Water points for Asiatic lions in Sasan Gir in Gujarat

21-5-2008

Water points for Asiatic lions in Sasan Gir in Gujarat

Times of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Earth/Water_points_for_lions_in_Gir/articleshow/3060312.cms

SASAN GIR SANCTUARY: With mercury registering high temperature with each passing day, the forest authorities in Sasan Gir sanctuary have made arrangements to protect lions and other wild life and domestic animals from being thirsty.

About 215 artificial water points have been made to arrange drinking water for animals.

The wildlife division in Sasan Gir is sending in a large number of tractor-tankers to replenish water holes and is also keeping a watch on movements of the prides.

According to B D Pati, the Chief Conservator of Forests, the drive of creating man-made waterholes is on and a good number of people are involved to make sure that pride of the jungle has no such problem.

"The work of filling water point is on and we are sending a team inside the jungle with tankers. They are keeping it well. We have made several artificial water points and we are filling them regularly wherever we believe that the lions are returning to drink water. A good number of people too are engaged in this drive," B D Patil said.

Wild Life Conservation Trust is one such non-government organization (NGO) that is active in construction of a wall surrounding open wells in the nearby villages, lest the animals from the sanctuary fall into them.

"Actually Sasan Gir is a dry deciduous forest type of area. There are seven parallel rivers, which go dry at times in summers. So to prevent these wild animals to come out of the wild forest and to make sure they get water inside the forest we have installed 200 artificial water points in the sanctuary area," said Kishor Kotecha, Founder, Wild life Conservation Trust.

Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (also known as Sasan-Gir) is the sole home of the pure Asiatic Lions.

Spread over about 258 kilometres for the fully protected area (the National Park) and 1,153 kms for the Sanctuary, the area is considered to be one of the most important protected areas in Asia due to its supported species.

Established in 1965, the total area of 1,412 kms is located about 65 km from Junagadh city of the Junagadh district in Kathiawar peninsula of Gujarat.

Seven rivers that pass through Gir namely Hiran, Saraswati, Datardi, Shingoda, Machhundri, Ghodavadi, and Raval have started drying up.

Less than 250 watering points are presently available for more than 390 lions, 350 leopards, and 40,000 ungulates, including spotted deer, Sambar, Nilgai, Chinkara, antelope, and wild boar.

Besides, Gir harbours 1,000 species of birds and 26 species of reptiles