Rajkot: Gir East Forest Division, home to a significant population of Asiatic lions, has registered 75 wildlife-related offences and recovered fines amounting to more than Rs 13.30 lakh over the past four months.Gir East division of the wildlife circle covers parts of Amreli and Gir Somnath districts and includes Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, Paniya Wildlife Sanctuary and Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuary. The territory is home to around 400 lions.According to the forest department, 38 cases were registered against people who entered sanctuary areas without authorisation. Fines totalling around Rs 7.76 lakh were imposed in these cases, which also included eight offences related to the hunting of wild animals.Of the eight hunting cases, court proceedings are underway in four. In the remaining four cases, involving the hunting of animals other than Schedule I species, the department has taken punitive action and recovered Rs 2.2 lakh in fines. Lions and leopards are classified as Schedule I species under Wildlife (Protection) Act and receive the highest level of legal protection.The department also registered 16 cases involving the transportation of timber without valid permits or transit passes. Fines of Rs 3.03 lakh were recovered in these cases.To curb activities affecting the environment within protected areas, the forest department registered another 17 offences related to dumping plastic waste and illegal grazing of livestock in reserved grasslands. A total fine of Rs 32,500 was recovered in these cases.Deputy Conservator of Forests, Gir East, Vikas Yadav, urged citizens to report instances of wildlife harassment and other illegal activities.“If any reel, photograph or video related to the harassment of lions or other wildlife, illegal lion shows or sightings, entry into prohibited areas or hunting is found on social media, its details should also be immediately reported to us,” Yadav said.The forest department has also appealed to residents to immediately inform the nearest forest office or field staff if they witness illegal hunting, unauthorised entry into restricted forest areas, harassment of wild animals or illegal timber transportation.Lion cub found dead in Dhari forest areaA lion cub was found dead in the Rojmal area of Chhatadiya Beat under the Sarsiya Range of the Dhari forest division. A farmer who noticed the carcass informed the forest department. Forest officials reached the spot, took custody of the carcass and sent it for a post-mortem examination. According to the preliminary findings, the 8-10-month-old lion cub died of pneumonia.
