AHMEDABAD: A popular poem by Jhaverchand Meghani hails a 14-year-old girl of the Gir forest who protects a calf from a lion, using only a stick and fearlessness. Since then, the sisters have been taking their cattle to graze in the forest. "When the lion backtracked, the sisters pressed ahead, forcing the lion to bolt. If you stand firm, it will leave you alone," she said.Though Santok is modest, forest officials testify to her steeliness. H S Singh, a lion expert and a member of the National Board for Wildlife , said: "Most local residents grow up with knowledge of lion behaviour."

Source: Times of India October 20, 2016 01:53 UTC