Cyclone Tauktae felled 30 lakh trees in Gir; path cleared for lions to prosper?

AHMEDABAD: Cyclone Tauktae, which toppled 25-30 lakh trees in Gir sanctuary, is expected to usher in some major changes in the Asiatic lion habitat.
Wildlife experts suggest that the cyclone is a blessing in disguise for the lions in the long run. Some experts are of the view that due to better protection, the forests of Gir are becoming denser and turning into non typical lion habitat, as lions are believed to prefer savanna habitat or open forests.
A senior forest department official said that opening up of spaces in Gir is beneficial for lion population.Gujarat is home to 674 lions as per the latest census held in 2019. Of these about 350 are in the Gir sanctuary, spread in over 1,412 square kilometers and others are outside. The sanctuary covers 258 sq kms of Gir National Park area.
Uday Vora, former chief conservator of forests (wildlife), said the state forest department had submitted a proposal to the government to thin parts of Gir sanctuary for opening spaces will make more conducive for lions and may lead to larger pride size.
“Some work in this direction had begun in 2018 and 2019 as per the approved management plan prescription. The natural trimming of the forest area by the cyclone may lead to increase in their population in the sanctuary area,” according to Vora.
Bhushan Pandya, member, State Board for Wildlife also held a similar view. He said there has been talks of thinning the over dense areas at Gir Protected Area since more than three decades but very little work has been done.
Teak is a dominant tree species in Gir west. “It is a vigorous species because its large leaves prevent sunlight and restrict the growth of vegetation beneath. The leaves fall every year and "build" a thick layer to prevent the regeneration/growth of palatable grass. Sometimes disasters such as cyclone or fire could result in habitat improvement,” said Bhushan Pandya, member, State Board for Wildlife.
On November 8, 1982 when a cyclone hit Gujarat, about 28.10 lakh trees were damaged in Gir sanctuary. “At that time, only about two third of the damaged trees were cleared while the remaining are still lying as they were. At some places they have regrown naturally. The falling of trees could make way for more sunlight and for more grassland patches. Although it is too early to say what will be the impact of the recent cyclone, I think it will benefit the lion population in the long term," said H S Singh, former forester and member of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).
These initial estimates of 25 lakhs to 30 lakhs trees damaged in Gir have been recently submitted to the government, said a top forest official.
He said had it not been for the sanctuary, the severity of the cyclone would not have weakened substantially before going further up to human populated areas of Amreli, Botad and even Ahmedabad.
“There are three major factors behind growth in lion population – prey base, shade and water. After the 1982 cyclone, the prey base has increased. One of the main reasons behind this was that the lion prey base consists of browsers and not grazers. They could easily find food from prostrate trees that also offer shade to lions. The recent cyclone will have a benevolent effect on the Gir ecosystem,” said Y V Jhala, a senior scientist with Wildlife Institute of India. He said that there was a misconception that lions are more conducive to open forests as against dense habitats and that there has been research to indicate this.