Wild Ass Sanctuary - 10

Guys, Wild Ass Sanctuary is 65 kms. from Surendranagar, Little Rann of Kutch.

Gujarat is as famous for its large wild ass herds as it is for its lions. To protect these rare animals, a sanctuary covering an area of over 4,953 sq. kms. was created to offer protection to more than 2,100 wild asses inhabiting this area. In the Little Rann of Kutch, the areas are attracted by the flat green grass covered expanse known as bets (islands where coarse grasses springs up during the monsoon).

Marine National Park: 30 kms. from Jamnagar, Gujarat

Area: 458 sq. kms.

Main Attraction: Coral Reef Formations.

Unique Feature: India's First Marine National Park.

Main Park Population:

Turtles, shrimp, sponge, eels, and sea urchin lurk among the corals and huge schools of fish create a brilliance of colours that are unknown, unseen and unimaginable. Here you can see dolphins and octopuses.

Dugong, a marine mammal, which resembles a seal and the rare Boralia species are found in these protected areas. The park has dense mangrove growth, which provides scores of birds with nesting and roosting sites.

Marine Life:

Sea turtles nest on the beaches. The coral reefs are a blaze of colour, home to a variety of rare life forms like the octopus, sea horses and 200 species of molluscs. Also colourful fish like the puffer, butterfly and parrot; and echinoderms like the star fish, brittle star, sand dollar, sea urehin, and sea cucumber. More than 40 species of sponges in vivid shades of green, red, pink and other colours abound.

When to visit: December to May

Related Links :

01. Nature and WildLife of India : WildLife Protection Act 1972 - 1
02. Wildlife in Jammu and Kashmir - 2
03. Corbett National Park (Project Tiger) : Wildlife in Uttaranchal - 3
04. Rajaji National Park - 4
05. Wildlife in Uttar Pradesh : Dudhwa National Park - 5
06. Wildlife in Rajasthan : Bharatpur National Park - 6
07. Wildlife in Rajasthan : Ranthambore National Park (Project Tiger) - 7
08. Wildlife in Rajasthan : Sariska Tiger Reserve - 8
09. Wildlife in Gujarat : Gir National Park and Sanctuary - 9