The
Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica;
also known as Indian Lion) is a subspecies
of the lion found only in India.
Asiatic
Lion once ranged from Turkey to India, covering
most of West Asia where it was also known
as the Persian Lion.The current wild population
consists of about 350 individuals restricted
to the Gir Forest
in the state of Gujarat, India.
There are plans to re-introduce some into
the wild in Palpur-Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary
in the neighboring State of Madhya Pradesh.
The
Gir Forest National
Park of western India has about
359 lions (as of April 2006) which live in
a 1,412 km (558 square miles) sanctuary covered
with scrub and open deciduous forest habitats.
The population in 1907 consisted of only 13
lions and the Nawab of Junagadh gave them
complete protection.The tiger, which is is
the other large cat in the same region is
not found in the habitat occupied by the Lion.
The Gir forest is close to numerous human
habitations and the lions sometimes prey on
livestock. Some tribes have also been known
to steal meat from lion kills. This has led
to many conflicts between the local people,
lions and the wildlife officials.
Work has been going on over the past decade
to establish the world's second completely
removed population of the wild free ranging
Asiatic Lions at the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary
in Madhya Pradesh. Conservationists, Scientists
all over the world and the Central Government
of India agree that this is necessary to save
the last Asiatic lions from extinction due
to epidemics and natural calamities in the
near future. It is also very important to
start a separate second population because
not only it serves as a life insurance for
the last surviving Asiatic Lions but it will
also help to develop and maintain genetic
diversity.
The
Emblem
of India
is an adaptation
from the Sarnath
Lion Capital of
Ashoka. there
are four lions,
standing back
to back, mounted
on an abacus with
a frieze carrying
sculptures in
high relief of
an elephant, a
galloping horse,
a bull and a lion
separated by intervening
wheels over a
bell-shaped lotus.
Carved out of
a single block
of polished sandstone,
the capital is
crowned by the
Wheel of the Law
(Dharmacakra).
It
has four "Indian
Lions",
resting on a circular
abacus. The fourth
lion is on the
rear and hence
hidden from view.
The emblem symbolizes
power, courage
and confidence.
The abacus is
girded by four
smaller animals
- guardians of
the four directions:
the Lion of the
north, the Elephant
of the east, the
bull of the south
and the Horse
of the west. The
abacus rests on
a nelumbo nucifera
in full bloom,
exemplifying the
fountainhead
of life.
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