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19 July 2026

Study on Asiatic lion diet

The Asiatic lion is a flagship species for India, and this study provides specific ecological data relevant to wildlife conservation and human-wildlife conflict management, which are frequently tested topics in GS3.

1 min read Day 2 of 2 2 questions 2 prelims

Notes

  • A study titled 'Dietary Pattern of Asiatic Lions in the Coastal Ecosystem of Saurashtra, Gujarat, India' reveals that coastal Asiatic lions rely primarily on wild prey rather than livestock.
  • Wild prey constitutes 64% of the diet and 70% of the biomass consumed by coastal lions.
  • Livestock accounts for 31% of the diet and 30% of the biomass.
  • Blue bull (nilgai) is the primary prey species, contributing 51% of the biomass consumed.
  • Wild pigs are the second most important wild prey, while cattle are the primary domestic prey.
  • The study analyzed 160 scat samples from coastal districts: Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar, and Porbandar.
  • The coastal ecosystem supports over 100 Asiatic lions across three satellite populations.
  • As of the 2025 estimation, the total population of Asiatic lions in Gujarat is 891.

Part of a longer story

This is day 2 of 2 in Conservation and Ecology of Asiatic Lions, which has been running since 6 July 2026. Reading it whole is usually worth more than reading today alone — the exam asks how something developed.

Questions

  1. Discuss the significance of wild prey availability in mitigating human-wildlife conflict in the context of the expanding range of Asiatic lions in Gujarat. 150 words
    Attempt this — 150 words in 8 min
    0 / 150 words 8:00
  2. The expansion of Asiatic lions into human-dominated coastal landscapes presents both conservation opportunities and management challenges. Analyze the role of ecological studies in informing wildlife management policies and ensuring the long-term viability of satellite populations. 250 words
    Attempt this — 250 words in 11 min
    0 / 250 words 11:00

Prelims

  1. According to the study on the dietary patterns of coastal Asiatic lions, which species contributes the highest percentage of biomass to their diet?

  2. As per the 2025 population estimation, what is the total number of Asiatic lions in Gujarat?

Syllabus

Topics

Sources

250words.in · https://250words.in/daily/2026-07-19/study-on-asiatic-lion-diet