Sep 20 2022 to Sep 20 2022 6:30 p.m.

EVENT HAS ENDED

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

One of India’s best kept secrets is the successful conservation of the Asiatic lions. In the late 1800s and early 1900s the lions in India had a close brush with extinction. This population started recovering and has since recovered spectacularly. Today, the only population of lions in Asia is about 700 animals, 50% of which exist outside the Gir Forest in human dominated habitats like agricultural fields. Even success needs effective management to endure, especially in wildlife conservation. With all the lions existing at a single site, in and around Gir Forest, they face innumerable risks which could rapidly erode the conservation gains of over a century. The best way to mitigate these risks is to establish geographically separated, additional free-ranging lion populations, as ordered by the Supreme Court in 2013. It is unacceptable that till date the government hasn’t acted on the Court’s order to translocate the lions to Kuno National Park. The Asiatic cheetah is the only large mammal that had an extensive distribution across India to have gone extinct in independent India. Currently the sole surviving population of cheetahs in Asia, estimated to be lesser than 50, is in Iran. Earlier this year, the Government of India launched an Action Plan to introduce African cheetahs in India with Kuno identified as the most suitable site. This session, supported by numerous images, will focus on the ecology and conservation status of the Asiatic lions, present an assessment of the Action Plan to introduce African cheetahs and the potential impacts of the planned introduction on native and resident fauna of India, especially the Asiatic lions. Ravi Chellam will engage in a conversation with Uma Ramakrishnan after his presentation. This will be followed by a Q&A session.