The Lions of Gir, Gujarat.
If it was not for the lions’ overall good it would be touching to see the locals stand up for their felines.
But the pride for Gir’s lions extends well beyond Gujarat’s borders. The Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica) are the pride not only of India but Asia. These lions once roamed all across the Indian sub-continent and the Mediterranean in the West. They were then known as the Persian Lions. It was them and not their African cousins that fought the gory gladiatorial fights in decadent Rome.
Kanha: You don’t just come here for the Tiger.
But you don’t come here only for the tiger. Though the elusive beast is the main attraction and unlike Bandhavgarh, where spotting the striped feline is easy, you may come away not getting a glimpse of him at all. However Kanha is archetypal Jungle Book territory and has a lot going on in its secret folds.