Check out the steps the forest department is taking to keep the nearly 100 Asiatic lions in Saurashtra safe from the cyclonic storm caused by Cyclone Biparjoy. Preventive measures taken by the State Forest Department include the following: Moving Lions Closer to the Coast; Using Beat Guards to Herd Lions; Baiting with Ungulates and Moving the Lion Kill; and Teams for Rescue and Control. The chief forest conservator, Aradhana Sahoo, emphasizes the significance of these control points in managing the lions’ safety during the cyclone.
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Look at the Actions That The Forest Department Is Taking To Protect Nearly 100 Asiatic Lions In Saurashtra From Cyclonic Storm During Cyclone Biparjoy
Including herding and enticing them with ungulates, the forest department is taking proactive steps to guarantee the security of Asiatic lions in Saurashtra.
The State forest department’s preventive measures
As Cyclone Biparjoy is getting closer, the state forest division is taking preventive measures to safeguard the security of Asian lions in the Saurashtra area, where the cyclone will likely do significant damage. There are efforts to relocate over 100 lions to safer areas while they are under high-security checks in the coastal regions. To guarantee their protection, forest officials are using a variety of tactics, such as herding the lions with beat guards and luring them with ungulates.
Lions Moving Nearer the Coast
Closer to the coast, near the Gir Somnath-Bhavnagar route, about 30 lions have already been relocated to safer areas. According to a report in the Times of India, the forest department is closely tracking the course of the cyclone and will relocate the lions to higher elevations, such as nearby hillocks, if necessary.
Beat guards to herd lions
Khaki-clad friendly-beat guards are essential in leading the lions to safer refuges. These guards operate in teams of three to four, using familiar sounds to entice the animals to locations about a kilometer away. This strategy is very efficient for sub-adult cubs under three years old since once one lion gets relocated to a secure region, other members follow within a couple of hours.
The Baiting with ungulates and moving the lion’s kill
The forest department uses strategies like moving the lion’s kill to a different location to enable lion motions over smaller distances. Since lions consume carcasses for two days, using this tactic can help draw the animals within a 200-meter radius to specific locations. In some instances, ungulates are also moved to a particular region to attract lions. These actions are taken in the evenings to boost the probability that the pride will remain in the specified areas.
Teams for rescue and control as Cyclone Biparjoy nears the Gujarat coast
Along the coast, the forest department has set up 21 control points with medical and rescue teams. In the event of any emergencies or difficulties brought on by the cyclone, these groups are ready to act quickly. Aradhana Sahoo, the head forest conservator, emphasizes the value of these control points in managing the lions’ protection during the cyclone.
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