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Gir Wildlife Sanctuary

The Gir Wildlife Sanctuary:

Welcome to the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, the last natural home of the Asiatic Lion. Spread over an area of 1424 sq km, the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is home to around thirty species of mammals and twenty species of reptiles. It also houses many birds and insects.

The Sanctuary is not just a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts; it is also a heritage for the generations to come having braved the onslaught of sudden changes in nature and the ravages caused by mankind. It stands proud as it showcases the reviving power of nature. It is a sanctuary which has been blessed with a rich ecosystem, and it promises you a world of mystery, adventure and beautiful scenery along with a quiet serenity.

THE FAUNA OF GIR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY:

Animals in Gir Wildlife Sanctuary:

The Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is famous worldwide for its Lions, although they themselves are not aware of it. The Asiatic lions are a critically endangered species, their number having dwindled to just 15 at one point. Now that the government is protecting them and hunting them down as a trophy has been banned, their population has increased to 300.

The Asiatic Lion is smaller than its African counterpart, and measures up to 2.75 meters in length. It has a longer tail, is lighter brown and looks shaggier than the African Lion. The lions can be best seen in the late evenings or early mornings, and in the summers, when they haunt the waterholes. You can hear a lioness beckoning its cubs to itself as you tour the sanctuary.

The Sanctuary also houses numerous humans – cattle herders, also known as the Maldharis. Their livestock which numbers approximately 20,000 forms a big part of the lion’s diet.
Another animal which has, made the Sanctuary proud is the Leopard. One of the most gracefully lethal animal found in this jungle, the Leopard has the ability to adapt to different circumstances easily. The “Prince of Cats” as it is also known, has an approximate population of 210, occupying a major part of the Sanctuary. The Jungle Cat, the Rusty Spotted Cat and the Desert Cat also enjoy the protection offered for the cats by the government.

The Panther and the Hyena are the other predators which occupy the jungle. The other animals which can be sighted easily are the Sambhar, Nilgai or the Blue Bull, Chital or the spotted deer, Chinkara and the Chausingha – the four horned deer which is found only in India.

The long tailed Langur, Wild Boar, Blackbuck, Indian Flying Foe, Indian Hare, Porcupine, Fox and Pangolin too have found a home in this sanctuary. The Sanctuary also harbors the Grey Musk Shrew, the small Indian Mongoose and Civet apart from the Pale Hedgehog, Ratel and Jackals. The Indian Gazelle in numerous numbers can be seen at the edge of the sanctuary. These animals are protected by the local people because of their religious sentiments.

The mammals share the sanctuary with around 20 species of reptiles. The Marsh Crocodiles or the Muggers can be seen basking in the sun along the Kamleshwar Dam site. The Gir wildlife Sanctuary is also famous for its Indian Cobra, Common Krait, Russell’s viper and the Saw Scaled Viper and its non-venomous snakes like the Indian Rock Python. The fresh water ponds and rivers house various species of Turtles like the “hard shelled turtles” and the “soft shelled turtles”.

Birds in Gir Wildlife Sanctuary:

The Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is not only well known for its lions and other animals but also for the many species of birds it is home to. With a population of around 300 species of birds, the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary too. The birds residing here are both resident as well as migratory.

Some of the birds residing in this park are the Paradise Flycatcher, Bonelli’s Eagle, Jungle Quail, Hard Headed Oriole, Painted Sand grouse and the Pygmy Woodpecker.

The Crested Serpent Eagle, Crested Hawk Eagle, King Vulture and the Brown Fish Owl can be seen here apart from the Black headed Cuckoo Shrike and the Grey Partridge. The birds in this sanctuary find a home for themselves in the trees, forest floors, small plants and shrubs. The best places for bird watching are Ratanghuna, Adholia, Pilipat and Valadera.

The Flora of Gir Wildlife Sanctuary:

Located in the Gujarat peninsula in South West India, the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary has topography with low hills interspersed with grasslands. It is one of the few forests left with the uniqueness of having a combination of habitats.

The sanctuary has a habitat comprising of habitats as diverse as dry deciduous forests, open scrub land, tropical thorn forest and a belt of evergreen forest along the river bank. The more prominent trees are Teak, Dhak, Acacia, Jamun, Ber, Bael, Almosa and Tendu, along with the twin leaved Vikalo. The vegetation on the hills is sparse and stunted.

Tourist Information for Gir Wildlife Sanctuary:

The Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is open from Mid-October to Mid-June.
The sanctuary is closed during the monsoon months.
Private vehicles are not allowed inside the sanctuary.
Jeeps or Matadors can be booked in the Forest Department of the sanctuary along with guides.
You have to get a permit from the Park Information Centre in the Sinh Sadan Guest House to enter the Sanctuary.
The best time to visit the sanctuary is in the summer months, when the animals can be easily seen near the water holes.
Walking and hiking within the park is not allowed.
It is advisable to hire official guides for your tour of the Sanctuary.
Wearing simple, loose fitting clothes which are of about the same color as the nature is advised, so that you can blend with the park surroundings.
Smoking inside the park is not allowed.
Do not pick any plant or insect.
Camping or having a picnic inside the park is not allowed.
Plenty of water should be carried along, especially in summers, when it gets very hot.

More Information on Gir Wildlife Sanctuary:

A royal decline to an offer of a lion hunt and almost a hundred years helped to save the Asiatic Lion from extinction.
The population of the Asian Lions in Gir had dwindled to a mere 15, due to extensive trophy hunting.
In the early 1900s, Lord Curzon advised the Nawab of Junagadh to protect the remaining lions.
Even though the lion was declared as a protected animal, conservation efforts were started much later.
In 1955, killing of Lions was totally banned.
In 1969, the Gir forest was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary.
?6 yrs later, it was established as a national park.
The continued efforts to save the Lion have paid off and the Lion population is now 312.
The Gir Lion is smaller in size than its African counterpart.
The Gir lion, unlike the African lion never eats Carrion.
Three reserves - the Nalsarover Lake and Sanctuary, Rann of Kutch and the Flamingo Island make Gujarat an exciting place for wildlife enthusiasts.
In the Nalsarover Lake and Sanctuary, water birds accumulate in large numbers.
In the bare saline flats of the Rann of Kutch, the Indian wild ass has made itself a home.
The spectacular Flamingo Island has many nesting colonies of flamingoes.
There are some areas of Hindu worship and pilgrimage as well as sulphur springs at Tulsi Shyam and Kankai Mata.


Lodges and Resorts in Gir Wildlife Sanctuary

	1: THE GIR LODGE	Book Now	Details
	2: THE MANELAND JUNGLE HOUSE	Book Now	Details

other lodges and resorts