Wildlife Institute Of India Identifies 11 Major Asiatic Lion Corridors Across Gujarat
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has identified 11 major movement corridors across Gujarat that are being used by Asiatic lions to disperse beyond the Gir landscape. The corridors connect forests, sanctuaries and other suitable habitats, supporting the natural expansion of Gujarat’s lion population and allowing movement between protected areas.
11 Asiatic Lion Corridors Identified
The corridors identified in the WII study are:
- Gir–Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary
- Gir Veraval–Sutrapada Corridor
- Gir–Kodinar Corridor
- Gir–Rajula Corridor
- Gir–Mitiyala–Palitana Corridor
- Gir–Shetrunji Corridor
- Palitana–Mahua Corridor
- Palitana–Bhavnagar Corridor
- Shetrunji–Hingolgadh Corridor
- Hingolgadh–Rampara Corridor
- Gir–Barda Corridor
These ecological pathways are considered important for maintaining connectivity between lion habitats and facilitating movement beyond the core Gir landscape.
Lions Expanding Beyond Gir
According to information shared by the Union Minister of State for Environment, lions use natural and semi-natural habitat corridors to move safely through the wider landscape.
The protection of contiguous habitat patches has enabled lions to move beyond the primary Gir area and establish populations in nearby protected regions, including Mitiyala, Paniya and Girnar sanctuaries.
The same large-mammal corridors are also used by leopards in Gujarat for movement and habitat dispersal, highlighting their wider importance for wildlife conservation.
Central Funds Support Habitat Protection
The Centre has provided financial assistance to Gujarat under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Development of Wildlife Habitats (CSS-DWH) to support the protection and development of critical wildlife habitats.
Central allocations for Gujarat under the scheme included ₹200.01 lakh in 2022–23, ₹206.99 lakh in 2023–24, ₹801.58 lakh in 2024–25 and ₹371.54 lakh in 2025–26.
Conservation and restoration work along the identified movement corridors is continuing under approved statutory Wildlife Management Plans.
Corridors Crucial For Long-Term Lion Conservation
The identification of the 11 corridors underlines the growing importance of habitat connectivity in Gujarat's Asiatic lion conservation strategy.
As lions expand beyond the traditional Gir landscape, maintaining uninterrupted movement routes between suitable habitats will remain crucial for supporting their natural dispersal and establishing sustainable populations across the wider region.
