Gujarat coastal Asiatic lions rely mainly on wild prey, study finds

A peer‑reviewed study published in the journal Conservation examined the diet of coastal Asiatic lions in Gujarat, India. Researchers analysed 160 lion scat samples collected during March‑April 2024 from the coastal districts of Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar and Porbandar.

The analysis showed that wild prey made up about 64 % of the lions’ diet and contributed roughly 70 % of the biomass consumed, while domestic livestock accounted for 31 % of the diet and 30 % of the biomass. The blue bull (nilgai) was the principal prey, providing over half (51 %) of the total biomass, followed by wild pigs; cattle formed the largest domestic prey category.

The study, authored by Mohan Ram, Aradhana Sahu, Nityanand Srivastava, Kritagnya Vadar, Rohit Chaudhary and Lahar Jhala, noted that the lion population in Gujarat has risen to 891 individuals according to the 2025 lion‑population estimate. The researchers concluded that healthy populations of nilgai and wild pigs along the coast allow lions to subsist largely on natural prey, potentially easing pressure on livestock and reducing human‑lion conflict. The coastal ecosystem now supports three important satellite lion populations across the southwest, southeast and Bhavnagar coasts.