Gir Netional Park Junagadh

The Gir - the largest compact tract of dry deciduous forests in the semi-arid western part of India is the last abode of the big and regal predator Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica), an endangered species. The sanctuary is internationally acclaimed for successfully saving this precious species from the brink of extinction. It was declared as a sanctuary in 1965. Subsequently, an area of 258.71 sq. km. was declared a National Park.

Gir lies has a topography made up of succession of rugged ridges, isolated hills, plateaus and valleys. Besides, being the last abode of Asiatic lions, Gir forms a unique habitat for ratel, rusty spotted cat, pangolin, ruddy mongoose, civets, paradise flycatcher etc.

Location
The Sanctuary spreads over Junagadh and Amreli districts of Saurashtra. The main centre "Sasan" is located in Talala taluka of Junagadh district at about 60 km. from Junagadh.
National Park area
258.71 sq. Km.(Core Area)
Sanctuary area
1153.42 sq. Km
The overwhelming presence of the omnipotent big cat diverts the attention of the common man from the remarkable bird population that the sanctuary has. However, the birds of Gir sanctuary did attract the great ornithologist, Dr. Salim Ali who believed that, had the Asiatic lions not been there, the area would have been one of the most fascinating bird sanctuaries of the country.
People mostly link Gir with "Maldharis" who have survived through the ages by having symbiotic relationship with the lion. They are religious pastoral communities living in Gir. Their settlements are called "nesses".
At present, Gir forests of Gujarat (India) is the only natural place where this race of lions i.e. Asiatic lion is found.
Unlike the other big cats, lion is tolerant of the presence of human being and it even lives near the human settlements. During the last century in British rule, lion population touched an all time low of 20 in 1913. The serious conservation efforts by the then Nawab of Junagadh saved the species from the brink of extinction. The subsequent efforts by the Forest Department have successfully brought the population to the present respectable status of 327 numbers of this majestic animal.
Flora
Teak, dudhlo, khair, ber, desi baval, dhav, hermo, sadad, timru, ashitro, saledi, modad, khakhro etc.
Fauna
The Gir forests support a rich biodiversity comprising 32 species of mammals, 300 species of birds and 26 species of reptiles and thousands of species of insects.
Important animals
Lion, leopard, hyena, chital, sambar, bulbul, chaushinga, chinkara, wild boar, crocodile, langur, porcupine, ratel, jackal, fox, mongoose, civets etc.
Important birds
 Malabar whistling thrush, orange headed ground thrush, paradise flycatcher, black naped fly catcher, Indian pitta, tawny eagle, Bonelli’s eagle, crested serpent eagle, king vulture, crested hawk eagle, painted storks, pelicans, peafowl etc.
The Asiatic lion, the most majestic big cat, is a unique gift of nature. It is an extremely intelligent animal with remarkable social habits and hunting tec

Blackbuck National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary

Blackbuck National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary

This small part of Bhal region (34.52 sq.km.), which was declared as Blackbuck National Park in July 1976, is open grassland. The sanctuary has been declared primarily for Blackbucks. The beauty of the grassland is enhanced by the movements of blackbucks and nilgais, which one can see from long distances. The blackbuck is most conspicuous for its jumping over the levels of grass.

Location

Near Vallabhipur, District Bhavnagar.

Sanctuary area

34.52 sq. km.

The majestic blackbucks are less shy of human being here and one has a sure chance of watching them in their natural mood, leaping high in air, running, feeding drinking, rutting and chasing. The herds of blackbucks are of different gender combinations like mixed, all males and all females. The courtship process in blackbucks is quite similar to what used to be called "swayamvara" in good old days. The males have to fight with other males to win over the females. This fight, which is a common sight at Velavadar during the mating season, may even be a fight to finish leading to the death of the weaker.

A small wetland in the southern part of the Park attracts birds like pelicans, flamingoes, ducks, waders, coots, white storks, painted storks and sarus cranes etc. The Park is a heaven for demoiselle cranes, common cranes and a variety of raptors including certag spotted eagles and steppe eagles.

The Park provides one of the world's best roosting sites to thousands of Harriers that arrive here from Central Europe for wintering. Peculiar courtship display by Lesser floricans could also be seen. Lesser florican is one of the fifty rarest birds of the world and the park has been supporting the breeding of quite a good number of this species.

An entirely different experience of the wildlife begins to transcend as the darkness falls. The persistent howls of jackal add to the feeling of true wilderness. The long, deep and threatening howls of wolves, occasionally penetrate the darkness .

The grassland lies between two rivers namely Parvalia and Alang, which drain into the Gulf of Cambay. During the monsoon the area is often flooded. The blackbuck herds are mostly to be found in the northern part of the sanctuary, while the southern part has patches of thorn forest providing excellent opportunities for bird watching (specially birds of prey). The Alang river forms the southern border of the Park and is the favourite retreat for wolves. The park can be toured by vehicle and also on foot.

The animal attains adulthood at the age of two and a half to three years. The female gives birth to only a single offspring at a time. Flora Park is largely grassland with a few pockets of Prosopis chilensis. It is a fascinating savannah habitat Founa Important animals-Blackbuck, bluebull, wolf, jackal, jungle cat, fox etc. Important Birds- Lesser florican, Houbara bustard, White stork, Harriers, Sarus cranes etc. Contact Assistant Conservator of Forests, Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar, Bhavnagar. Gujarat. Phone : (O) 0278 2426425.

Vansda National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary

The thick foliage of the luxuriant moist deciduous forest, predominantly represented by lofty teak trees and their usual floral associates are the chief attributes of Vansda National Park, which was declared as protected area in April 1979. The sanctuary has abundance of reptiles like python, venomous snakes like Russel’s viper, cobras and kraits. The croaking, chirping, and humming of a variety of insects create a silent symphony of melodious sounds of nature.
The National Park is a small area of 23.99 sq. km. falling in the Vansda taluka of Valsad district of South Gujarat. The terrain is flat to undulating and is drained by the beautiful river Ambika, which eventually meets the sea near Navsari. As the forest forms continuous tract with the forest of adjoining district of Dangs, the sanctuary is managed by South Dangs Forest Division. The forest belongs to the category of tropical moist deciduous forests and the terrain represents northern and western limits of the Western Ghats.

The Vansda National park consists of a spectacular forest where one can see the birds of moist deciduous forest. It forms a contiguous tract with the forests of Dangs on its eastern side and those of Valsad district on its southern side. A visit to the nearby Waghai botanical garden and the nature education trail from the botanical garden up to the National Park would be a delightful experience for the nature lovers.

FloraTowering trees and orchids form variety of flora. There are 443 species of flowering plants viz. Teak, sadad, bamboo, dudhkod, kakad, khakhro, timru, humb, kalam, modad, haldu, sisam, chopadi bondaro, kusum, tanach, asan, mahudo, behda, umaro, shimlo, ambla etc.FounaHigh species diversity of forest birds is the main attraction for an eco-tourist.  Important animals- Leopard, rhesus macaque, wild boar, hanuman langur, common palm civet, small Indian civet, Indian porcupine, four-horned antelope, barking deer, hyena, jungle cat, flying squirrel, python, Russel’s viper, etc.Important birds155 species of birds: Indian great black woodpecker, yellow back sunbird, pompodour pigeon, malabar trogon, shama, common grey hornbill, jungle babbler, forest spotted owlet (globally threatened) etc. Contact Deputy Conservator of Forests, Dang (South), Ahwa, Dangs district. Gujarat. Phone : (O) 02631 220246.

Marine Netional Park & Wildlife Senctuary

MARINE

Marine National Park and Sanctuary, Jamnagar, was declared as National Park and Sanctuary in August' 1980.

Marine National Park and Sanctuary falls in the inter-tidal zone along the Jamnagar coasts and islands in the Gulf of Kachchh. Blessed with a great diversity of habitats, its coral reefs and mangroves and the series of 42 islands form a unique, though fragile, eco-system, which supports an amazing marine life and

Inundated by temperamental seawaters twice a day, the Marine National Park stands as a vanguard to a very fragile eco-system, which is as good as any underwater forest eco-system. The protected area has a great diversity of habitats- ranging from coral reefs, mangroves, mudflats, creeks, estuaries, sandy strands to saline grasslands, marshy areas and rocky shores.

These varieties of habitats support multitudes of fish, birds, reptiles and many other life forms. The coral reefs and mangroves found in Marine National Park are of great conservation value, which have all along been considered as the most fascinating of all the rich marine biota in a compact place found anywhere in the country. Special efforts are made to preserve its rare dignity of being the first marine national park in the country. It is a treasure trove of colourful corals and sponges, giant sea anemone, jelly fish, sea horse, octopus, pearl oyster, Portuguese man of war, starfish, dolphin, shark and many more varieties of under water creatures and plants. Islands Narara is one of the important tourists' destinations. Although it is an island, it is well connected with the mainland. It is also known for its vast inter-tidal zone, facilitating viewing of marine invertebrates. It is therefore, a very good nature education site. Similarly, Pirotan is another tourist attraction where all kinds of invertebrates are easily visible. If you intend to go to Pirotan island, please remember that you will need high tide to reach the island by boat from the creeks (20 nautical miles). There is a time gap of 12 hours between the two high tides during the day. Therefore, once you cross the creek to Pirotan island, you will be able to return only during next tide after about 12 hours You should reach at Bedi Bandar or Nava Bandar (boarding point for creek crossing) one hour before the high tide. Flora Six species of mangroves, several species of herbs, grasses and shrubs and 120 species of algae. Founa Colourful sponges and corals including 42 hard coral and 10 soft coral species, sea anemones, jelly fishes, sea horse, octopus, pearl oyster, sabela, portugese- man-of-war, starfish, bonellia, sepia, lobster, crabs, prawns, sea turtles, dolphin, dugong, porpoise, shark etc. Mangrove Forest The mangroves are halophytic species growing in saline soils in the coastal areas along the shores. The mangroves are adapted to loose and wet soils and periodic submergence in the saline water. They survive in difficult conditions of high salinity, low oxygen and nutrient availability in the soil, wind and wave action and substrate instability. Mangroves play crucial role in conservation of marine life as mangrove swamps are considered nursery and shelter grounds for prawns, fishes, birds and host of other marine life. The fringe mangroves function as stabilizer of sediments and protect shore land from erosion. Thick cover of mangroves trap silts and protect coral reefs from destruction by excessive sedimentation. Amenities / Facilities The island does not offer any staying facility. Contact Deputy Conservator of Forests, Marine National Park, Van Sankul, C.F. Office, Nr. Nagnath Road, Jamnagar-36001.Phone : (O) 0288 255077.