Gir forest is home to the Asiatic lion, one of the most threatened species on Earth. In the nineteenth century, this majestic creature was nearly wiped out from almost all of Asia due to practices like hunting. Approximately 20 lions were left in Gir in 1913. Thanks to the kind effort of the Nawab of Junagarh who protected them in his own private hunting grounds, the population soared up to 523 as per the census of 2015.
Besides Africa, Gir National Park is the only place in the world where you can spot lions roaming free in the wild. The entire forest area of the Gir National Park is dry and deciduous providing the best habitat for Asiatic Lions. Apart from the lions, it shelters around 300 leopards and the chowsingha, the world’s only four horned antelope.
Picture Credit : Google
