Wildlife

[ Velavadar (Black-Buck Sanctuary) | Pania Wild Life Sanctuary | Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary | Jambu Ghoda Wildlife Sanctuary | Ratan Mahal Sloth Bear Sanctuary | Shoolpaneshwar Wild Life Sanctuary | Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary | Balaram Ambaji Wild Life Sanctuary | Hingolgadh Nature Education Sanctuary | Rampara Wild Life Sanctuary | Khijadia Bird Sanctuary | Gaga Wildlife Sanctuary | Marine National Park | Kutch Bustard Santuary | Barda Wildlife Sanctuary | Porbandar Birds Sanctuary | Vansda National Park | Purna Wild Life Sanctuary | Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary | Wild Ass Sanctuary | Gir Wildlife Sanctuary ]

Velavadar (Black-Buck Sanctuary)
The main attraction of the park located seventy-two km away from the city of Bhavnagar is the massive population of Black Buck, Antelope, Wolf and other endangered species of birds. Thirty-nine species of grasses and 46 species of sedges, shrubs and trees represent the diversity of flora. The fauna of the park comprises mainly of Black buck, Antelope, Blue bull, wolf, jackal, hyena, jungle cat, fox, Wild Boars and birds as well. The exclusive Indian Black buck, which the sanctuary is named after, is one of the most graceful and beautiful animals of its kind. Endangered birds like Houbara Bustard, Lesser Florican, Sarus White Storks, White Pelican, Montagu, Pallid Harriers, Marsh and other raptors including the Greater Spotted Eagle, juvenile Imperial Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Short-toed Snake Eagle and Long-legged Buzzard are also seen in the park. During the rainy season the breeding of Lesser Florican is seen largely in the park. Sarus cranes also regularly breed in the park during the monsoon season. This place has earned popularity as the largest roosting ground for four species of migratory harriers in the entire world.

Top    

Pania Wild Life Sanctuary
The Sanctuary has been established especially to protect the Chinkara. Gir Sanctuary constitutes boundary in south and east of this prime habitat of Chinkara. The lions freely move around the foothills in this area. The hilly and undulating tract renders the area suitability for Chinkara and with a view to emphasising conservation of this small antelope, the area has been declared as a separate sanctuary. Amongst the fauna of this area lion, leopard, hyena, wildcat, civet cat, spotted deer, chinkara, bluebull, wild boar, four-homed antelope, pangolin, python, peafowl, porcupine, desert cat and fox are the major species. During the census of 1995, 5 lions, 134 spotted deer, 75 individuals of nilgai, 6 individuals of four-homed antelope, 19 individuals of chinkara and 2 wild boars were counted in this area.

Top    

Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary
Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary is a unique area in the country. It supports 15 threatened species of wildlife belonging to Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Some of the species of semi-desert habitat, which are recorded in this region, are not common in other areas in the country. Scrub and desert thorn forest interspersed with numerous seasonal water-bodies and grassy patches provide an ideal habitat for chinkara, caracal, ratel, wolf, desert cat, desert fox, great Indian bustard, lesser florican and a variety of waterfowl. 'Gorad' and 'Babul' are predominant plant species. 'Babul' is found extensively in the western zone with lime stone formation, whereas 'Gorad' is main species in the eastern zone, which covers extensive area.

Top    

Jambu Ghoda Wildlife Sanctuary
This is one of the good forest areas in Chhota Udepur division. It is also an important area for nature education and environmental awareness camps. The forest plays important ecological and hydrological roles of constituting catchments of small rivers, preventing soil erosion and maintaining health of the watershed. It also plays socio-economic role by satisfying basic needs of tribal communities living in and around the Sanctuary. Local tribal people collect minor forest produce from the area for their livelihood.

Top    

Ratan Mahal Sloth Bear Sanctuary
About 55.65 sq. km area of the Sanctuary is a triangular landmass, which covers reserve forests of 11 villages. The entire area of the forest not only has high aesthetic, educational and scientific research values, but also maintains climatic and environmental stability of the region. It maintains health of watersheds and catchments of Panam and Orsang rivers. Sloth bear, Hyena, Jackal, Chausinga, Civet cat, J. Cat are the main species found here.

Top    

Shoolpaneshwar Wild Life Sanctuary
Sloth bear, Leopard, Rhesus macaque Chausinga, Barking deer are the main species. The forests are some of the best and the densest in the State and are known for richness of bio-diversity. The sightings of various bird species, which have more affinities with Himalayan and Western Ghat, have unfolded a hitherto unknown, but interesting aspect of the area. Moist deciduous forests have very high scenic and aesthetic values. Moist teak forest, moist mixed deciduous forest, Dry deciduous scrub, Dry bamboo brakes and Dry tropical riverine forest, constitute varied habitats in the Sanctuary.

Top    

Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary
Jessore Sloth Bear Wildlife Sanctuary has a hilly and rugged terrain, which is a home to a large number of endangered species. Jessore Sloth Bear Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat, India, in a way also plays an important role in the sustenance of the green zone beyond the Desert region of Rajasthan, India. Jessore is a safe haven for the Sloth Bear, which is an animal greatly popular with the tourists and the adventure seeking travelers who come to visit Jessore Sloth Bear Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in Gujarat, India. Sloth bear, leopard, sambar, blue bull, wildboar, porcupine and variety of birds are found here.

Top    

Balaram Ambaji Wild Life Sanctuary
Situated in the picturesque Aravali hill series in the northern most part of Gujarat, along Gujarat-Rajasthan border, Balaram-Ambaji Wild life Sanctuary is a treasure house of rare medicinal herbs and shrubs together with rare and endangered species of wild life. Sloth bear, Leopard, Hyena, Wolf, Nilgai, Jungle cat, Indian hare are the main species here. The floral constituents of the sanctuary are classified into Southern Dry Mixed Deciduous and Desert Thorn forests.

Top    

Hingolgadh Nature Education Sanctuary
The Sanctuary is situated in Jasdan taluka of Rajkot district. Acacia senegal dominates the Vegetation of the forest. The sparse woody vegetation at places has given way to profuse growth of grass, which is the main contributor of fodder for the herbivorous animals like Chinkara and Nilgai. 'Kasedo' and 'Sishoti' are the dominant shrubs having edible fruits and they attract variety of birds. The forest area has tremendous ecological impact on the surrounding villages. As per remote sensing study carried out by GEER Foundation, the vegetation cover increased in the Sanctuary in 1996 and 1998.

Top    

Rampara Wild Life Sanctuary
The Government in 1975 acquired the area of the sanctuary. The area is an important forest for the preservation of over 280 species of plants, over 130 species of birds, over 20 species of mammals, over 20 species of reptiles and several species of amphibians and invertebrates. It is also an important site of natural beauty with hills, plains, grasslands and forest area. In short, the Sanctuary has adequate ecological, faunal, geomorphologic, zoological, natural and aesthetic significance.

Top    

Khijadia Bird Sanctuary
This bird sanctuary is located 10 kms from Jamnagar.The Sanctuary is located in the western-most part of the country and falls on the traditional route of the migratory birds. Consequently, the Sanctuary supports a variety of migratory birds including the waterfowl. This is an extremely important staging and wintering area for a wide variety of waterfowl. Almost 200 species of birds are recorded in the Sanctuary, including over 90 species of waterfowl. It is the known breeding ground of the Great Crested Grebe, which otherwise is migratory and uncommon in the State. As stated earlier, Khijadia is a seasonal wetland adjoining coastal wetland. Dense cover of Prosopis chilensis in a portion of the lake provides shelter to some mammals and nesting sites for some birds.

Top    

Gaga Wildlife Sanctuary
The Gaga Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary is situated on the coast of the Gulf of Kuchh, where the high tidal zone constitutes the boundary in the north. The area has derived a high conservation value due to the rare sightings of the endangered Great Indian Bustard in the saline grassland of this area. Besides the bustard, the Sanctuary also supports different terrestrial birds and some wild mammals like wolf and jackal. The area comprises of grasslands intermixed with saline scrubs. Prosopis scrubland, saline grassland and high tidal zone are the major features of this protected habitat.

Top    

Marine National Park
Gujarat has the distinction of creating the country's first Marine National Park in the Gulf of Kutch, 30 km. from Jamnagar. Here corals create fantasies in stone and are the master builders of the Park. Their limestone fortresses - those found near the Pirotan Islands and the rich moist deciduous forests like those found in the dense forests of the Danes. One of the most threatened birds, the great Indian bustard finds a refuge in certain pockets of protected areas. The world's only four-horned antelope, the chowsingha is found here in healthy numbers. One of the largest herds of blackjacks grace the grasslands of Velavadar and till recently Gujarat was the place where flamingos nested in huge numbers.

Dugong, a marine mammal, which resembles a seal, along with the rare Borolo species, have found home in the protected areas of the Marine National Park. Here one will find plants that look like animals and animals that look like plants. Turtles, shrimp, sponge, eels, sea urchin lurk among the corals and huge schools of fish create a brilliance of colors that are unknown, unseen and unimaginable to us. There are fishes, which puff-up when threatened octopuses that mimic the color and texture of the surroundings in the blink of an eyelid so as to vanish without a trace.

Top    

Kutch Bustard Santuary
This is a small area of just 2 sq. km, pulsating with avifaunal and mammalian life of the grassland habitat. The area is ideal for those wanting to see Great Indian Bustard in Gujarat. Kuchh Bustard Sanctuary provides food and shelter to an endangered bird of the Indian subcontinent-the Great Indian Bustard. The species like lesser florican, chinkara and wolf. Black Partridge ('Kalo Tetar') is seen very frequently, which enhances the joy of birding. It may be noted that Black Partridge is seen only in limited areas of the state. The Sanctuary is also a good place to see raptors like harriers and eagles and migratory birds like Houbara Bustard and Common Crane.

Top    

Barda Wildlife Sanctuary
The forest is endowed with very rich floral composition and it was also a home of Asiatic lion in not a distant past. Kileshwar, a temple and camping site developed by 'Jamsaheb' of Jamnagar, is a beautiful site in the heart of the forest. Among mammals ratel, leopard and wolf are threatened species. Amongst the reptiles found here, crocodile and chameleon are rare and endangered. Of the four common venomous snakes, three are found here. At least two species of birds, which were found in the Sanctuary, are rare/ endangered. They are Spotted Eagle and Crested Hawk-Eagle. Apart from this, the Sanctuary exhibits great variety of invertebrate species including variety of butterflies. Lion, Chinkara, Sambar and Spotted Deer found in the recent past, are now exterminated from Barda. Although the area of Sanctuary is small, it has different types of forests.

Top    

Porbandar Birds Sanctuary
This is the smallest bird Sanctuary of Gujarat, which is established amidst the city. It provides the practical example of co-existence of man and nature. The area supports good population of Flamingos and other resident and migratory waterfowl. In the past, flamingos had attempted nesting also. The Sanctuary covers the fresh Water Lake, which receives considerable waters from the city's gutters.

Top    

Vansda National Park
Even though the park is small, it is extremely dense and has a wide variety of flora and fauna. Some parts of the park are dark even during daytime. The forest is a habitat to Leopards, python, four-horned antelope, pangolin, rusty-spotted cats, Jungle Cat, Civets, Mongooses, Macaques, Barking Deer, giant squirrels, Hyenas and a wide species of birds. Birds like the Great Black Woodpecker, Malabar Trogon, Shama and Emerald Dove, Grey Hornbill, Racket-Tailed Drongo, Paradise Flycatcher, Leaf birds, Thrushes, Sunbirds, peafowls etc. are found here.

Small creatures with their amazing diversity are the real treasure of the park. Among these are over 60 species of butterflies and 121 species of spiders. The largest of the spiders of Gujarat, the Giant wood spider is common here and around 30 species of snakes are found here. Besides, there are numerous varieties of insects, centipedes, millipedes and snails as well as about 11 types of frogs and toads.

Top    

Purna Wild Life Sanctuary
Purna is a Sanctuary, where luxuriant dense forests with thick bamboo brakes enchant visitors. Wild bulls, elephants, Sloth bear and rhinoceros also roamed in this forest-tract during historic past (Mughal Period). Forests of this region satisfy material and cultural needs of local tribals and maintain ecological stability of the area.

Top    

Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary
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.

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 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 migratory birds and most of the resident birds, such as cormorants, grebes and open bill storks, begin to leave by April.

Top    

Wild Ass Sanctuary
Wild Ass is locally known as 'Ghud Khar'. It was once common in the Northwestern 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.

Top    

Gir Wildlife Sanctuary
Sprawling in an area of 1424 sq. kms, Gir with its dry deciduous forest is a luxuriantly rich ecosystem-endowed with floral and faunal plentitude. Thirty species of mammals, twenty species of reptiles, several species of insects and birds are found here. The forest is the only place in the world, outside Africa, where the lion can be seen in its natural habitat. Gir, the last refuge of the king of the jungle, is one of the largest and most important wildlife sanctuaries in India.The number of lions in Gir had dwindled to a mere 15 by the turn of the century, due to extensive trophy hunting.

Top