The dry, deciduous terrain in and around Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, located near India's western tip, is the proud - and only - home of the Asiatic lion. As part of his work for the Wildlife Institute of India, Kausik Banerjee spent countless hours tracking the big cat there between 2005 and 2016. With the aid of a spotting scope, he would draw sketches, take photos and meticulously note each lion's characteristics: a notch on the left ear at the 11 o'clock position, a defining scar, the distinctive row of dots on its upper lip from which whiskers sprout. Back at his desk, Banerjee would then pore over old notes and photos to identify the individuals he'd spotted. His efforts went beyond those of the average wildlife hobbyist; the information he gathered was crucial to conservationists' understanding of the lion population's size and density.
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