Forest officials in Gujarat have 'arrested' 18 Asiatic lions to nab a suspected man-eater which killed three people.

All the 18 lions kept in custody by the forest officials will be put through a series of tests. Their paw prints and feces will be examined to nab the culprit responsible for three murders, reports the BBC.

"The officials are also studying the animals' behavior. Man-eating lions usually get aggressive at the sight of a human being," wildlife expert Ruchi Dave told the BBC.

JA Khan, Gujarat's top forest official, said, "We think we have pinpointed the guilty lion, but we are still awaiting the results of nine more animals."

After the "guilty animal" is identified, it will be transferred to a zoo, whereas other lions will be released back into the Gir National Park.



Reason for dwindling population of Asiatic lions

The Gir National Park in Gujarat is home to Asiatic lions, however, in the past five years population of this species has been steadily dwindling.

One of the main reasons for their shrinking population is human settlements and human encroachment on the animals' remaining habitat. The other causes for their death include poaching, live wires and speeding trucks and trains.



The lions finding new homes in human settlements has led to an increase in man-animal conflict.



Only about 400 Asiatic lions remain in the wild.

Wildlife officials in India said Gir National Park, where most of these lions live, can accommodate only 270 of them, which leads a few prides going beyond its boundaries.

The Supreme Court recently ruled that Gujarat needed to relocate the lions to other states to mitigate the decline in population, however, the state is yet to adhere to this rule.

