Three lions spotted at marble unit in Amreli district

Three lions were spotted early Monday at a marble unit near Rajula town in Gujarat's Amreli district, a forest official said.

Forest department is investigating the likely reasons behind the lions straying near residential areas on Hindorna Road.

"There may be several reasonsbehind lions straying to Hindorna. They might have walked from a nearby forest. A dam is located there and lions might have visited it to quench their thirstor may be for some other reason," said Rajal Pathak, Range Forest Officer (RFO).

By the time forest officials rushed to the spot, the lions had disappeared.

The RFO said this was not the first time that wild animals have strayed near residential areas close to Gir wildlife sanctuary.

Gir Somnath district shares its boundary with Amreli district.

"Population of lions in Amreli district has grown in the past few years with big cats being sighted in five of the eleven talukas," Pathak said, adding that thickets covering Amreli hillocks and plains of Shetrunji and Dhatarwadi rivers offer a good habitat for lions.