“According to our reports, around 25 big cats die every year after they fall into wells or get trapped in fences,” says Conservator of Forest Bharat Pathak. Since January 2007, three lions have drowned in a well. Last year a carcass of a lion was found at Kamleshwar dam with its legs tied. In 2005, there was a poaching case in which three men poisoned two lions.

But the real danger comes from wells. There are as many as 1,000 of them, at least 15 ft wide and equally deep in the vicinity of Gir. About 600 well are located at nesses (localities of Maldharis or cattle owners), of which there are 54 with 350 Maldhari families with the sanctuary.

With the Gir Sanctuary reaching its carrying capacity, about 20 lions in recent times have strayed out on to the coastal belt that stretches from Porbandar to Sutrapada and have made it their home. Yet the plan to find them a new home in Madhya Pradesh has still not been realised.

Line of Attack

August 2005: Carcasses of two lions were found in Dalkhania village. Investigations found that both lions were poisoned. Their claws were missing but were later dug up from near a temple. The Forest Department arrested three people

January 2007: The carcass of a lion that was electrocuted was found in a cotton field. A case was registered against the farmer who had illegally wired the area to draw power. The incident occurred at Charnyawadi area near Simar village, which falls under Jashadhar forest range in Dhari division of Gir forest

... contd.