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Wadhvan
Wildlife
The lake - Nalsarovar - and the wetlands around it were declared a bird sanctuary in 1969. Spread over 120 sq.kms, the lake and the extensive reed beds and marshes are an ideal habitat for aquatic plants and animals. The lake attracts a large variety of birds like plovers, sandpipers and stints. A black tailed, small, brown and white wader with a slightly up curved bill, the bird travels 3500 kms from its nesting ground in Central Europe to spend the winter at Nalsarovar in Gujarat. More than 200 types of birds migrate here to escape the harsh winter of their nesting areas. These migrant birds visit Nalsarovar every year from November to February. During these four months water is plentiful and fish, insects and aquatic plants abound in the lake - an ideal environment for the birds. Here they find food and warmth. When food and water are scarce in Nalsarovar, some resident birds go away for short periods to nearby areas and return to the lake after monsoon to a feast of fish and insects. There are 360-odd islets in the lake. Most of them lie exposed when the water level is low. The lake gets filled with water that drains from the adjoining Surendranagar and Ahmedabad districts in the monsoon. With this fresh water inflow, brackishness in the lake reduces considerably. The migratory birds arrive in vast numbers, homing in on the lake. Flocks of pelicans, flamingoes, ducks, demoiselle cranes, common cranes, and several waders occupying huge patches of the lake during the season is a beautiful site. The lake water dries up during summer making it brackish and the fish and other insect life becomes scarce. The migratory birds and most of the resident birds, such as cormorants, grebes and openbill storks, begin to leave by April. The climate of the region is hottest in the month of May. The average temperature during this time is around 31°C. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 11°C. During the monsoon, the whole region becomes flooded with rainwater. Some other spots worth visiting are archeological site of Lothal (50 km), Sabarmati Ashram at Ahmedabad (64Km) and Indroda Park (managed by GEER Foundation), Gandhinagar- 90 km. How To Get There
Accommodation
Wild Ass is locally known as 'Ghud Khar'. It was once common in the North-western India, West Pakistan and South Iran. They are now found only in the Rann of Kachchh of Gujarat State. The Wild Ass belongs to the Family Equide which includes Horses, Zibras and Donkeys. Indian Wild Ass is one of the sturdiest animals in the worldand can withstand scorching midday temperatures unto 45° C or more without any shelter in midst of the desert and facing long periods of drought as well as other calamities with relative ease, where others cannot survive. It has strength and speed of a horse and can run at a speed of 60 to 70 Km/hr. A mature animal is 120 cms in height weighing about 230 kgs. It has a shiny white coat with greyish-brown patches and a black or brown hairy stripe in the centre enhancing its beauty. They move about either singly or in herds (10 to 30) in search of fodder and sweet water and rest only during hot afternoon hours. They eat what they get, generally scrubby grass and pods of prosopis. The breeding season is August to October and only one young one is delivered after a gestation period of 11 Months. It joins the herd in a very short time. The call of wild ass is shriller than that of domestic donkey. Their life span is 20 to 25 years. Excursions for viewing a typical Saurashtra village, handloom weaving and dyeing units and the village potter are available.For people interested in birds and photography; special rides and camouflaged boats can be provided. Trekking and living with seasonally migrating Rabari and Bharwad tribes is exciting.Camps on the edge of the Rann are operated between July and September each year.Camel and Jeep safaris in and across the Rann with tented camps on the Baits, lasting three to seven days can be arranged. How to Get There
Accommodation
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Nal
Sarovar Bird Sanctuary
Wild
Ass Sanctuary