4-year-old killed in lion attack in Una; Animal captured after night-long operation
A four-year-old girl was killed in a lion attack near Damasa village in Una taluka on Monday evening. The incident has left residents upset, with many questioning the forest department's vigilance in the area.
According to locals, the child was sitting on the porch of her house when a lion suddenly entered the premises, picked her up, and ran towards nearby fields. Villagers raised an alarm and chased the animal, but the girl was later found dead a short distance away.
Forest officials reached the spot and launched a search operation during the night. The lion was eventually tranquilised and captured within a few hours.
The incident has once again highlighted the growing concern of human-wildlife conflict in the region, especially in areas where lion movement is frequently reported.
Comment: See also:
Lioness kills five-year-old boy in Gujarat, India - 4th such incident in the state in 4 monthsTo provide some context the whole of the Indian lion population (which exists solely in the state of Gujarat) according to
Wikipedia stands at just 891 individuals:
[...]
The Indian population has steadily increased since 2010. In 2015, the 14th Asiatic Lion Census was conducted over an area of about 20,000 km2 (7,700 sq mi); the lion population was estimated at 523 individuals, and in 2017 at 650 individuals. In 2020 the population was 674 and by 2025 it had increased to 891.
[...]
Illustrating the rare and atypical nature of this event for Asiatic lions, Wikipedia also mentions only 2 other recent killings - in 2012 and 2013:
[...]
In July 2012, a lion dragged a man from the veranda of his house and killed him about 50 - 60 km (31 - 37 miles) from Gir Forest National Park. This was the second attack by a lion in this area, six months after a 25-year-old man was attacked and killed in Dhodada
[...]
Comment: See also: Lioness kills five-year-old boy in Gujarat, India - 4th such incident in the state in 4 months
To provide some context the whole of the Indian lion population (which exists solely in the state of Gujarat) according to Wikipedia stands at just 891 individuals: Illustrating the rare and atypical nature of this event for Asiatic lions, Wikipedia also mentions only 2 other recent killings - in 2012 and 2013: