A striking image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, camera in hand, searching for lions in Gujarat’s Gir National Park graced the pages of this newspaper on Tuesday. The accompanying report noted that he managed to spot two lions, though it remains unclear whether he successfully captured them on camera.

However, another report in the same issue, attributed to the Congress Party, painted a vastly different picture, one of alarming neglect and decline in the sanctuary. According to the report, 555 lions have died in Gir over the past five years due to a range of causes, including old age, disease, and accidents.

While it is difficult to ascertain whether the death rate outpaces the birth rate, any........

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