SASAN (GUJARAT), Feb 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the seventh meeting of the National Board for Wildlife on Monday, coinciding with World Wildlife Day, where he announced that the population estimation for Asiatic lions will take place in May this year.
Following his lion safari at the Gir National Park earlier in the morning, Modi attended the NBWL meeting in Sasan, located in Gujarat’s Junagadh district, with the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, and other board members.
During the event, Modi also laid the foundation stone for the National Referral Centre for Wildlife in Junagadh and revealed plans for the 16th estimation of the Asiatic lion population scheduled for May.
In addition, he announced the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Human-Wildlife Conflict Management, SACON, in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, and launched a book focused on river dolphins.
The NBWL, which serves as a statutory advisory body on wildlife conservation, comprises 47 members, including the Chief of Army Staff, representatives from various states, officials from NGOs in the wildlife sector, and chief wildlife wardens.
The Prime Minister serves as the ex-officio chairperson of the NBWL, while the Union environment, forests and climate change minister holds the position of vice-chairperson.
After his safari, Modi shared a post on X, highlighting that the Asiatic lion population has been steadily increasing due to collaborative efforts and praised the contributions of local tribal communities and women in preserving the lion’s habitat.
“This morning, on #WorldWildlifeDay, I went on a Safari in Gir, which is well-known as the habitat of the magnificent Asiatic Lion. Visiting Gir also evokes numerous memories of our collective efforts during my tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat,” he stated.
“Thanks to collaborative initiatives, the population of Asiatic Lions has been consistently on the rise. The involvement of tribal communities and women from nearby areas is commendable in maintaining the Asiatic Lion’s environment,” Modi noted.
“Over the last decade, we have also seen growth in the populations of tigers, leopards, and rhinos, reflecting our deep respect for wildlife and our commitment to creating sustainable living spaces for these animals,” the PM added in another tweet.
The central government has allocated more than Rs 2,900 crore for Project Lion, aimed at conserving Asiatic lions, which are found exclusively in Gujarat, according to a government statement.
Currently, Asiatic lions inhabit nearly 30,000 square kilometers across 53 talukas in 9 districts of Gujarat, it stated.
Moreover, as part of a national initiative, a National Referral Centre for Wildlife is being developed on over 20.24 hectares at New Pipalya in Junagadh district.
A state-of-the-art wildlife tracking monitoring center and a modern hospital have also been established in Sasan to enhance conservation efforts, the statement added.
Additionally, the state government has collaborated with the Railways to develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to mitigate the risk of lion-related accidents on railway tracks in the Greater Gir region.
“This approach has significantly decreased such occurrences,” the release mentioned.
As part of his three-day visit to Gujarat, Modi visited the Somnath temple (in Gir Somnath district) and toured Vantara, an animal rescue, conservation, and rehabilitation center located at the Reliance Jamnagar refinery complex.
Vantara is dedicated to the welfare of captive elephants and other wildlife, offering sanctuary, rehabilitation, and medical assistance to animals rescued from abuse and exploitation. (Agencies)
