Rest will be let loose in Gir National park.
By Sreekanth A. Nair
In a bizarre incident, the forest department of Gujarat caught and locked up 18 lions to find a man- eating beast that killed three people, reported BBC.
The officials will test the paw prints and excreta of these lions to identify the man-eater. Once the killer cat is identified, it will be kept in the zoo for rest of its life and remaining lions will be released to the Gir National Park, the only habitat of Asiatic Lion.
“The officials are also studying the animals’ behavior. Man-eating lions usually get aggressive at the sight of a human being,” wildlife expert Ruchi Dave told the BBC.
Three people were killed in separate incidents in March, April, and May. Six people have been attacked by lions in the area in recent months. The lions have been taken into custody over past two months.
â€We think we have pinpointed the guilty lion, but we are still awaiting the results of nine more animals,†a top forest official, JA Khan said.
The forest department had shifted 16 lions from the area recently.
According to some experts, Gir forest can accommodate only 270 lions. This may have compelled the lions to get out of the forest.