In which Indian state is the Gir Forest National Park, famous as the last natural habitat of the Asiatic lion, located?

Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to wildlife and environmental geography. Gir Forest National Park is globally significant because it is known as the last natural home of the Asiatic lion. Examinations frequently test the ability to match famous national parks and wildlife sanctuaries with their states, so knowing where Gir is located is essential general knowledge.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The protected area in question is Gir Forest National Park.
• The task is to identify the Indian state in which this park is found.
• The options are Kerala, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh.
• We rely on standard wildlife geography facts as presented in school texts and competitive exam guides.

Concept / Approach:
Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. It became famous for conserving the Asiatic lion population after the species declined drastically in many parts of its former range. Conservation efforts in Gir have helped stabilise and increase lion numbers. None of the other listed states is associated with Gir as a national park, although they each have their own important protected areas.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Gir is commonly mentioned in news and textbooks together with the Asiatic lion and the state of Gujarat. Step 2: Visualise the map of western India and note that the Saurashtra peninsula in Gujarat hosts the Gir Forest region. Step 3: Compare this with Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, which have notable parks such as Periyar, Bandipur, Kanha, and Dachigam, but not Gir. Step 4: Confirm from memory that state wildlife tourism campaigns for Gujarat highlight Gir more than any other state. Step 5: Select Gujarat as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Wildlife atlases and government tourism brochures clearly list Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary under Gujarat. Many exam preparation books include tables linking major national parks to their states, and Gir is consistently paired with Gujarat. Media coverage of lion census exercises and conservation projects also refers to Gir as located in Gujarat, which confirms this fact beyond doubt.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Kerala has famous reserves such as Periyar and Silent Valley but does not contain Gir Forest. Karnataka is home to Bandipur, Nagarhole, and other reserves with tigers and elephants, not Asiatic lions. Jammu and Kashmir has Dachigam National Park and other high altitude protected areas but is far from the natural range of the Asiatic lion. Madhya Pradesh is known for tiger reserves such as Kanha and Bandhavgarh. Therefore, none of these states matches the specific park mentioned in the question.

Common Pitfalls:
A possible error is to confuse Gir with other parks that share similar wildlife, such as lion safaris or zoological parks elsewhere, or to assume that lions must be associated with central or southern forests. Another pitfall is to focus only on the word forest and think of heavily forested states like Kerala or Karnataka. To avoid such mistakes, remember the strong association between the words Gir, Asiatic lion, and the state of Gujarat.

Final Answer:
Gujarat