Did you know that India is the only country on earth with endemic lions, tigers and bears? (Oh my!) Located in the western state of Gujarat, Gir National Park is the only remaining natural habitat of the Asiatic lion. In fact, Gir is the only place in the world where you can see lions roaming wild outside of Africa. Hunting reduced the Asiatic lion population in the region to 20 in 1913, and completely wiped them out in other parts of Asia. However, through the intervention of the Nawabs of Junagarh and the Forest Department, there are now 523 lions in Gir National Park. The park is also home to leopards, sambar deer and the chowsingha – the world’s only four-horned antelope.

Gir is a home to 40 species of mammals and 425 species of birds. It covers total area of 1412 square kilometers of which 258 Km forms the core area of the National Park. Indiscriminate hunting by the people of Junagarh led to their decrease in population drastically, while they were completely wiped out from the other parts of Asia. It was the kind effort of Nawabs of Junagarh who protected the queen royalty in his own private hunting grounds. Later in due course of time Department of Forest Officials came forward to protect the world’s most threatened species.