Gujarat CM goes on jungle safari in Gir; flags off vehicles for patrolling, wildlife rescue

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday went on a jungle safari in the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary and later flagged off 183 vehicles from Sasan Gir in Junagadh district for patrolling, conservation, rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife across forest areas. ''The lion is the symbol of Gujarat's pride. The lion's roar is the voice of Gujarat's progress. Don't miss the joy of a jungle safari in Sasan Gir,'' he said in a social media post after undertaking the wildlife expedition in the morning. The Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary serves as the only known habitat of Asiatic lions. The CM also flagged off 183 vehicles from Sasan Gir in Junagadh district. These vehicles equipped with certain facilities will be used by forest workers involved in various activities of wildlife conservation, breeding, rescue and rehabilitation in regions with the presence of Asiatic lions and other forest areas, stated an official release. The vehicles include 174 field motorbikes, 6 Bolero Campers and three Modified Rescue Vehicles. Patel, who also visited a wildlife rescue centre, encouraged forest workers to get information about the multi-level work for lion breeding in Gir, stated the release. According to the 2025 census, Gujarat is now home to 891 Asiatic lions, including 330 females. On August 15, 2020, during the 74th Independence Day address from the Red Fort in New Delhi, Prime Minister Modi had announced ''Project Lion'' to ensure the long-term conservation of Asiatic lions. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has approved a 10-year project with a total budget of Rs 2,927.71 crore for lion conservation.