Coastal lions depend mainly on wild prey, study finds
A study of Asiatic lions in Gujarat's coastal regions reveals that they primarily hunt wild prey like nilgai and wild pigs rather than livestock. This finding challenges previous assumptions that lions in human-dominated landscapes rely heavily on domestic animals for survival.
Why it matters
Understanding the dietary habits of endangered species helps conservationists develop better strategies for human-wildlife coexistence and habitat management.
Asiatic lions living along Gujarat’s coast depend mainly on wild prey rather than livestock, challenging the long-held belief that lions outside the Gir Protected Area survive largely on domestic animals, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Conservation.
The study found that wild prey accounted for 64% of the lions’ diet and nearly 70% of the biomass consumed, while livestock contributed 31% of the diet and 30% of the biomass.
Researchers analysed 160 lion scat samples collected during March and April 2024 from the coastal districts of Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar and Porbandar.
“Our study found that wild prey accounted for 64% of the lions’ diet, while domestic animals contributed 31%. In terms of biomass consumed, wild prey contributed 70%, compared to 30% from livestock,” said Mohan Ram, Conservator of Forests, Junagadh Circle, and one of the study’s authors.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in