Union Government Approves Funding for Project Lion to Enhance Conservation Efforts | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Union Government Approves Funding for Project Lion to Enhance Conservation Efforts

Posted 03 Mar 2025

2 min read

For the project around ₹2,927.71 crore approved, including establishing a National Referral Centre for wildlife (NRC-W) in Gujarat’s Junagadh district.

About NRC-W

  • The Centre aims to track wildlife diseases, especially those transmissible to humans.
    • E.g.: Babesiosis (targets red blood cells in lions) outbreak in 2020 killed 23 lions in Gujarat's Gir National Park. 
  • Focus on four principles: surveillance, response, prevention, and preparedness.
  • Nodal Agency: Central Zoo Authority

Conservation Efforts

  • Project Lion: Launched in 2020 & aim to secures Asiatic lions through habitat improvement and advanced monitoring with radio-collars and cameras.
  • Conservation Status:  IUCN: Vulnerable; Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule I and IV; CITES: Appendix I.
  • Other Initiatives for Lions: International Big Cats Alliance (2023); Greater Gir Concept: Involves creating new lion habitats beyond Gir National Park and Sanctuary.
    • Barda Wildlife Sanctuary has emerged as a “second home” for lions.

About Lion

  • Lions live in prides in grasslands and plains. 
  • Males patrol and proclaim their territory through scent marking.
  • Females and sisters stay together for life; males leave at maturity. 
  • Lions rest or sleep 20 hours daily and hunt at night for easier prey capture.
  • Lions do not have a specific breeding season, and their gestation period lasts approximately 100 to 119 days.
  • Tags :
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972
  • Project Lion
  • NRC-W
  • Gir National Park
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