Gir NP
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Overview
Gir in Gujarat is the only wild home of the endangered Asiatic lion, in the semi-arid zone.
It is in Junagadh district, Saurashtra.
It is the only wild home of the Asiatic lion.
Lion numbers rose to 891 in the 2025 count.
The sanctuary was set up in 1965 and its core became a national park in 1975.
The Maldhari herders live inside the forest with their cattle, and the lions have spread well beyond the park into coastal and farm areas of Saurashtra.
Kuno in Madhya Pradesh was once planned as a second home for the lions to reduce the risk of keeping a single population.
The hills here also feed several rivers, including the Hiran and Shetrunji.
Geography and key facts
- Gujarat
- Asiatic lion
- Semi-arid
- Junagadh
- 891 lions (2025)
Why it matters for UPSC
Asked on endemic species.
Note for UPSC
Gujarat; the only wild home of the Asiatic lion.
Prelims often asks park–state pairs, the rivers flowing through a park and its flagship species.
Asked in PYQs
No question in our Prelims bank names Gir NP yet.
Key facts
- Type
- National park / tiger reserve
- State / UT
- Gujarat
- Coordinates
- 21.136°N, 70.797°E
From the Map Explorer data; positions are for orientation.
In the lessons
- Climate, Soils and Natural Vegetation (map lesson)
- Natural Vegetation and Biogeography of India (map lesson)
- Ecology, Biodiversity and Protected Areas (map lesson)
- Wildlife Conservation: Protected Areas, Laws and Species Projects (map lesson)
- Biodiversity: Levels, Hotspots, Threats and Global Frameworks (map lesson)
More national parks and tiger reserves nearby
Other places in Gujarat
All national parks and tiger reserves · Revision list · Most asked in PYQs