Monday, September 15, 2008

Wildlife in Gujarat : Gir National Park and Sanctuary - 9

Guys, it is the only remaining habitant of the Asiatic lion, which has been confined to this forest since 1884 (around 300 lions were reported in 1995). The Asiatic lion is slightly smaller than its African cousin. Nevertheless, a large male lion of the Gir is quite a sight to behold.

The chinkara, wild boar, striped hyena, jackal, leopard, fox, musk shrew, India Pangolin, deer, common langur, porcupine, hare black buck and crocodiles are the other animals that can be found in this sanctuary. There are over 200 bird species including the peafowl, grey partridge, Bonelli's eagle, crested serpent eagle, jungle bush quail, painted sandgrouse, common green pigeon and several species of doves.

Three unusal reserves, the Nalsarovar Lake and Sanctuary - home to several water-birds, the Little Rann of Kutch - home of the Indian wild ass, and the fascinating Flamingo Island, render the state of Gujarat a virtual haven for wildlife buffs.

When to visit:

The park remains closed during monsoons, from mid-June to mid-October. The ideal time to visit is between December and March.

Where to stay:

Accommodation facilities in the park include Forest Bungalow of the Forest Department and teh Gir Lodge of the Taj Group of Hotels.

How to get there:

Air: The nearest airports are Keshod (89 kms.) and Rajkot (160 kms.)

Rail: Sasan is the nearest rail head on the meter gauge line. However, the convenient rail head is Junagadh.

Road: The park is connected by road with Ahmedabad 408 kms, Junagadh 54 kms., Rajkot 160 kms. Somnath 48 kms and Veraval 45 kms. State transport buses between Junagadh and Veraval operate via Sansangir.

Contact: The Deputy Conservator of Forests, Wildlife Division, Sasangir, District Junagadh, Gujarat.

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

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