Something About Gujarat Wildlife Sanctuaries
Let's See first what exactly is a sanctuary. A Sanctuary is a protected area which is reserved for the conservation and protection of only animals and birds, for propagating or developing wildlife, and only fewer human activities like harvesting of timber, collecting ample amount of forest products and fewer private ownership rights are allowed as long as they do not interfere with the well-being of the animals that are the habitants of those sanctuaries. The main purpose of the Sanctuary is the protection of biological life and the environment at large. The continuous extinction of wildlife species has made it more and more necessary for the world at large to develop and enhance more such sanctuaries.
Managed by the Forest Department of the Government of Gujarat there are 4 National Parks and 22 Wildlife Sanctuaries in Gujarat.
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The main wildlife sanctuaries in Gujarat and their inhabitants are as follows:
Wild Assess Sanctuary - total area of 1153.42 sq. Km. located in Kutch. The main wildlife that is resident here is Chinkara, Blue bull, Blackbuck, Wolf Fox.
Nal Sarovar Birds Sanctuary - total area of 120.82 sq. Km. located in Nalsarovar, Ahmedabad. It's home to more than 200 types of birds that land in this lake having nesting areas to escape the harsh winter.
Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary - total area of 180.66 Km located in Banaskantha. It is bestowed with several rare and endangered species of flora and fauna along with being home to leopards, Rhesus macaque, Indian civet cat, porcupine, fox, striped, hyena, wild boar, sloth bear.
Barda Wild Life Sanctuary - total area 192.31 sq. Km area situated near Porbandar. It has one of the most diverse floral compositions and therefore it is a potential source of remedies for many ailments. This sanctuary is home to very rare and endangered specifies Spotted Eagle and Crested Hawk-Eagle. Also, this has rich flora and fauna along with southern tropical forest, southern dry mixed deciduous forest and northern tropical thorn forest, Euphorbia scrub, dry deciduous scrub, and dry bamboo brakes.
Marine National Park - total area of 270 sq Km located in the Gulf of Kutch. This sanctuary has rich moist deciduous forests like those found in the dense forests of the Danes. This sanctuary comprises of many of the most threatened birds. The four-horned antelope which is the world's only antelope named the chowsingha is found here in hefty numbers. Found here is one of the largest herds of blackjacks and flamingos which nest in huge numbers in this sanctuary.
Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary total area of 442.9116. This place is home to endangered mammals, reptiles, and birds. The main species here is the Chinkara, well known by the name of an Indian gazelle.
Shoolpaneshwar Wild Life Sanctuary - total area of 607.71 sq. Km in Narmada district, It encompasses mixed dry deciduous forest, riverine forest, all canopy, deep valleys, somber rocks, gentle streams, few pockets of moist teak forest, agricultural fields, and two water reservoirs which are a major watershed.
Balaram Ambaji Wild Life Sanctuary- total area of 607.71 Km situated in hills of Aravali, homing the dry deciduous forests of North Gujarat. This sanctuary supports species of lower plants namely Modad, bili, dudhi, golar, kanji, indrajav, karanj, arjun sadad, dhavado, saledi, kadaya, timru, khakhara, bor, jamun, behda, khair, desi baval, etc.
Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary - total area of 130.388 Km situated in Champaner Comprising of teak and mahuda trees, bamboo, and other lush vegetation, This Sanctuary is home to many kinds of wildlife which include the wild boar, leopard, nilgai, blue bull, jackal, hyena, barking deer, sloth bear, and chausingha to name a few.
Gaga Great Indian Bustard Wildlife Sanctuary - total area of 332 hectares located in Kalyanpur Taluka. It comprises of grassland, flamingoes, great Indian bustard, lark, partridge, saline scrub, sand grouse, kerdo, gorad, and piloo. The range of important animal species, such as nilgai, golden jackal, jungle cat, mongoose, and Indian wolf reside here.
Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is also known as Sasan Gir - a total area of 153.876 Km situated in Gir. Asiatic wildcat and rusty-spotted Blackbucks, cat, chital, nilgai, Indian gray mongoose, and ruddy mongoose sambar, four-horned antelope, chinkara, leopard, jungle cat, striped hyena, golden jackal, Bengal fox, and wild boar, Few mammals, porcupine, hare, mugger crocodile, Indian cobra, honey badger, tortoise and monitor lizard, Pythons, serpent eagle, etc
Hingolgadh Nature Reserve Wildlife Sanctuary -total area of 6.547 Km situated at Rajkot. This sanctuary is hot habitat for Chinkara, blue bull, and a very large number of resident and migratory birds. This Sanctuary is surrounded by rain-fed arid lands from all sides.
Lala Great Indian Bustard Wildlife Sanctuary also known as Kutch Bustard Sanctuary or Kutch Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary - total area of 2.0310 Km situated at Jakhau. This Sanctuary is specifically conserving bustard - known as the heaviest flying bird belonging to the avian family of Otididate. Also spotted are large flocks of flamingos, herons, egrets, sandpipers, and other birds
Kachchh Desert Wildlife Sanctuary- total area of 7506.221 Km making it the largest Wildlife Sanctuary situated at Rann of Kutch. Also known as one of the largest seasonal saline wetlands. A variety of birds and mammal life is found in this Sanctuary. It also nests a huge amount of flamingoes.
Khijadiya Wildlife Sanctuary- total area of 6.0512 Km located at Jamnagar is home to 300 plus migratory birds along with freshwater lakes, salt, and freshwater marshlands.
Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuary - total area of 18.2214 Km situated in Mithiya that homes 11 to 12 lions and leopards, Spotted deer, and nilgai (blue bulls).
Paniya Wildlife Sanctuary- total area of 39.6317 Km situated at Amreli also known as Chanchai-Pania. This sanctuary is ideal for grass homing lions, leopards, and chinkaras.
Porbandar Lake Wildlife Sanctuary- total area of 1.09 Km situated at Porbandar. The sanctuary which nests varied bird species out of few are teals, fowls, flamingos, ibis, and curlews.
Purna Wildlife Sanctuary - total area of 160.84 Km situated at North Western Ghats. This sanctuary is protecting varied wild animals like leopard, rhesus macaque, bonnet macaque, common mongoose, Indian civet cat, Indian porcupine, four-horned antelope, barking deer, sambar, chital, hyena, and jungle cat.
Rampara Vidi Wildlife Sanctuary- total area of 15.01 Km encompasses Wolf, jackal, hyena, common fox, hare, jungle cat, blue bull, 20 species of snakes, partridge, common peafowl, sandgrouse, ringdove, large gray babbler, purple sunbird, yellow-throated sparrow to name a few.
Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary - total area of 55.6521 Km situated at Dahod. This Sanctuary is the natural habitat of Sloth bears.
Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary- total area of 6.99 Km situated at Kadi, Mehsana. It habitats 150 species of birds with common birds such as flamingoes and sarus crane.
