Wildlife Day 2025, 'Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet,' Project Lion is poised to transform the future of Asiatic lions. This initiative aims at conserving and increasing their population through innovative habitat management and community involvement strategies.

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day 2020, Project Lion emphasizes the government's commitment to securing the future of the Asiatic lions. The initiative, with a budget of Rs 2,927.71 crore for a decade, focuses on community participation, technology-driven conservation, healthcare for wildlife, and mitigation of human-lion conflicts.

Under Gujarat's Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state has significantly furthered conservation measures, aligning with its broader vision for wildlife protection and sustainable development. As per the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, 674 Asiatic lions currently roam across Gujarat, where strategic expansion efforts have been made, including the development of Barda as a 'second home' for lions.

Strengthening its conservation dynamics, Project Lion has successfully recruited 237 beat guards to patrol habitats and mitigate conflicts. The deployment of 92 rescue vehicles signals an emphasis on timely responses to wildlife emergencies. Additionally, over 11,000 machans have been constructed to reduce conflicts, alongside initiatives reinforcing safety, such as building parapet walls around open wells.

Further supporting this monumental effort, the Government of India has endorsed a National Referral Center for Wildlife Health in Junagadh District. Ongoing infrastructure work includes a boundary wall, a cutting-edge monitoring center, and a state-of-the-art veterinary hospital in Sasan for wildlife in the Gir region.

Celebrating World Lion Day, Chief Minister Patel spearheaded awareness initiatives involving over 11,065 institutions and nearly 19 lakh participants throughout the state, reinforcing collective efforts towards lion conservation.

(With inputs from agencies.)