New Delhi [India], August 10 : Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, on Sunday, credited the success of Project Lion to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in collaboration with the Forest and Environment Department, Government of Gujarat, celebrated today World Lion Day - 2025 at Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, Devbhumi Dwarka district, Gujarat. The celebration was graced by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, along with Gujarat Forest Minister Mulubhai Bera, Members of Parliament, State legislators, and other public representatives.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav expressed happiness over the significant rise in India's lion population, which has grown to 891, up from 674 in 2020.
Union Minister Yadav further said, "The Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica) is a global symbol of successful wildlife conservation, and on this World Lion Day, we celebrate their remarkable recovery. From just 284 lions in 1990, the population has now risen to 891 in 2025 -- a 32 per cent increase since 2020 and over 70 per cent growth in the past decade."
Calling it an "astounding success of conservation," the Minister credited this achievement to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, first as Chief Minister of Gujarat and later as Prime Minister, made Project Lion a priority area of action.
The Minister reaffirmed the government's commitment towards building a Viksit Bharat where humans and wildlife flourish together, ensuring that the conservation momentum continues for generations to come.