In a wonderful example of coexistence, a video has gone viral on social media where a Gir forest employee in Gujarat was seen talking to a lion, requesting the big cat to let him pass. The video was shared by Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Prakash Javdekar.
A Gir Forest employee finds a lion on road. He tries to explain in Gujarati, the lion that he has been working whole day and requests to now kindly let him go home.And,the King of Jungle obliges…
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) October 7, 2020
A beautiful example of harmonious co-existence#wildlifeweek2020 pic.twitter.com/QptdL4bMla
In the video, one can hear the man speaking in Gujarati to the lion requesting him to move aside as he is busy and cannot wait the whole day. He asks the lion to step aside so that he can move forward.
As if paying heed to the requests, few seconds later, the lion moves away. “Wah,” the employee could be heard saying.
Gir Forest
Gir forest in Gujarat is the only home in Asia to Asiatic Lions. It is one of the most important and protected areas in Asia. It is often referred to as jewel of Gujarat’s ecological resources. As many as 38 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, 37 species of reptiles and over 2,000 species of insects are found in the sanctuary.