Biparjoy: More than 200 teams deployed in Gir forest, Kutch; two lion cubs rescued

The Gujarat government had deployed more than 200 teams in Gir forest and Kutch district to respond to emergencies related to Asiatic lions and other wildlife during the landfall of Cyclone Biparjoy, an official said on Friday.

One of the teams rescued two lion cubs that had fallen into an open well in Jasadhar Range of Gir East division during the cyclone’s landfall on Thursday evening, the official said.

Of the 210 teams formed by the state forest department, 184 were deployed in the Gir Forest and surrounding regions, comprising nine divisions of Junagadh wildlife and territorial circle, a government release stated.

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Rescuing wild animals

The teams were formed to rescue wild animals, remove fallen trees and provide rapid response to any other emergency related to wildlife, it said. The nine circles are Junagadh forest, Gir East, Gir West, Sasan, Porbandar, Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar and Morbi.

As per the last wildlife census conducted in 2020, Gir forest in Saurashtra region is home to 674 lions and many other carnivorous and herbivorous animals. The forest department had also set up 58 control rooms at different locations in the Asiatic lion zone to receive SOS messages from people about any wildlife emergency during the cyclone, the release said.

Satellite technology was used to keep watch on the movement of lions during the cyclone, and some radio-collared lions were tracked through satellite signals, it said. “The state forest department has created a high-tech lion movement monitoring system to track the big cats. Apart from this, the movement of 40 lions living near the coastal areas is also being closely monitored,” it said.

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Teams on river banks

To save lions as well as humans during the floods, teams were also deployed on the banks of seven rivers that pass from the Asiatic lions’ habitat in and around Gir Forest, it said. As per the release, cattle-rearers living inside the forest were evacuated and shifted to 91 specially created shelters in Gir and adjoining Barda sanctuary area.

For the Kutch region, which includes Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary, the forest department had deployed 13 wildlife rescue teams, equipped with earth movers, tractors and other machines, as well as 13 operations teams, it said. A team deployed in Gir East division successfully rescued two lion cubs that had fallen into an open well after getting separated from their mother when Biparjoy made landfall on Thursday evening, the forest department said in a statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday night, held a telephonic conversation with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and inquired about the situation in the state following the landfall of Cyclone Biparjoy. Among other things, the prime minister had also inquired about the steps taken by the state administration for the safety of wild animals, especially the lions in Gir Forest, officials said.

(With agency inputs)