Barda Wildlife Sanctuary emerges as new home for Asiatic lions

Gujarat: Barda forests emerge as new 'second home' for Asiatic lions; study finds habitat suitable for long-term population

Gandhinagar, October 11

As per the release, Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, covers an area of 192.31 sq km, principally across the Porbandar and Devbhumi Dwarka districts. The sanctuary is exceptionally rich in floral diversity and is home to a wide variety of medicinal plants, including several species of ecological and conservation significance.

According to the study, Barda Wildlife Sanctuary provides suitable habitat, prey resources and ecological conditions to support a long-term lion population.

The study, titled "Beyond Gir: Barda Wildlife Sanctuary as a Potential Stronghold for Asiatic Lions", has been published in PLOS One. It was conducted by Mohan Ram (IFS), Aradhana Sahu (IFS), Nityanand Srivastava (IFS), Rohit Chaudhary, Lahar Jhala and Yashpal Zala from the Gujarat Forest Department and Banda University of Agriculture and Technology, the release said.

The study examined the space use, habitat preferences, social interactions and diet of lions that have re-established themselves in Barda after an absence of about 144 years.

The lions naturally recolonised Barda after nearly 144 years, beginning with the dispersal of a male, followed by the augmentation of five females by the Gujarat Forest Department.

"This is very significant research from the Asiatic lion's conservation perspective. With the lion population no longer confined to a single core landscape, Barda can serve as a population buffer for lions dispersing from the southwestern side of Gir. Protecting such satellite habitats and maintaining connectivity between them will be essential for the species' long-term survival," said Arjun Modhwadia, Minister for Forests and Environment.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has stepped up its efforts to protect and conserve its precious wildlife.

"Under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the government is committed to protecting the Asiatic lion's last abode in Gujarat, and it will do everything necessary for its long-term survival," Arjun Modhwadia added.

"We have filled vacant frontline staff positions on priority, deployed eight full-time lion trackers for daily monitoring of lion movements and health, and strengthened rapid-response mechanisms to deal with human-wildlife conflict," said Pravin Mali, Minister of State for Forests and Environment.

"The Barda Wildlife Sanctuary now supports 17 Asiatic lions. Six lions-one male and five females-were radio-collared for the research, generating more than 169,000 GPS locations between January 2023 and July 2025. The findings show that the animals are actively using Barda's forests and grasslands, establishing home ranges and developing social associations," said Mohan Ram (IFS), Conservator of Forests, Junagadh Circle, and one of the authors of the study.

"We are placing strong emphasis on prey-base improvement, an important component of long-term wildlife conservation. During 2025-26, 441 chitals were translocated from Gir Wildlife Sanctuary to Barda Wildlife Sanctuary to augment the herbivore population and strengthen the availability of natural prey,'' said Dr Jaipal Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife).

Since 2007, hundreds of spotted deer have been released through captive-breeding efforts, while sambar have also been bred and released.

Ecotourism initiatives in Barda Wildlife Sanctuary are creating new livelihood opportunities for local communities.

"We started ecotourism in Barda Sanctuary in 2024, creating opportunities for local residents as nature guides and safari operators," said Ram Ratan Nala (IFS), Conservator of Forests, Junagadh (Wildlife) Circle.

The initiative has witnessed a significant rise in visitor numbers. Barda recorded 2,271 visitors in its first year, while the number increased to 3,359 in 2025-26, registering a notable 48 per cent growth.

Local communities are also actively participating in conservation activities, including invasive-species removal, restoration of degraded areas and construction of firebreaks.

"This year, habitat improvement works covering around 3,200 hectares have been undertaken," Nala said. The works include removal of invasive species, grassland development and Soil and Moisture Conservation (SMC) measures aimed at improving habitat quality, water availability and forage resources,'' said Ram Ratan Nala.

— ANI