Home / Environment / Gujarat Forest Dept Captures Lion Pride Unconventionally
Gujarat Forest Dept Captures Lion Pride Unconventionally
31 Jul
Summary
- Entire lion pride captured after dominant male killed a man.
- Forest department claims capture ensures safety of lioness and cubs.
- Wildlife activists dispute intervention, citing natural lion behavior.
In an unusual action, the Gujarat forest department captured an entire Asiatic lion pride. This decision was made after the pride's dominant male, Bhagat, killed a 21-year-old man on July 8. Forest officials stated the capture was to ensure the safety of the lioness and cubs following Bhagat's removal from the wild.
This move has ignited a discussion among wildlife experts. Standard protocol typically involves capturing a lion only after confirmed attacks on humans. Bhagat was captured after he allegedly attacked a man who approached him while he was mating and filming.
Sources indicate the pride, comprising six animals, was relocated despite denials from some senior forest officers. The department's rationale included preventing territorial takeovers by other males that could harm the cubs and avoiding conflicts due to the pride resting near a busy road.
Wildlife activists have challenged the department's reasoning. They argue that lionesses are capable of protecting their cubs naturally and that human intervention was unnecessary. Information obtained via RTI suggests no prior orders were issued for capturing entire prides or for the relocation based on rising human-animal conflict.
