One In Four Radio-Collared Lions In Gujarat Have Died, Allegedly Due To Unscientific Tagging

In what could come as a setback to the conservation efforts of the Asiatic lions in its home, several of them who were radio-collared have died within a year.

According to The Times of India, 19 of the 89 lions which were fitted with radio-collars have died. This includes 14 lions that were fitted the tracking device in July 2019.

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But according to wildlife experts working in the Gir forest say that the number of deaths of radio-collared lions could be about 22-24.

According to experts, having to carry around the radio collars which weigh 1.5kg can be both uncomfortable and fatal for the lions.

This is especially true in the case of young males manes grow quite quickly and the head size increases for a few years.

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A radio collar is a wide band of machine-belting fitted with a small radio transmitter and battery. The transmitter emits a signal at a specific frequency that can be tracked from up to five kilometers away.

When trying to locate a particular collared lion, the researcher dials the appropriate frequency and drives while listening for the beep signal. A directional antenna is mounted on top of the vehicle, and once the signal is detected, the researcher simply drives in the direction where the signal is loudest.

There were some lions that were already radio-tagged for research purposes and following the CDV outbreak, 75 more were tagged.

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The radio collars were purchased by the state forest department at Rs 6.5 lakh per piece after the Canine Distemper Virus took a toll on at least 27 lions in less than two months in 2018.

The virus, which can spread from dogs in the wild, had killed around 1,000 lions in Tanzania¡¯s Serengeti National Park.

After CDV was detected in Gujarat there were concerns that the virus could decimate the lion population in India.

Though the forest department has not officially acknowledged that the deaths were caused by the radio-collars Dushyant Vasavada, the chief conservator of forests, Junagadh Wildlife Circle, had recently sent a letter to the deputy forest officials, urging them to take necessary action wherever they received any complaints regarding radio-collaring of lions in their area.

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The lion population in Gir was estimated to be at 523 lions, including 109 male, 201 female, 73 sub-adults and 140 cubs in 2015 census.

In 2020 the lion population was estimated to be 674, which also saw a 36% increase in the distribution area of the lions from 22,000 sq km in 2015 to 30,000 sq km in five years.