I visited Gir a few years ago, hoping, like most visitors, to see the lions that have made this part of Gujarat famous. We waited for hours, scanning the dry grass and scattered trees, wondering if we’d be lucky. And then, there they were—a small pride moving across the open land, unhurried, following a path they’ve probably walked for generations. They barely glanced in our direction.

Even then, their survival felt uncertain. Asiatic lions once roamed from Persia to India, but over the centuries, their world shrank, until Gujarat became their last refuge. For years, many wondered if even this small stronghold would be enough to save them.

The numbers that changed the mood

Things have slowly begun to turn. In 2020, Gujarat’s census counted 674 lions. Five years later, that number stands at 891 — a 32 percent increase. Behind these numbers is a rare combination of factors: farmers learning to share space, fast-moving rescue teams, careful tracking, and years of patient coexistence.

In conservation, where so many stories lean the other way, this rise feels meaningful.

But it’s not just about how many lions there are — it’s also about where they’re going. For years, most lions stayed inside Gir National Park. Now, they’ve ventured far beyond........

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