Junagadh jungle kings to arrive in Yamuna-Chambal ravines

Silence of Yamuna-Chambal ravines,once notorious for gun toting dacoits near jungles of Etawah in the Hindi heartland state of Uttar Pradesh, is now shattered by loud roars.    At  least half a dozen Asian lions walk leisurely with majestic gait amid pastel rich and  green patches of their paddock  in the Animal House in  upcoming safari . Bewitching spectacle of  Lions basking in sun shine leave their keepers awe struck.

   They are bubbling  with enthusiasms and await anxiously for the day when locked gates pave way for tourists flocks. 

       Authorities deputed for the uphill task are burning midnight oil to ensure that the safari opens to tourists soon. They appear elated over reports of Indian Veterinary Research Institute experts from Chennai that  the breeding center, functional there, is fit to have cubs and the climate will not come in the way of “lionesses going the  family way”.
       

  At least three lions are reaching the safari from Junagadh, Gujarat, soon. With their much-awaited arrival, probably on the  New year, the royal beast population will rise to nine, and once they start breeding afresh, the project  will go full steam.

   I had covered dacoit-infested Yamuna-Chambal  ravines in early eighties --- when lured by exploits of Phoolan Devi, more and more gangs were taking up guns– was pleasantly surprised to see a huge light yellow boundary wall  around the safari .

  Sounds of gunfire between dreaded brigands such as Malkhan Singh,Mustaqueem, Lalaram -Shriram, Ghanshyam alias “Ghansa”,Vikram Mallaha, Kusma Nain,Chabhi Ram Pothi and police and Provincial Armed Constabulary battalions have been replaced by roars ,growling  and chirping of animals. Many of these dacoits, after surrender, are languishing in  different jails while some are on parole.  

      Pot holed kuccha roads of the fearsome ravines have been replaced by metalloid  streets  right upto the safari.

    Nursing high hopes,villagers around the rich flora  and fauna area, told Me  that with the promotion of  eco-tourism in erstwhile dacoit-battered belts, their lives,  too, would be transformed in the near future. Older generations still recall the nightmarish nights during pillage sprees of gangs.

         Informatively, some tour operators in early eighties had toyed with an idea of adventure tourism in Yamuna- Chambal ravines, but were unnerved by alleged gunning down of 20 people in nondescript  Behmai  and  several mass murders of people by dreaded dacoit groups.

        Telltale signs of notorious brigands are still there. After more than three decades, ravines bordering Etawah have gone away, and there are sleek highway passes but in leftover swathes of jungles and ravines the royal beasts roar in confines of upcoming lion safari on lines of Gir forest in Gujarat.

  Formal opening of the safari, located 116  kms from Agra, home to the world-famous Taj Mahal , is yet to be decided.       Generation of tour operators and tourists have undergone change, but charm of jungles and its majestic kings never fades,and clearance of the lion safari from the National Zoo Authority is awaited. The breeding center  is buzzing with amorous calls by animals in heat. Every overture  of lions to partners are to be closely monitored by close circuit cameras.

        Authorities confirm that six lions – Gigo ,Manan and Kuber –all males –have company of  lionesses Girishma,Heer and Kunvari. Three more lions will join them .

      Experts from Gujarat, which houses Gir forest, have visited  the place many times and it was found that once things fell in place, climate and other factors would not come in the way of increasing animals population here. 

      Wildlife experts are also monitoring the situation to ensure survival chances of  cubs and their parents increase by addressing problems including adaptability of environs and medical complexities.

      Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who is personally evincing keen interest in the safari, visited the area on November 22 on the occasion of his father and Samajwadi Party chieftain Mulayam Singh Yadav’s 77th birth day in his home town Safai, located nearby. Mr Akhilesh Yadav directed authorities to expedite work and more animals will be brought  there to make it a big wild life sanctuary.

         Putting behind initial hiccups, such as untimely death of grown up lions  and cubs, authorities say that they are fully optimistic that the lion safari  would be a major boost to India’s programmes of  protecting wildlife endangered species. 
      The safari is spread over 1000 acres overlooking ravines. It is  located in Fisher Forest on Etawah–Gwalior Road. Tourists will move in caged paths while lions and other animals can be seen roaming freely.  

        If it  becomes a success story, the safari will help conserve Asiatic lions whose number is dwindling fast in India and less than 530 are left globally.

        Ironically, Africa’s iconic lions are facing the threat of extinction in its most common homeland. Three years earlier, Nigerian conservationists had reported lions presence in six protected areas but they had apparently disappeared in four.

       Researcher Phillipp Henschel, Lion Survey coordinator for New York-based Panthera Conservation group, had gone to study all 21 protected areas believed to harbour lions In West Africa.His paper published last year showed that lions no longer exist in 99 per cent of their historic range in West Africa.

       That  paper had prompted the International Union for Conservation of Nature to put the lion of West Africa on Red list as critically endangered species.

        A report published last month showed a sharp fall in lion population since 1990 in all habitats in Central and West  Africa. Both the regions are running risk of losing half of their lions within next two decades.the situation with Asiatic Lion is more pathetic. Experts say such protected areas for lions should be encouraged at all costs.

         Both types of lions, though they appear similar, fall under different sub species . They belong to same species Panthera Leo.

        They live in different continents, but African Lions have a bigger body and  weigh  up to 200 kg. Body ranges from 1.5 to 2 meters. Lions prides  group has two or three males and 10-12 females and in case of Asiatic lions pride has only females and cubs and male live solitary live and meet partners only at time of mating.

         Informatively, they mark their territories by urination and loud roars.The Asian Lion, known as Leo persica is a sub species of the African lion  and survives in one forest in India- Gir forest in Gujarat. Now the new Safari is coming up.

         Their population in Gir forests is around 523 and some of them died recently during floods in Gujarat. Their prides have only two or three blood related females and cubs and no males. Males live solitary life and interact with partners only at time of mating.

   Their length is around two meters and their tympanic bullae are less swollen and possess divided infraorbital forearm. They have a belly fold and distinctive tuft of hairs on elbow which is not there in case of African Lions.
  

      Last census in Gir Forest had shown 523 lions, up 27% from the last census conducted in 2010 in the sanctuary. Till now, it is the last habitat of the sub species globally and the Etawah safari will be their second home. ''There are 109 male lions, 201 females and 213 cubs in the Gir sanctuary and nearby forest areas of Junagadh district,” officials had said after the census in May this year.

       Experts feel that if the Etawah safari clicks, a number of lions can be shifted there as increasing population in Gir forests may result in shrinking space for their free roaming and more chances of conflict with human population.

        The second safari, some of them feel, should be developed as in case of any natural calamity, the entire population of lions would run risk of extinction.