The state government has spent Rs 277.93 crore on lion conservation in 2022 and 2023, the minister said, responding to questions by Congress MLAs during the Question Hour of the ongoing budget session of the assembly here. During this period, 238 lions, including cubs, died in different parts of Gujarat. Of these, 209 lions succumbed to natural causes, while 29 deaths were due to unnatural reasons such as big cats getting hit by vehicles or falling into open wells, he said in a written reply.