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Gujarat’s Asiatic Lions roar louder population reaches 891

Mitali k

Did you know that the only place in the whole world where you can find wild Asiatic lions is in Gujarat, India? We have some great news for wildlife lovers! In May 2025, Gujarat conducted its 16th Asiatic Lion Census, revealing a remarkable increase in the lion population. The number of Asiatic lions has risen from 674 in 2020 to 891, marking a 32% growth over five years. This achievement highlights the success of conservation efforts and the importance of protecting these majestic creatures.

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indianexpress.com

How was the census conducted?

The census took place from May 10 to 13, covering 35,000 square kilometers across 11 districts in Gujarat. Approximately 3,000 volunteers, including forest officers and local residents, participated in the survey. For the first time, the census incorparated closed-circuit television surveillance alongside traditional methods to ensure accurate counting.

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International Big Cat Alliance

Where are the Lions now?

Asiatic lions are naturally found only in the Gir National Park and its surrounding areas. However, the latest census shows that lions have expanded their territory. with over half of the population now residing outside the Gir forest. They have been spotted in various districts, including Amreli Bhavnagar, and Rajkot. This expansion signifies a healthy and growing lion population.

International Big Cat Alliance

What did they find?

  • There are 196 male lions, 330 females, 140 teenagers (called sub-adults), and 4 225 cubs. 
  • The lion population has grown by 217 since the last big count in 2020, which is awesome news for these endangered animals. 
  • The very first lion census happened way back in 1936, and since then, the numbers have been going up and up, thanks to lots of hard work to protect them.
International Big Cat Alliance

Why is this important?

The increase in the Asiatic lion population is a testament to the effectiveness of conservation programs and the dedication of forest officials and communities. It also emphasizes the need for continued efforts to protect wildlife habitats and promote human-wildlife coexistence. As the lion population grows, it’s essential to address challenges such as habitat expansion and potential conflicts with human settlements.

Also Watch full video Interesting Facts About Lions

The Gruffalo Is Back with a New Story After 20 Years

Mitali k

The Gruffalo-the big, scary but lovable monster with knobbly knees and a poisonous wart on his nose-is coming back! Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the amazing team who created the original Gruffalo books, are making a brand-new story that will be out in September 2026. The Gruffalo first appeared over 20 years ago and became one of the most popular children’s books ever, loved by millions of children around the world.

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Now, Julia Donaldson is writing about a new adventure for the Gruffalo and his friends, inspired by a reading campaign that helped children enjoy stories even more. Axel Scheffler is already drawing incredible pictures for the new book, and the story promises to be just as fun and exciting as the old ones. The original Gruffalo story is about a clever little mouse who tricks big animals in the forest by pretending to be friends with the scary Gruffalo. The new book will also help encourage children everywhere to love reading and storytelling, with support from charities that want to make reading fun for everyone.

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Turtles Takeover: Recording Nesting In Odisha

Mitali k

Imagine a beach in India where hundreds of thousands of sea turtles are throwing a massive egg-laying party! That’s what’s happening right now in Odisha, India. Over 6.82 lakh Olive Ridley sea turtles have waddled ashore to lay their eggs – that’s a new record! They’re all gathering at Rushikulya river mouth, Gahirmatha beach and Devi river mouth.

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Credit: x.com (@ParveenKaswan)

They call this event “arribada,” which means “arrival” in Spanish, and it’s a total turtle takeover! These Olive Ridley turtles are the smallest sea turtles around, and they’re super busy digging nests with their back flippers. Each mama turtle lays about 50-100 eggs, buries them in the sand, and then heads back out to sea. Now, here’s the cool part: those eggs chill out under the sand for about 45-55 days, like they’re on a mini-vacation. 

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Then, BAM! They hatch, and tons of tiny baby turtles start crawling towards the ocean. It’s like a turtle baby rush hour! Sometimes, these turtles skip a year of nesting at the beach, and scientists aren’t exactly sure why. It could be weather stuff or other mysterious reasons. But don’t worry, there are awesome people helping these turtles out! They’re protecting the beaches, keeping lights dim so the turtles don’t get confused, and making sure no one’s fishing too close to the nesting site. There’s even a special operation called “Operation Olivia” using drones and boats to keep the turtles safe. How cool is that?

Also Watch full video Fascinating Facts About Marine Turtles

India’s Roaring Tigers: A Big Triumph for Animal Conservation

Mitali k

Remember when we thought tigers in India might disappear forever? However, India has done an amazing job of protecting its national animal ! A brand new study in a super-important science magazine called ‘Science’ tells a different story – a story of amazing tiger recovery!

India is now the proud home to the largest numbers of tigers anywhere in the world. . In just ten years, the tiger population in India has doubled to more than 3,600. More than 75% of the world’s striped big cats now live in India The tigers live in an area of 138,200 sq km.  Over the past twenty years, India’s tiger numbers have grown by a whopping 30%!  That’s like adding 30 new tigers for every 100 that were already there!  They’re now roaming across a huge area, bigger than ever before.

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Image Credit: weather.com

The secret to India’s tiger success:

Safe Homes:  India has created special tiger reserves, like national parks, where humans don’t disturb the tigers. These are like tiger mansions!

Connecting the Dots:  Imagine stepping stones across a river.  These “stepping stones” for tigers are called corridors. They link the tiger reserves, allowing tigers to roam freely and find new homes.

Helping Hands:  When local communities are involved in protecting tigers, it makes a big difference.  When people understand how important tigers are, they help keep them safe from poachers (people who hunt animals illegally).

Sharing the Land:  In some areas, tigers and people share the land.  It’s like having a friendly neighbour!  As long as everyone respects each other, it can work.

Get Know more about Mammal, Buy This Mammals Flashcards.

India’s success story shows us that even in a crowded world, humans and animals can live together.  It proves that when we care for our planet and work together, amazing things can happen.  So, next time you see a picture of a tiger, remember this incredible comeback story and how India is helping these magnificent animals roar back to life!

Did You Know?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies tigers an endangered species. An endangered animal is one that’s at very high risk of extinction in the wild.

Also Watch full video Tiger Is The Largest Wild Cat In The World

WWF: WildLife In Danger

Mitali k

Living Planet Report (“Report”) is a report which is published by the World Wildlife Foundation (“WWF”) every two years. Experts from all over the world use the Living Planet index to monitor the health of the Earth and the animals. It tracks the population sizes of vertebrates like mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. It also checks if the population of animals is increasing or decreasing, and tries to understand the reasons behind the same, along with giving solutions. The Living Planet Index 2024 has covered the period from 1970 to 2020 and included data on 34,836 populations of 5,495 vertebrate species.

Finding Of The Latest Report 

  • Average wildlife populations have fallen by 73% in 50 years!
  • 85% drop has been reported for the population sizes of freshwater species.
  • Animal species in Latin America and the Caribbean have seen even more extreme average declines of 95% since 1970.
  • North America and Europe are responsible for nature loss in other countries because they import livestock that is grown in areas that were once wild.
  • The biggest threat to wildlife is loss of habitats. Other threats include invasive species, disease, climate change, and pollution.

The Warning!

The Report has warned that due to the rate of decline of animal species, deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, and melting of the polar ice caps in Antarctica, the Earth is fast approaching a tipping point. This could impact food security and livelihoods across the world and even loss of healthy ecosystems across the world. The WWF has called the figures a “wake-up call” and warns in the report that “what happens in the next five years will determine the future of life on Earth”.

Word Check

Tipping points are points which, if reached, there’s no way of getting things back to the way they were.

Did You Know?

The Amazon rainforest is a very important habitat, as it is home to 10% of wildlife species on Earth. The Amazon rainforest converts carbon dioxide into oxygen and is therefore sometimes called the Earth’s Lungs. With respect to the Amazon rainforest, a tipping point could be reached if just 20–25% of the Amazon rainforest were destroyed! It is estimated 14–17% has already been deforested.

What Can Be Done?

The Report has given the following three important suggestions regarding what countries around the world need to do now: 

  1. Transform food production – Currently, the food production INDIAMART system of the world uses 40% of the Earth’s habitable land. This is causing habitat loss, as forests and grasslands are being converted into farmland. The countries need to find more nature-friendly methods of farming nutritious food for the world to eat
  1. Transform finance – The Report has recommended that less money should be invested in environmentally-harmful activities and more into things that help restore nature.
  1. Moving to clean energy – We need to stop greenhouse emissions by stopping the use of fossil fuels. The countries need to use more renewable forms of energy like solar and wind.

The Living Planet Report On India

The Report states that keeping in mind the global demand for food production by 2050, India’s food consumption pattern is the most climate-friendly among G20 nations. The Report has highlighted that India’s diet is the least harmful to the environment. If all countries adopted India’s consumption patterns, the world would require less than one Earth to support food production by 2050, making it a model for sustainability. On the other hand, the Report has also stated that countries like Argentina, Australia, and the US have the least sustainable pattern, with respect to their diet and food choices. 

The Report has recommended that people should eat a more sustainable diet, which would reduce the amount of land needed to produce food. The researchers have said that achieving a healthy and nutritious diet will be heavily influenced by local cultural traditions, individual choice, and available food. The Report has praised India’s National Millet Campaign for promoting climate-resilient grains, such as millets, “In some countries, promoting traditional foods will be an important lever to shift diets. For example, the National Millett Campaign in India is designed to increase national consumption of this ancient grain, which is good for health and highly resilient in the face of climate change”.

Word Check

G20 is a club of countries who meet every year to discuss plans for the world economy. G20 is made up of 19 of the world’s largest economies plus a representative from the European Union.

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