The Gujarat Forest Department has commenced construction of a 100-hectare dedicated enclosure at Ambardi Safari Park in Amreli district to house Asiatic lions identified as having attacked humans, officials confirmed on 9 August 2025. The move is designed to address human-wildlife conflict without removing the animals from a naturalistic setting.

What the Enclosure Will Do

The designated area will be carved out within Ambardi Safari Park, a 365-hectare reserved forest zone that forms part of the Gir Protected Area near Dhari. Lions that have been involved in attacks on people will be relocated from conflict zones and housed within the fenced section, separating them from human settlements while keeping them in a forest environment.

Dr Jaipal Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force, confirmed the development: 'Lions involved in human attacks will be kept in a suitable environment by fencing a designated area at Ambardi Safari Park. Necessary instructions have been issued for this work, and the required work has been initiated.'

Timing and Conservation Context

The announcement comes a day ahead of World Lion Day on 10 August, observed globally to promote awareness about lion conservation. The state government noted that multiple schemes for the protection of Asiatic lions have been implemented under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

Notably, Gujarat is home to the world's only wild population of Asiatic lions, concentrated in and around the Gir forest. As the lion population has expanded beyond the core Gir sanctuary into adjoining districts including Amreli, incidents of human-wildlife conflict have risen correspondingly — making management interventions like this enclosure increasingly urgent.

Broader Wildlife Relocation Policy

The enclosure is part of a wider scientific relocation framework the Forest Department employs to manage conflict between humans and wildlife. Under this policy, wild animals that stray into villages or agricultural fields are captured safely and released in suitable forest areas. Lions and leopards found near residential zones may be moved to sanctuaries, while crocodiles spotted near human settlements can be relocated to appropriate water bodies.

Relocation is also triggered by injury or illness requiring treatment, population management needs, or when an animal must be moved to a more ecologically suitable habitat.

About Ambardi Safari Park

Established in 2017, Ambardi Safari Park spans roughly 365 hectares near Dhari in Amreli district. The park is home to Asiatic lions, leopards, chital, nilgai, chinkara, peafowl, and multiple bird species, and has grown into a wildlife tourism destination that supports local employment and eco-tourism development in the district.

The proposed 100-hectare enclosure will function as a separate, fenced zone within the larger park — a first-of-its-kind facility in Gujarat specifically for lions with a documented history of human attacks. How the state manages this population over the long term will be closely watched by conservationists and conflict-affected communities alike.