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Gir National Park
Being one of the youth brands of Global Tourism India (GTI Travels Pvt. Ltd.), we know your needs the best and thus offer you the best of your time and money for Gir National Park Tour. Under the guidance of our expert guides you will have surely a life time experience or everyone looking to fulfill their wildlife fantasies across one of most renowned wildlife sanctuary of India, we offer Gir Wild Life Tour Package. We all know, Gir is the only natural habitat of world popular Asiatic Lions. Where our tailor made Gir Wild Life Tour Package gives you an unparalleled opportunity to watch those rare Asiatic Lions coupled with thousands of other elusive wild animals and hard-to-find birds like uncommon Asiatic wild ass, hyenas, Gir foxes, pygmy woodpecker, brown fish owl and black buck etc, it will make sure that you receive the highest standards of luxury, comfort and travel. Additionally, all this is available at very phenomenal charges.
Gir Weekend Tour
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Jeep Safari in Gir
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Gir Lion Tour
Tour is specially structured to bring you a good time amid the Royal Asiatic Gir Lions.....................
Bird Watching in Gir
Get in touch with us right today to visit one of so many bird-watching sites in Gir Park..................
How to Reach Gir National Park Gir: National Park attracts large number of tourists to witness the Asiatic lion, as this is the sole place all across the world where these creatures are presently found. Once extinct, numbers have been recovered owing to the conservation efforts. The Sanctuary is open for tourism from 16th October to 15th June every year.
Junagadh is perhaps the best approach to the park. The railway station in Junagadh receives trains from different cities like Ahmedabad and Rajkot and other major cities. Then, from here it takes approximately one and half hour to reach Gir National Park.
From Rajkot-On reaching Rajkot Railway Station or Airport you can take a cab or bus and to reach a Limda chowk. There are a number of privately operated that go to Junagadh at frequent intervals. Junagadh is nearly 105 Kms from the city Rajkot and it takes nearly 2 and a half to 3 hours to cover the distance.From this point you have two options. First one is either you take a bus from gate number 11or 12 to Sasan Gir or travel by taxi that is accessible bang opposite the taxi stand. The taxi will take nearly one and half an hour and will charge reasonably and will drop you to Sasan Gir.
Junagadh is perhaps the best approach to the park. The railway station in Junagadh receives trains from different cities like Ahmedabad and Rajkot and other major cities. Then, from here it takes approximately one and half hour to reach Gir National Park.
From Rajkot-On reaching Rajkot Railway Station or Airport you can take a cab or bus and to reach a Limda chowk. There are a number of privately operated that go to Junagadh at frequent intervals. Junagadh is nearly 105 Kms from the city Rajkot and it takes nearly 2 and a half to 3 hours to cover the distance.From this point you have two options. First one is either you take a bus from gate number 11or 12 to Sasan Gir or travel by taxi that is accessible bang opposite the taxi stand. The taxi will take nearly one and half an hour and will charge reasonably and will drop you to Sasan Gir.
From SomNath to Gir National Park: Road Distance or the driving distance from the Gir National Park to Somnath is approximately 50 Kms and it takes nearly 1 hour to cover this distance. GSRTC buses and quite a few private buses ply between both the cities and take you directly to Sasan Gir Forest.
From Diu To Gir Park: Diu airport is closest to the Gir National Park. From here you can hire that are present just outside the airport which will take you to Sasan Gir. Sasan Gir is nearly 110 kms airport of Diu and takes approximately 2 hours to cover this distance. If you have a late afternoon flight it is better to take a halt at Diu or can visit Somnath Temple which is nearly 80 kms from Diu and the road too is good except in little patches. It just takes an hour to reach Somnath from Diu. Next morning you can move on to Sasan Gir which is just 40 kms from here and just takes half an hour to cover this distance.Some other routes to reach Sasan Gir by road is from Keshod which also has an airport and is 45 kms, Veraval is 40 kms away, Junagadh is 55kms, Rajkot is 160Kms, Ahemedabad is 410Kms. The closeby railway stations are Sasan which is 0 Kms and Rajkot which is 160 Kms.
If you can't afford a taxi there are frequent buses that are playing throughout the day. The park is easily accessible from the beautiful beaches of Diu which is about two hours drive don't want to take a taxi, pubic buses run regularly to Sasan Gir from both places during the day. People prefer private buses as it conveniently drops them to the Guest houses you want to reach. So in this way they are more convenient than the buses. No prior booking is required as the buses are available on any part of the day. So, come and enjoy the beautiful flora and fauna of Gir National Park and take home some of the most treasured moments back home.
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The Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (also known asSasan-Gir, and गिर वन) is a forest andwildlife sanctuary in Gujarat, India. Established in 1965, with a total area of 1412 km² (about 258 km² for the fully protected area the national park and 1153 km² for the Sanctuary), the park is located 43 km in the north-east fromSomnath, 65 km to the south-east ofJunagadh and 60 km to south west ofAmreli.[1]
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It is the sole home of the Asiatic lions(Panthera leo persica) and is considered to be one of the most importantprotected areas in Asia due to its supported species. The ecosystem of Gir, with its diverse flora and fauna, is protected as a result of the efforts of the government forest department, wildlife activists and NGOs. The forest area of Gir were the hunting grounds of the Nawabs of Junagadh. However, faced with a drastic drop in the lion population in Gir, Nawab Sir Muhammad Rasul Khanji Babi declared Gir as a "protected" area in 1900. His son, NawabMuhammad Mahabat Khan III [2] later assisted in the conservation of the lions whose population had plummeted to only 20 through slaughter for trophy hunting.[1]
The 14th Asiatic Lion Census 2015 was conducted in May 2015. In 2015, the population has been 523 (27% up compared to previous census in 2010). The population was 411 in 2010 and 359 in 2005. The population of lions in Junagadh District has been 268, Gir Somnath District has been 44, Amreli District has been 174 (highest increase) and Bhavangar District has been 37. There are 109 males, 201 females and 213 young/cubs.[3]
Geography
Gir National Park and Gir Wildlife Sanctuary.
Water reserves
A panorama of the reservoir
The seven major perennial rivers of the Gir region are Hiran, Shetrunji, Datardi,Shingoda, Machhundri, Godavari andRaval. The four reservoirs of the area are at four dams, one each on Hiran, Machhundri, Raval and Shingoda rivers, including the biggest reservoir in the area, the Kamleshwar Dam, dubbed 'the lifeline of Gir'. It is located between 21°08′08″N 70°47′48″E.
During peak summer, surface water for wild animals is available at about 300 water points. When drought hits the area following a poor rainfall, surface water is not available at a majority of these points, and water scarcity becomes a serious problem (mainly in the eastern part of the sanctuary). Ensuring the availability of water during peak summer is one of the major tasks of the Forest Department staff .
Flora
More than 400 plant species were recorded in the survey of Gir forest bySamtapau & Raizada in 1955. The Botanydepartment of M.S. University of Barodahas revised the count to 507 during their survey. According to the 1964 forest type classification by Champion & Sheth, the Gir forest falls under "5A/C-1a—very dry teak forest" classification. Teakoccurs mixed with dry deciduousspecies. The degradation stages (DS) sub-types are thus derived as:
- 5/DS1-Dry deciduous scrub forest and
- 5/DS1-Dry savannah forests (Locally known as "vidis"). It is the largest dry deciduous forest in western India.[1]
Teak bearing areas are mainly in the eastern portion of the forest, which constitutes nearly half of the total area.Several species of acacia are found. Also found here are ber,jamun,babul,flame of the forest,zizyphus,tendu and dhak. Also plants like karanj,umlo,amli,sirus,kalam,charal and an occasional vad or banyan tree are found.These broadleaf trees provide a cool shade and moisture content to the region.As part of the afforestation programme cassuarina and prosopishave been planted along the coast borders of gir.
The forest is an important biologicalresearch area with considerablescientific, educational, aesthetic andrecreational values. It provides nearly 5 million kilograms of green grass by annual harvesting, which is valued approximately at Rs. 500 million (US$10 million). The forest provides nearly 123,000 metric tons worth of fuel wood annually.
Wildlife
Nilgai at Gir Forest.
The count of 2,375 distinct fauna species of Gir includes about 38 species of mammals, around 300 species of birds, 37 species of reptiles and more than 2,000 species of insects.[1]
The carnivores group mainly comprisesAsiatic lions, Indian leopards, Indian cobras, jungle cats, striped hyenas,golden jackals, Indian mongoose, Indian palm civets, and ratels. desert cats andrusty-spotted cats occur but are rarely seen.[1]
The main herbivores of Gir are chital,nilgai (or bluebull), sambar, four-horned antelope, chinkara and wild boar.Blackbucks from the surrounding area are sometimes seen in the sanctuary.[1]
Among the smaller mammals, porcupineand hare are common but the pangolinis rare. The reptiles are represented by the marsh crocodile hir tortoise and themonitor lizard in the water areas of the sanctuary. Snakes are found in the bushes and forest. Pythons are sighted at times along the stream banks. Gir has been used by the Gujarat State Forest Department which adopted the Indian Crocodile Conservation Project in 1977 and released close to 1000 marsh crocodiles reared in Gir rearing centre into the Kamaleshwar lake and other reservoirs and small water bodies in and around Gir.
The plentiful avifauna population has more than 300 species of birds, most of which are resident. The scavenger group of birds has 6 recorded species ofvultures. Some of the typical species of Gir include crested serpent eagle,endangered Bonelli's eagle, crested hawk-eagle, brown fish owl, Indian eagle-owl, rock bush-quail, pygmy woodpecker, black-headed oriole,crested treeswift and Indian pitta. TheIndian grey hornbill was not found from the last census of 2001.[1]
Asiatic lion habitat, distribution and population
Male Asiatic lion in Sasan Gir
The Asiatic lion's habitat is dry scrub land and open deciduous forest. These lions were once found across northern Africa, south west Asia and northern Greece. The lion population which was 411 in 2010 has increased to 523 in 2015 and all of them are in or around the Gir Forest National Park. The first modern day count of lions was done byMark Alexander Wynter-Blyth, the principal of Rajkumar College, Rajkotand R.S.Dharmakumarsinhji sometime between 1948 to 1963, probably early in his tenure as the principal during that period. Even though the Gir Forest is well protected, there are instances of Asiatic lions being poached. They have also been poisoned for attacking livestock. Some of the other threats include floods, fires and the possibility of epidemics and natural calamities. Gir nonetheless remains the most promising long term preserve for them. While most would see the lions as aggressive and dangerous, the lions of Gir rarely attack people. They live in a very close proximity to people, which makes their behavior different almost as if they have an acquaintanceship with the neighboring people. The lions who remember being hunted have now taken the higher road and stopped the circle of life. [4]
The lion breeding programme and lion-counting
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The Lion Breeding Programme creates and maintains breeding centres. It also carries out studies of the behaviour of the Asiatic lions and also practicesartificial insemination. One such centre has been established in the Sakkarbaug Zoo at the district headquarters ofJunagadh, which has successfully bred about 180 lions. 126 pure Asiatic lions have been given to zoos in India and abroad.
The census of lions takes place every five years. Previously indirect methods like using pugmarks of the lion were adopted for the count. However, during the census of April 2005 (which originally was scheduled for 2006, but was advanced following the reports and controversy over vanishing tigers in India), "Block-Direct-Total Count" method was employed with the help of around 1,000 forest officials, experts and volunteers. It means that only those lions were counted that were "spotted" visually. Use of "live bait" (a prey that is alive and used as a bait) for the exercise, though thought to be a traditional practice, was not used this time. The reason believed to be behind this is theGujarat High Court ruling of 2000 against such a use of animals.
During the 2010 census 'The Cat Women of Gir Forest' counted more than 411 lions in the park. The women who do the counting are of traditional Muslim tribes in neighboring villages. There are over 40 women van raksha sahayaks, who seek only to protect the animals of the park. These women have worked hard to win cooperation not just from local villagers but also from maaldharis, the semi-nomadic tribal herdsmen who live in the sanctuary. While tourist numbers are increasing people do not seem to understand the phenomena taking place. The lions are almost tame in the presence of these female guards.
Gir Interpretation Zone, Devalia
Gir National Park and Sanctuary does not have a designated area for tourists. However, to reduce the tourism hazard to the wildlife and to promote nature education, an Interpretation Zone has been created at Devalia within the sanctuary. Within its chained fences, it covers all habitat types and wildlife of Gir with its feeding-cum-living cages for the carnivores and a double-gate entry system.
See also
- List of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries of Gujarat, India
- Girnar
- Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary is the site for re-introducing and establishing the world's second completely separate population of the wild free ranging Asiatic lions in the neighboring state ofMadhya Pradesh, India
- In-situ conservation
- Wildlife conservation
- Siddi
- Baradiya
References
Tap to expand
- [1]; Official website: Forests & Environment Department; State Government of Gujarat, India
External links
- Gir - The last abode of the Asiatic Lion
- Gir - The last home of Asiatic Lion
- Sasan Gir National Park
- Gir Forest in Gujarat
- Deccan Herald: Gir registers highest ever lion count
- "Call of the lion" - May 11, 2003
- Lions are leaving their lair in Gir
- Finding more space for the Asiatic lion, The Hindu - Opinion
- Frontline: A kingdom too small
- Zoo Authority of India - Info on Asiatic Lion and its Genetics
- "Translocating Asiatic Lions, India" - from Re-introduction Specialist Group of IUCN's Species Survival Commission
- National Geographic: Asia's Last Lions
Gir Forest National Park travel guide from Wikivoyage- Panthera leo (lion) from "Animal Diversity Web"
- "Translocating Asiatic Lions, India" - August 1999 from: Re-introduction Newsletter of the Re-introduction Specialist Group of IUCN's Species Survival Commission
- Asiatic l on Population and Habitat Viability Assessment.
- Asiatic Lion Information Center
- Asiatic Lion Protection Society (ALPS), Gujarat, India
- "Gir National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary", HOME TO "ASIATIC LIONS", Forest Department, Govt. of the State of Gujarat, INDIA
- Forests & Environment Department of the State Govt. of Gujarat, INDIA
- PRINCIPAL THREATS: Asiatic Lion (Panthera Leo Persica) - Specie page: CAT Specialist Group, IUCN - The World Conservation Union
- "Vanishing Herds Foundation (VHF), India" comes to the rescue of Asiatic Lion
- Samrakshan's The Kuno Initiative, Madhya Pradesh (MP) Regional Office, India.
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