Explained | Project Lion

• The Asiatic lion population in India increased from 523 in 2015 to 891 in 2025, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav said on August 10.

• World Lion Day is celebrated annually on August 10.

Asiatic lion

• Asiatic lion is categorised as ‘Endangered’ according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species upgraded from “Critically Endangered” category in 2008 due to the efforts taken for conservation and protection of Asiatic Lions resulting in increase in their population over the years.

• Asiatic lion population estimate is an integral part of wildlife management in the area known as Asiatic Lion Landscape, which includes Gir National Park and Sanctuary, falling in eight districts — Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Porbandar, Rajkot, Gir Somnath, Botad and Jamnagar. 

• Asiatic lion is an endangered species, scheduled at Schedule-I in Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 which is present in the local areas of Asiatic Lion Landscape. 

• The free ranging lions today exist as two disjunct populations: Panthera leo leo in Africa and Panthera leo persica in India. The former are presently found in savannah habitats across sub-Saharan Africa. 

• The government notified the large geographical extent of ‘Sasan Gir’ as a wildlife sanctuary on September 18, 1965 in order to conserve the Asiatic lion. It covers a total area of 1,412 sq km of which 258 km forms the core area of the National Park. 

• The Gir forest is well known all over the world for the only wild gene pool and for the last home of the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica). 

Project Lion

• During his Independence Day speech in 2020, PM Modi announced the initiation of Project Lion for better conservation of the species in lines of ‘Project Tiger’. 

• Project Lion is being implemented in the Gir landscape in Gujarat. 

• It envisages landscape ecology based conservation of the Asiatic Lion in Gujarat by integrating conservation and eco-development. 

• The Project Lion will entail habitat development, engage modern technologies in lion management and address the issues of disease in lion and its associated species through advanced world class research and veterinary care. 

• The project will also address human-wildlife conflict and will be inclusive involving local communities living in the vicinity of lion landscape and will also provide livelihood opportunities through activities such as eco-tourism, promotion of local art and handicrafts, home stays etc.

Objectives of Project Lion:

i) To secure and restore lions’ habitats for managing its growing population.

ii) Scale up livelihood generation and participation of local communities.

iii) Become a global hub of knowledge on big cat disease diagnostics and treatment.

iv) Inclusive biodiversity conservation through the initiative.

• Currently, the lion range has expanded from around 30,000 sq km in 2020 to nearly 35,000 sq km.

• Project Lion has contributed to the expansion and securing of Asiatic lion habitats beyond Gir National Park and Gir Wildlife Sanctuary to Paniya Wildlife Sanctuary, Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuary and Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, as well as their surrounding landscapes. 

• This expansion has supported the establishment of multiple satellite populations of lions, thereby reducing the risks associated with concentration of the entire population in a single habitat, including vulnerability to disease outbreaks. 

• Further, Barda Wildlife Sanctuary in Porbandar district has been identified and developed as an additional home for Asiatic lions, strengthening the long-term conservation and ecological security of the species.