Wild Deer and Boar Dominate Diet of Gujarat’s Coastal Lions, Reducing Human Conflict

A detailed dietary assessment of Gujarat’s coastal Asian lions shows a clear preference for wild ungulates. The study, based on 160 scat samples collected in March‑April 2024, found that wild prey contributed 70 % of the total biomass, with nilgai alone supplying 51 % and wild boar following closely behind.

Livestock, mainly cattle and buffalo, accounted for only about 30 % of the biomass, challenging the traditional view that these predators routinely raid farms for easy meals. The researchers argue that the robust populations of nilgai and wild boar in the coastal districts create a natural buffer, limiting the need for lions to turn to human‑owned animals.

By maintaining healthy wild prey populations, local authorities could further diminish livestock depredation and foster coexistence between communities and the expanding lion populations that now number nearly 900 along the coast.