Game Animals of India, etc. 



As regards Afghanistan and Baluchistan, lions are 

 now unknown in both, neither does there seem to be 

 historical evidence of their former existence in these 

 states. 



The last stronghold of lions in India is the peninsula 

 of Kathiawar, forming part of the district of Guzerat, 

 and bounded on the south by the Gulf of Cambay and 

 to the north by the Gulf of Kutch ; but they also 

 lingered to a recent date in Kutch itself. Not very many 

 years ago natives also from time to time reported the 

 occurrence of an occasional lion in Central India ; and 

 a few undoubtedly lingered in the wilder districts of 

 Rajputana, especially to the south of Jodhpur, in 

 Oodeypur, and around Mount Abu, where they were 

 once common. In Kathiawar the last haunt of lions is 

 the forest covering the Gir range of hills, which extend 

 for about forty miles in the southern part of Kathiawar, 

 parallel with the coast at a distance of about twenty 

 miles inland. Twenty years ago it was believed that 

 not more than a dozen lions survived in this forest, 

 and, to ensure the preservation of the race, lion-shooting 

 was prohibited ; the preserve being closely maintained, 

 as the impression prevailed that in later years the 

 number had decreased. 



About 1902 Lord Curzon projected a lion-hunt in 

 the Gir forest, but as the result of representations 

 abandoned the expedition. This probably helped to 

 foster the belief in the increasing rarity of the Indian 

 lion ; but there is evidence that it is much more 

 numerous than has been supposed. There also appear 

 to have been misapprehensions as to his habits, due to 

 the fact that few persons besides native trackers have 

 penetrated the Gir forest to any extent, which is much 

 denser than generally supposed. 



Somewhat later Lord Lamington, when Governor 

 of Bombay, organised a lion-hunt in the Gir forest ; 

 the two divisions of his party shooting in places about 

 twelve miles apart. In a short time they accounted 



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