On World Lion Day, Union Environment Minister reaffirms India’s commitment to Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation
On World Lion Day 2026, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, celebrated India’s remarkable journey in lion conservation and reaffirmed the country’s unwavering commitment to protecting wildlife and biodiversity.
In a post on social media, the Minister noted that the Asiatic Lion population has steadily increased from 523 in 2015 to 891 in 2025. He attributed this achievement to the dedication of forest officials, conservationists, local communities and all those working tirelessly to protect the magnificent species.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced ‘Project Lion’ on 15th August, 2020, to ensure long term conservation of the big cat. Currently, the lion range has expanded from around 30,000 sq. km. in 2020 to nearly 35,000 sq. km.
The project adopts a landscape-level, holistic approach to biodiversity conservation, emphasising habitat enhancement, disease monitoring and veterinary support, scientific population tracking, technology-aided interventions, biodiversity protection, benefit sharing and community involvement.
