MILESTONES IN GIR'S HISTORY
6000 B.C.
Lions entered the Indian subs continent.
3000
to 2000 B.C.
Indus valley civilization Lions were present in many parts of the
country. They were found in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and most of
Northern and Central India.
275 B.C. to AD 188
Lions were found in great numbers all over the Indian peninsula except
down south.
300 to 270 B.C.
Ashoka personified lion in his now famous rock pillars and conveyed the
first message of conservation to society.
AD 1800 to 1860
With the advent of firearms, Lions were exterminated from most parts of
the country.
AD 1870
Last Lions surviving outside Gir were shot dead at Dessa.
AD 1901 Lord Curzon declined the idea of shooting the Lions and
requested the Nawab of Junagadh to protect and conserve the last remaining
handful of Lions. It is believed that conservation efforts to protect the
Lions begun with this incidence.
AD
1911
A guesthouse called the 'Sinh Sadan' (adobe of the Lions), was built by
the Nawab of Junagadh for his royal guests.
AD 1913
Population of the Asiatic Lion plummeted to less than 20.
AD 1944
A British cavalry officer is reported to have shot 80 Asiatic Lions in
his stay of three years in the Kathiawar region.
AD 1955
Lion shows, using buffaloes as baits started with the visit of the then
prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
AD 1965
Government of Gujarat declared Gir Forest as a sanctuary.
AD 1975
Part
of Gir sanctuary declared as a National Park. The same year, the Gir
sanctuary and national park were awarded the first Challenger's Trophy of
President of Indian Board of Wildlife.
AD 1981
Visit of the late Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi to inaugurate
the first ever 'Wildlife Orientation Centre' in the country and seminar on
'Conservation Strategy Of Gujarat.'
AD 1982
Gir was hit by the worst cyclone in its history. Nearly 28 lakh trees
were uprooted.
AD 1987
The lion shows, with buffaloes as baits were stopped.
AD 1998
Lions have strayed out of Gir and have reached upto Savarkundla in
Bhavanagar district, indicating that the park has perhaps reached its
carrying capacity.
AD 1999
A new visitor centre inaugurated for the benefit of the park visitors.
