AHMEDABAD: The three-day wildlife census revealed that the population of sloth bears and leopards has increased by 18.62% and 8.41% respectively during a five-year period.
Releasing the data on Monday of the census that concluded on May 18, S K Nanda, principal secretary, forest and environment, said that there were 1,160 leopards in the state with the highest density being in Junagadh district
Rajkot: In order to provide the fast-growing dairy industry in various districts of Saurashtra with more milk-yielding indigenous breed of cattle, Junagadh Agriculture University (JAU) in Junagadh will soon establish a Bull Mother Farm for indigenous Gir cattle and Jaffrabadi buffaloes at Amreli.
Sawarkundla (Amreli): A pride of lions was captured in the lens of wildlife photographer Dilip Jiruka as they swaggered along a road passing through Bhuva village in Amreli on Saturday afternoon. The stretch falls in the Gir sanctuary area.
Gandhinagar: The 2010 census has found 74 lions in the revenue areas of Amreli, Bhavnagar and Junagadh.
Forest department officials said that the figure could have gone up to about 85-90 as those in the revenue area around Sasan were included in the count for Gir National Park. They said the state government is in process of developing new sanctuaries, including the Barda Dungar in Porbandar.
Ahmedabad: The delectable Kesar mango may soon be property of Junagadh farmers and come with a quality control tag. Junagadh Agriculture University and Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation (GAIC) Ltd have applied for geographical indication (GI) status for Kesar mango grown in Junagadh, just like Darjeeling tea and basmati rice.
Ahmedabad/Junagadh: Forest department caged two leopards from Veraval in Junagadh and Rajula in Amreli in past 48 hours. One of the big cats died of heat. The big cat that died was a female caught in Savani village near Veraval on Wednesday morning.
