India’s Lion Queens

Possibly the world’s first all-women brigade involved in the guarding and running of a big cat wildlife sanctuary, this unique sisterhood of the Gir National park, in the Indian state of Gujarat is gaining international recognition for their unique contribution in preserving the last remaining population of the famed Asiatic lions. Their not so usual everyday routine includes wrestling with pythons, confronting leopards, nursing baby animals and darting lions, to name a few.
Gir is famed throughout the world as the last remaining sanctuary for Asiatic lions, a subspecies of lions also known as the Indian or Persian lion that were once known to exist across Persia, Israel, Mesopotamia and Baluchistan. Compared to its slightly larger African cousin, the male Asiatic lion has lesser and sparser mane on top of its head and is uniquely characterized by a longitudinal fold of skin running along its belly. The park is estimated to have a population of around 400 lions, 500 leopards and 1000 crocodiles along with a vast number of deer, langurs, hyenas and snakes. These women forest guards have also taken part in numerous wild animal rescues such as helping lions wounded in fighting amongst themselves and aiding crocodiles trapped in mud. They have also bottle-fed leopard cubs and darted rogue monkeys that caused trouble in bordering villages. The additional challenges they often face are keeping a check on poachers and pacifying villagers in numerous man-animal conflicts.
These women guards were initially recruited for regular office jobs in the Forestry department but today there are more than 40 women forest guards employed in the forests and the unique wildlife rescue team is headed by a brave and tough spirited woman Raseela Vadher who was mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during FICCI’S (Indian commerce federation) women entrepreneurs meet in Delhi, on April 8 this year. He described her saying “More than lions, visitors are amazed at the sight of this gutsy girl who fearlessly walks amid a pride of wild lions.” Today, she carries a total of 15 deep scars inflicted in near fatal lion attacks. Equipped with double-barreled shotguns and walkie-talkies, the women guards have to patrol an area of over 25 KMs in the forest where dangers are aplenty in the form of poisonous snakes and hungry leopards.
Vijay ram