Gujarat’s Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, a burgeoning haven for Asiatic lions, will host the state’s official World Lion Day celebrations on August 10, 2025, in Devbhoomi Dwarka district. Once a royal hunting ground for Porbandar and Jamnagar’s princely families, the 192.31 sq. km sanctuary, declared in 1979, has transformed into a vital biodiversity hotspot and a secondary home for the ‘King of the Jungle’ under Project Lion.
The event at Timbdi, Bhanvad taluka, will be graced by Union Minister for Environment Bhupender Yadav, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Forest Minister Mulubhai Bera, and other dignitaries. Celebrations will span 11 Saurashtra districts—Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Morbi, Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Amreli, Porbandar, Botad, and Devbhoomi Dwarka—home to 891 Asiatic lions, a 32% increase from 674 in 2020, as per the May 2025 census.
Barda’s rise as a lion habitat is remarkable. Since a male lion’s natural migration in 2023—the first since 1879—the sanctuary now hosts 17 lions (6 adults, 11 cubs) and 25 leopards, supported by grassland restoration, prey augmentation, and advanced tracking like radio collars. Unlike other reserves, Barda boasts 100% lion habitation within its boundaries, a testament to Gujarat’s science-driven conservation.
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The state’s eco-tourism push includes a 248-hectare safari park planned for Barda, with ₹60 crore allocated, alongside ₹10 crore for eco-tourism and ₹180 crore for broader conservation projects to be launched during the event. Since October 2024, Barda’s jungle safaris (₹2,200 per trip for six) have drawn 2,271 tourists by March 2025, boosting local employment, especially for Maldhari communities involved in eco-tourism and habitat upkeep.
Lakhs of students from Saurashtra’s schools and colleges will join virtually, building on 2024’s 18.63 lakh participants. Gujarat’s conservation legacy, recognized by records like the 2016 World Record India and 2022 World Book of Records, reflects its commitment to Project Lion, launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2020. With over 50% of lions now outside Gir’s protected area, Barda’s success underscores habitat diversification, aligning with Modi’s “Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi” vision of balancing development and heritage.
From 2007-08 to 2024-25, Gir, Devaliya, and Ambardi welcomed 9.61 lakh visitors, while Barda’s proximity to the Dwarka-Porbandar-Somnath circuit enhances its tourism potential. As Gujarat leads India’s big cat conservation, Barda stands as a global model, reinforced by Modi’s International Big Cat Alliance, ensuring the Asiatic lion’s roar echoes for generations.
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