Gandhinagar, Oct. 11 -- For more than a century, the Asiatic lion has been synonymous with Gujarat's Gir landscape. But as the population expands beyond its traditional stronghold, the rugged hills and forests of Barda Wildlife Sanctuary are emerging as a crucial second home-and potentially an important long-term refuge-for Asiatic lions in Gujarat, the last remaining abode of this endangered big cat.

As per the release, Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, covers an area of 192.31 sq km, principally across the Porbandar and Devbhumi Dwarka districts. The sanctuary is exceptionally rich in floral diversity and is home to a wide variety of medicinal plants, including several species of ecological and cons...