A surprising wildlife encounter was caught on CCTV in Sarovda village, Amreli, where a calf managed to scare off a prowling lion in the early hours of December 8.
The video shows the lion strolling through a quiet lane before turning toward a calf standing nearby. As the predator inches closer, the calf suddenly lunges forward, startling the lion and sending it running back into the darkness.
Villagers say two lions had been moving around the settlement that night in search of prey. The incident has prompted calls for increased forest department patrols to monitor lion movement and reduce the risk to residents and livestock.
Gujarat has seen a steady rise in its Asiatic lion population, particularly around the Gir forest region, where numbers grew from 523 in 2015 to 674 in 2020, according to government data. However, alongside this growth, 239 lions — including 126 cubs — have died in the past two years, with 29 deaths attributed to unnatural causes, highlighting ongoing conservation and human–wildlife conflict challenges.