Do not take Lions of Sasan Gir to Madhya Pradesh A Biotechnologist & Conservationist appeals on why Lions of Gir should

be left undisturbed and why plans to relocate some of them to Kuno Palpur are flawed!! Priyvrat Gadhvi
Sometimes, absurdity masquerades as logic. A fine example of this is the 15-year-old debate on whether some Asiatic Lions must be relocated to an alternate home, in a different state (identified since as the Kuno-palpur sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh). Many knowledgeable wildlife experts have appealed for this relocation to take place, and many not-so-knowledgeable political entities have backed this appeal, citing aspects like Inbreeding, Over-population & a single disease outbreak wiping out the entire population as the basis for their arguments. These terms have sadly become buzzwords, and 99% of the people who use them to justify their demand of relocation don't seem to have the first clue on any of them! Inbreeding: What is in-breeding? Inbreeding is the phenomenon when two genetically related individuals mate, which increases the chances of the offspring acquiring deleterious(recessive) genes, which manifest themselves in the form of Physical infirmities in the offspring. When this phenomenon occurs in a sizeable population, the relative fitness of the population is compromised and decreased, some examples of this are Lower birth rate, prevalence of genetic disorders, low immunity, high infant mortality, weak physicality etc . This is called 'Inbreeding depression' in a population. Question- Do Lions of Sasan Gir exhibit any of these inbreeding characteristics? The answer is an emphatic NO. On the contrary, the Asiatic Lions of Sasan Gir are displaying a robust revival and increase in numbers, the survivability is on the increase and mortality is on decline, Lionesses are giving birth to a greater number of cubs, the Lions are impressive in their appearance, are not exhibiting any fatal genetic disorders, are not immuno-compromised and can be given a clean bill of health. The reason for this is simple, the dreaded 'inbreeding' in Asiatic lions of Gir is a ghost that doesn't really exist. In addition to scientific understanding of this aspect, a deep examination of social behavior of lions needs to be made to determine their breeding patterns and population expansion. Male Lions reach maturity at about 3 to 4 years of age and by the time they are 5-6, they move out, alone or in pairs to challenge and possibly displace older dominant males of other, unrelated prides. They then often kill existing cubs of the pride and father their own cubs with the females of the pride. This cycle repeats itself and ensures genetically related offspring do not mate with each other. Lions are highly social animals and their social interactions merit a deeper understanding and examination than has currently been made. Reluctance to mate with genetically related individual has been observed in many studies, and the Lions' natural tendency is designed to avoid such occurrence. Scientifically, it is important to understand that expression of a particular trait is governed by many genes and alleles. The Lions have a high number of alleles per locus, and even in the highly unlikely event of inbreeding taking place, the chance of recessive and deleterious traits expressing themselves is itself limited. Furthermore, the genetic variance in the Lions of gir is not as low as projected by some. A scientific study of 38 lions of Gir using Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique by a renowned team of scientists and published online, suggests that the average Heterozygosity(difference

in alleles on chromosomal locus) and polymorphism in Asiatic Lions is considerably higher than previously thought. The study also included analyzing 100 year old samples( before the 'genetic bottleneck') from skins in museums and it showed similar results as the present population, indicating that if there is low genetic variability in the species, then it is a characteristic feature of the species and not the result of intensive inbreeding. Natural laws govern the elimination of deleterious genes from wild populations and this is true of the Lions of Gir. Sasan Gir and adjoining regions have a healthy metapopulation of Lions, and these lions over the centuries have displayed Genetic adaptibility. 'Differential gene expression' occurs when a species, over time responds to specific 'triggers', which may be in the form of particular environment of a region. We are witnessing a natural expansion of Lion territory around Sasan Gir- Lions have expanded their territory to Girnar, Bhavnagar, Barda, Mithalia, Rajkot etc. This natural dispersion is the only logical and feasible way to propagate the species. As the species expands itself, it adapts to its new environment, adjusting itself to the prey base, human interaction etc. There are more than 170 Lions living in close proximity to Human settlements in the region, yet we hear of no adverse impact this is having, no mananimal conflicts like we hear in so many other states. This is because the crucial factor working in the favor of the Lions is local support and love, which has developed through centuries of co-existence. With the Lion population increasing, many have taken residence close to agricultural fields. Here, they prey on Blue-bulls(Nilgai), wild boars amongst other prey, in a way acting as farmers' friend. The Gujarat Forest department has played a commendable and difference-making role in ensuring this peace remains between man and animal- by prompt compensatory action for any loss of cattle suffered by locals and by fair reclaiming of forest land for the Lions to dwell in. Local support for wild species is crucial for its long term survival and this is the main reason why Lions of Sasan Gir, thought by many to be 'in-bred' are increasing in numbers. The sorry state of Tigers in the country establishes without doubt the fact that survival of our wildlife does not depend so much on factors like Genetics and over-population, but on US- Mankind, our conservation strategies, prevention of poaching and management of reserves. Thus, the genuine conservationist's appeal would be to take Lessons and not Lions, out of Sasan Gir Concerns on Disease outbreak wiping out the entire population: One factor often cited to justify the demand of moving out some lions is the fear of a disease outbreak wiping out the entire population. An example often cited, is the canine distemper' disease outbreak in Tanzania in 1994, which wiped out 30% of its Lion population. A careful examination of this incident would show that much of the damage could have been curtailed by effective prevention, isolation and emergency measures, which were missing in the case in Tanzania. The Lions of Gujarat are spread in several sub-regions- and the forest department has a carefully worked-out strategy to manage any disease outbreak in any of these regions. It is possible to block various corridors and populations, in case a virulent disease is detected, and prompt contingency management can effectively control the spread of the disease. An example was the Anthrax scare in the region a few years back, and it worked as an effective drill for the forest department to test its preparedness. The measures to tackle this threat are thus, well in place. Saturation in Sasan Gir area and population overflow This was another reason to warrant relocation of several Lions to Kuno-palpur. However, taking Lions from one place and dumping them in a new, foreign environment hardly offers any solution. The Asiatic Lions are themselves offering the best answer- by naturally dispersing and spreading. This phenomenon has allowed them to reclaim some of their lost territory, through corridors. The Asiatic Lion was once

found in much of North India, from the Aravallis to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. It was then hunted out and by the turn of the last century it was confined in small numbers to Sasan Gir. The creation of these corridors is the first sign of revival of the species, and if this natural dispersion and spread is facilitated through effective conservation and human support, we may well see in the next 50 to 70 years Lions reaching Kuno Palpur Sanctuary- Naturally!! Forced relocation of the Lions would have drastic effects, as seen when in 1957, some Lions were relocated to the Chandraprabha Sanctuary near Varanasi. They multiplied for a while, and then died en masse! This demonstrates the futility and danger associated with a rushed, commercially and politically motivated relocation of a wild species. Supporters of the relocation theory claim to have extensively studied the Kuno Palpur landscape and adjudged it to be appropriate to be occupied by the Asiatic Lion. Villages have been relocated outside the sanctuary and claims for its readiness to welcome the Lions have been voiced. Yet this does not take into account a holistic picture, which mandates a diligent respect for Asiatic Lions and their safety. Some crucial points are Local support for wildlife, which is very effective in Sasan Gir area and absent in many states, conservation records of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh respectively, which are a world apart, in depth analysis of expansion possibility of population in respective regions, presence of an alternate apex predator -the Tiger in Kuno Palpur region, presence of poacher tribes in Madhya pradesh and other ecological, cultural and socio-economic issues. The Asiatic Lion is safe and prosperous in Gujarat, and it will spread to other parts of India on its own, through natural spread, adapting with nature and human beings and allowing human beings to adapt to its presence, through a time tested process. Sudden relocation of the species in a new place would be arbitrary from the species' perspective and would send them into a death trap. The two natural jewels of India, The Lion and the Tiger, need our love and support above regional politics and commercial interests, and juggling them around is not the answer. Respecting their privacy and protecting their natural homes is the only solution!