Gujarat police have rounded up 18 male lion suspects suspected for the murder of three in the state. It is learned that the guilty would be sentenced to life in prison. The suspects are all Asiatic lions.
Asiatic lions are endangered species, and its population has reduced as human settlements encroach on its remaining habitat. As that process speeds up, humans and lions are, of course, more likely to come into contact, hence increasing the susceptibility of man-animal conflict.
There are approximately 400 Asiatic lions left in the wilderness of Gir national park in Gujarat, and they are the only lion population outside of Africa. According to wildlife authorities in the National Park, can only accommodate 270 of them and overpopulation results in the wandering of leading some them to the forest fringe regions.
Supreme Court recently directed Gujarat government to relocate some the lions to other states, however the state is yet to comply.
The 18 lions now in custody will have their paw-prints and feces tested, which police believe could indicate which is the culprit.
“The officials are also studying the animals’ behaviour. Man eating lions usually get aggressive at the sight of a human being,” wildlife expert Ruchi Dave was quoted by BBC.
“We think we have pinpointed the guilty lion, but we are still awaiting the results of nine more animals,”
J.A. Khan, Gujarat’s top forest official, told Washington Post.
Once the “guilty animal” is identified, he will be transferred to a zoo, and the others will be released back into the wild.
