Gandhinagar- Barda Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region has emerged as a potential long-term habitat for Asiatic lions, with a new study finding that the sanctuary can support a sustainable population of the endangered big cats. The sanctuary currently houses 17 lions following their natural return to the area after an absence of nearly 144 years.
Published in the journal PLOS One, the study, titled “Beyond Gir: Barda Wildlife Sanctuary as a Potential Stronghold for Asiatic Lions”, assessed the animals’ space use, habitat preferences, social interactions and diet to determine whether Barda could serve as an additional habitat beyond the species’ traditional stronghold in Gir.
Spread across 192.31 square kilometres, primarily in Porbandar and Devbhumi Dwarka districts, Barda offers suitable habitat, adequate prey resources and favourable ecological conditions to sustain a lion population over the long term, the researchers found.
The research was conducted by Mohan Ram (IFS), Aradhana Sahu (IFS), Nityanand Srivastava (IFS), Rohit Chaudhary, Lahar Jhala and Yashpal Zala, associated with the Gujarat Forest Department and Banda University of Agriculture and Technology.
The lions began returning to Barda naturally after nearly 144 years, starting with the dispersal of a male lion. The Gujarat Forest Department subsequently introduced five females to strengthen the population.
For the study, six lions — one male and five females — were fitted with radio collars. Their movements were tracked using more than 1,69,000 GPS locations recorded between January 2023 and July 2025.
The findings showed that the lions were actively using the sanctuary’s forests and grasslands, establishing home ranges and developing social associations.
Forests and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia said the findings were significant for Asiatic lion conservation, as Barda could provide an additional population base for lions dispersing from the southwestern side of Gir.
“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,” he said.
Modhwadia added that the Gujarat government, under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, was committed to protecting Asiatic lions and ensuring their long-term survival. He also highlighted broader wildlife conservation efforts under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Minister of State for Forests and Environment Pravin Mali said vacant frontline staff positions had been filled on priority, while eight full-time lion trackers had been deployed to monitor the animals’ movements and health daily. Rapid-response mechanisms had also been strengthened to address human-wildlife conflict.
Improving the availability of natural prey is another key component of the conservation strategy. During 2025-26, 441 chitals, or spotted deer, were translocated from Gir Wildlife Sanctuary to Barda to increase the herbivore population and strengthen the prey base, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Jaipal Singh said.
Since 2007, hundreds of spotted deer have also been released into the sanctuary through captive-breeding efforts. Sambar deer have likewise been bred and released as part of efforts to improve prey availability.
Conservation initiatives have been accompanied by the development of ecotourism. Activities began in Barda in 2024, creating employment opportunities for local residents as nature guides and safari operators, said Ram Ratan Nala (IFS), Conservator of Forests, Junagadh (Wildlife) Circle.
The sanctuary received 2,271 visitors during its first year of ecotourism. Visitor numbers rose to 3,359 in 2025-26, an increase of about 48 per cent.
Local communities are also contributing to conservation through invasive-species removal, restoration of degraded land and the construction of firebreaks.
Around 3,200 hectares were covered by habitat-improvement work this year. The initiatives include removing invasive vegetation, developing grasslands and implementing soil and moisture conservation measures to improve habitat quality, water availability and forage resources.
Barda’s diverse flora, which includes a range of medicinal plants, further adds to its ecological importance as Gujarat works to establish suitable habitats for Asiatic lions beyond Gir.
–IANS