The total number of lion safaris conducted in the country, State/UT-wise;

2952. SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM

          SHRI DHANANJAYMAHADIK
          DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN

          DR. HEENAVIJAYKUMAR GAVIT
          SHRI SATAV RAJEEV: 

          SHRI MOHITE PATILVIJAYSINHSHANKARRAO
          SHRIMATI SUPRIYASULE: 

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: 

• (a) the number of lion safaris conducted in the country, State/UT-wise; 

• (b) the details of protected areas for lion habitat, State/UT-wise; 

• (c) whether the Government has any data on the number of humans killed by lions during each of the last three years and the current year and if so, the details thereof; 

• (d) whether the Government has formulated any criteria for providing compensation to the kins of the victims killed by lions, if so, the details thereof; 

• (e) whether the Government proposes to launch Lion Project on the lines of Tiger project and if so, the details thereof; and 

• (f) the amount allocated/sanctioned and utilized for conservation of lions during each of the last three years and the current year?

(a) State Government of Gujarat conducts two Lion Safaris in the State. One Safari is being conducted at “Devaliya Interpretation Centre” and another at “Ambardi Interpretation Centre” in Gujarat. 

Lion Safaris are also conducted in Zoos which are being managed by Central Zoo Authority (CZA). State/UT-wise list of Lion Safaris operating in various Zoos recognised under Section 38-H of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 are as follows: 

S. No.	State / UT	Zoo having Lion Safari	Location	Category
1	Chhattisgarh	Nandanvan Jungle Safari	Naya Raipur	Medium Zoo
2	Dadra & Nagar Haveli	Lion Safari – Vasona	Vasona	Mini Zoo
3	Gujarat	Ambardi Wildlife Interpretation Zone (Ambardi Safari Park)	Dhari	Mini Zoo
4	Karnataka	Bannerghatta Biological Park	Bengaluru	Large Zoo
5	Karnataka	Tiger & Lion Safari	Shimoga	Small Zoo
6	Kerala	Lion Safari Park at Nayyar Dam (Nayyar Mini Zoo)	Thirunvananthapura m	Mini Zoo
7	Maharashtra	Sanjay Gandhi National Park- Zoo	Borivali	Small Zoo
8	Odisha	Nandankanan Biological Park	Bhubaneswar	Large Zoo
9	Punjab	Mahendra Chaudhury Zoological Park	Chhatbir, Chandigarh	Large Zoo
10	Tamil Nadu	Arignar Anna Zoological Park	Chennai	Large Zoo
11	Telangana	Nehru Zoological Park	Hyderabad	Large Zoo
12	Uttar Pradesh	Lion Breeding Centre and Multiple Safari Park, Etawah	Etawah	Mini Zoo

(b) The details of Protected Areas for Lion habitat in Gujarat State is as under:

S. No.	Name of Protected Areas	Area (in sq.km)	Year of declaration of PA
1.	Gir National Park	258.71	1975
2.	Gir Wildlife Sanctuary	1153.42	1965
3.	Barda Wildlife Sanctuary	192.31	1979
4.	Pania Wildlife Sanctuary	39.64	1989
5.	Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuary	18.22	2004
6.	Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary	178.87	2008

(c) Human death by lion for last three years and the current year in Gujarat State is as under:

S. No.	Year	No. of Human deaths by Lion
1	2015-16	3
2	2016-17	4
3	2017-18	0
4	2018-19 ( Up to 25/12/2018)	2
	Total	9

(d) State Government of Gujarat has formulated a policy for compensation of human death, human injuries and cattle death. The State Government provides ex-gratia relief of Rs.4.00 lakh for human death by Lion. 

(e) In order to provide better and focused conservation of the Asiatic Lions, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India has launched a ‘Asiatic Lion Conservation Project” for 3 years and amounting to Rs. 9784.50 lakh and funding from the Centrally Sponsored Scheme- Development of Wildlife Habitat (CSS-DWH) with the contributing ratio being 60:40 of Central and State share respectively. 

The Project will strengthen the ongoing measures for conservation and recovery of Asiatic Lion with the help of state-of-the –art techniques/ instruments, regular scientific research studies, disease management, Modern surveillance/ patrolling techniques etc. 

The project activities are envisaged in a manner to cause habitat improvement, scientific interventions, disease control and veterinary care supplemented with adequate eco development works for the fringe population in order to ensure a stable and viable Lion population in the Country. 

(f) The details of funds released to the State Government of Gujarat for conservation of Lions under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme- Development of Wildlife Habitat (CSS-DWH) and funds utilized are as follows: 

S. No .	Protecte d Areas	Year 2015-16		Year 2016-17		Year 2017-18		Year 2018-19
		Funds release d	Funds utilize d	Funds release d	Funds utilize d	Funds release d	Funds utilize d	Funds released
1	Gir NP/ Wildlife Sanctuar y	41.68	26.33	58.74	30.88	233.64	139.15	188.57*
2	Pania Wildlife Sanctuar y	4.80	4.80	6.24	5.73	A.P.O. not received		A.P.O. not received
3	Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuar y	2.80	2.80	3.60	3.31	A.P.O. not received		A.P.O. not received
4	Girnar Wildlife Sanctuar y	32.78	19.83	31.51	18.55	A.P.O. not received		57.92*
								*Utilization Certificate (UC) not received