| |
The
Gir forest, was declared as a wildlife
sanctuary in 1969, and after six years was made
into a national park. The efforts to save the
lion paid off and now the population has increased
to 312.
The Gir lion on reaching full
adulthood measures around 2.75 meters in length.
It has a bigger tail tassel and its belly is
more prominent. His fur color is lighter brown
than the African lion and looks shaggier. Another
difference between the two is that while the
Gir lion never eats carrion, its African counterpart
does. |
| Though
known all over the world for its lions, Gir
is one of the few remaining forests
comprising different habitats - open scrub country,
dry deciduous forest, tropical thorn forest
and an evergreen corridor along the river banks.
Among the common trees here are the stately
teak, laburnum, acacia, tendu, ber, jamun, almosa,
bael and twin leaved vikalo. |
