Amreli, Gujarat: Almost a month after devastating floods in Amreli, Gujarat left 10 Asiatic lions and hundreds of wild animals dead, forest officials are still taking stock of the big cat population.
Teams of specialised trackers from the wildlife department in Amreli district are trekking through the forest areas to track down the majestic Asiatic lions.
This year's census, before the floods, had counted over 170 in Amreli district alone.
Forest officials maintain that the majority of the lions have been accounted for and the hunt is on in Amreli for two that are still missing.
But they admit that some lions are weak and shaken. The situation is gradually returning to normal though, they say.
"There are a few lions who we are still trying to trace but rest are safe. Earlier they were a little weak but we provided them baits and now they getting back to normal," said deputy conservator of Amreli forest MK Gurjar.
However, a few forest officers say that some lions continue to show behavioural changes.
"They still seem to be scared. It's the post-flood effect. They seem to be moving away from humans and water bodies suggesting they still under trauma," forest officer Bharat Rathod told NDTV.
As the searches continue, a section of environmentalists have yet again raised the need for relocation of lions to prevent a repeat of the disaster.
However on the ground, villagers living in close proximity to the big cats refuse to buy the argument. The headman of Tibdi village, Jairambhai has in fact been assisting the forest officials in the search.
"They keep wild animals away from destroying our crops. We have a special feeling for the lion. It's our pride," says Jairambhai.
But with a reduced supply of prey for the lions following the flood, the majestic creatures are far from being in the clear.
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