Grrr… India’s Asiatic lion population jumps 32% in five years

This proximity is troubling for locals. A June 2025 study by the Wildlife Institute of India, Gujarat Forest Department, Macalester College (USA), and NCBS (Bangalore) found lion attacks on livestock rising by 10% annually, with livestock losses per village up by 15% yearly.

Human attacks, averaging 21 per year, show no significant increase. “Lions receive food from locals and share space with them, while local communities benefit from enhanced livelihoods through tourism,” said Yadvendradev V. Jhala, a study author and former WII chief.

To accommodate the growing population, the government expanded the lions’ habitat to 30,000 sq. km, designating Barda in Porbandar as a secondary sanctuary. GNP hosts 15 lions per 100 sq. km, but outside, the density drops to three per 100 sq. km. “Populations are sparse outside the forest, making them more habituated to living near humans. This may change their natural behaviours,” officials noted.

Officials questioned why lions, like tigers requiring 700-1,000 sq. km of human-free habitat under the Wildlife Protection Act, aren’t given similar protected spaces.

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