Asiatic lion count rises to 891, minister says on World Lion Day
Asiatic lion population in India rises from 523 (2015) to 891 (2025), with habitat range expanding to 35,000 sq km under Project Lion.
On World Lion Day, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced that India's Asiatic lion population has grown from 523 in 2015 to 891 in 2025. In a social media post, he credited conservationists and reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring the species' future.
Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said the achievement demonstrates that development and nature protection can go hand in hand. He highlighted efforts to safeguard critical habitats, strengthen conservation programmes, and foster coexistence between local communities and wildlife.
Project Lion, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2020, has been central to these efforts. The initiative has expanded the Asiatic lion's geographical range from roughly 30,000 sq km in 2020 to nearly 35,000 sq km today.
The project adopts a landscape-level approach, incorporating habitat improvement, disease surveillance, veterinary support, scientific population monitoring, and technology-aided conservation. It also emphasises biodiversity protection, benefit-sharing, and greater community involvement.
The Asiatic lion's last wild population resides in and around Gujarat's Gir landscape, where sustained conservation work over decades has helped the species recover.