Farmers build six feet high MACHANS for protection from lions

18-01-2011
Farmers build six feet high MACHANS for protection from lions
Gujarat Samachar
Briefly Translated from Gujarati

About 24 lions live in Gadhia village in Dhari Taluka of gir East. These animals are in the area since many decades as village is very near to Gir sanctuary. But recently 'Lion Show' craze has increased too much in the area ( of course with help of some local touts )  Too many Groups of people visit the area to see lion on kill or mother – cub prides or the KING male -duos. On holidays and Sunday lines of luxury cars pile up for such lion shows. So much of human intervention in privacy of lions have made them irritating in behaviour

Normally lions would not attack unless disturbed. But because of such frequent disturbance from people they have started retaliating. This has cause life of local farmers miserable.

These farmers have to guard their crop from blue-bulls and porcupines for whole night. Few years back they had no fear visiting lions. But now due to changed behaviour of lions are very much afraid of lion attack. Hence they have to built 6 feet high machans for protection of their life.

It is high time forest department must do something to stop such lions show else this will increase human – animals conflict in all the periherial villages.