Watch a lioness prowl the streets of a village near Gir forest
The sight of the big cat caused a hue and cry. Naturally.
Gujarat’s Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is a popular attraction for wildlife enthusiasts, as the forest provides a first-hand view of the endangered Asiatic or Persian lions. But for villagers residing on the periphery of the Gir sanctuary, sighting the cats is not always welcome.
According to ANI, a lioness took locals by shock when she ventured into Virpur village in Sasan Gir, an area which is not far from the sanctuary.
#CaughtOnCam: Lioness roams on streets of Virpur village in Sasan Gir area, Amreli (Gujarat); later forced to return by Forest Dept pic.twitter.com/5IUpaS2gY4
— ANI (@ANI_news) December 19, 2016
The lioness even preyed on a calf, which can be spotted at the beginning of the video below.
A lion 🦁 roaming on streets in a village in Gir forest. @the_hindu pic.twitter.com/HxPMHuCUxx
— Mahesh Langa (@LangaMahesh) December 18, 2016
A lion 🦁 entered in a village in Gir forest. Killed a calf & roamed in the village streets. @the_hindu @slakster pic.twitter.com/UlNw0CGu4h
— Mahesh Langa (@LangaMahesh) December 18, 2016
Although there are very few cases where the wild cats have attacked humans after straying into their habitation, the growing population of lions, thanks to years of conservation efforts, have created concerns.