Save the Asiatic lion project

The Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is the last stronghold of the Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica), and therefore considered one of the most important protected areas in Asia. A major threat to the estimated 412 lions found in the Gir region was some 15,000 ‘open wells’ in and around the protected area. There were incidents of the endangered lions and other wildlife perishing due to falling into these open wells. There was an urgent need to barricade the open wells to prevent lion mortality. TCL, in partnership with the Gujarat State Forest Dept., undertook the job of building parapet walls around 1,000 wells to render them safe.  Since then, work has already been completed and a total of 1,204 open wells have been rendered safe. The save the Asiatic lion project has helped mitigate mortality risk for lions and other wildlife in and around the Gir forest.