Asiatic Lion Population Soars: Conservation Success in India

The Asiatic lion population in India has witnessed a remarkable rise from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025, according to Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh.

The growth is largely due to habitat expansion into new areas such as notified forests and river corridors in Gujarat. Conservation measures, including the development of the Barda Wildlife Sanctuary as a secondary habitat and enhancements in corridor management, have facilitated safe lion movement and natural habitat expansion.

Further efforts include newer habitat improvement and the establishment of a hi-tech monitoring unit at Sasan-Gir in 2019, which utilizes radio telemetry for real-time lion tracking.