About Gir National Park:
In the 19th century, the rulers of Indian princely states used to invite the British colonists for hunting expeditions. At the end of the 19th century, only about a dozen Asiatic lions were left in India, all of them in the Gir Forest, which was part of the Nawab of Junagarh’s private hunting grounds. British viceroys brought the drastic decline of the lion population in Gir to the attention of the Nawab of Junagadh, who established the sanctuary. Today, it is the only area in Asia where Asiatic lions occur and is considered one of the most important protected areas in Asia because of its biodiversity. The Gir ecosystem with its diverse flora and fauna is protected as a result of the efforts of the government forest department, wildlife activists and NGOs. It is now considered the jewel of Gujarat’s ecological resources.
Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Sasan Gir, is a forest and wildlife sanctuary near Talala Gir in Gujarat, India. It is located 43 km (27 mi) north-east of Somnath, 65 km (40 mi) south-east of Junagadh and 60 km (37 mi) south-west of Amreli. It was established in 1965, with a total area of 1,412 km2 (545 sq mi), of which 258 km2 (100 sq mi) is fully protected as national park and 1,153 km2 (445 sq mi) as wildlife sanctuary. It is part of the Khathiar – Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion.
The 14th Asiatic Lion Census 2015 was conducted in May 2015. In 2015, the population was 523 (27% up compared to previous census in 2010). The population was 411 in 2010 and 359 in 2005. The lion population in Junagadh District was 268 individuals, 44 in Gir Somnath District, 174 in Amreli District , and 37 in Bhavangar District. There are 109 males, 201 females and 213 cubs.
The seven major perennial rivers of the Gir region are Hiran, Shetrunji, Datardi, Shingoda, Machhundri, Godavari and Raval. 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’.
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.
Weather:
The climate in Gir varies round the year. Besides summer and winter, Gir enjoys a tropical monsoon climate. The temperature plummets to about 10°C in winter and rises to a scorching 43°C in summer. The normal monsoon starts from mid-June and lasts till September, and bulk of precipitation is received during July and August.
Fauna:
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.
The carnivores group mainly comprises the Asiatic lion, Indian leopard, jungle cat, striped hyena, golden jackal, Bengal fox, Indian gray mongoose and Ruddy mongoose, and honey badger. Desert cats and rusty-spotted cats occur but are rarely seen.
The main herbivores of Gir are chital, nilgai, sambar, four-horned antelope, chinkara and wild boar. Blackbucks from the surrounding area are sometimes seen in the sanctuary. Among the smaller mammals, porcupine and hare are common, but the pangolin is rare.
The reptiles are represented by the mugger crocodile, Indian cobra, tortoise and monitor lizard which inhabit the sanctuary’s bodies of water. Snakes are found in the bush and forest. Pythons are sighted at times along the stream banks. Gir has been used by the Gujarat State Forest Department which formed the Indian Crocodile Conservation Project in 1977 and released close to 1000 marsh crocodiles into Lake Kamleshwar and other small bodies of water 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 of vultures. Some of the typical species of Gir include crested serpent eagle, endangered Bonelli’s eagle, changeable hawk-eagle, brown fish owl, Indian eagle-owl, rock bush-quail, Indian peafowl, brown-capped pygmy woodpecker, black-headed oriole, crested treeswift and Indian pitta. The Indian grey hornbill was not found from the last census of 2001.
Visitors Information:
Situated approximately 65 Kms South East of Junagarh District.
Gir National Park is closed from 16 June to 15 October every year. The best time to visit it is between December and March. Although it is very hot in April and May, these are the best months for wildlife viewing and photography.
Junagadh Railway Station is about 55 kms. Rajkot Airport or Railway Station is about 155 kms. Ahmedabad is Around 300 kms
Coordinates: 21°08′08″N 70°47′48″E.
Safari Gates at Gir:
Gir National Park (13 Different Gates)
Devalia Park
Gypsy & Jeep Safaris are available. The safari Timings are:
Gir National Park (13 Different Gates):
Morning: 06:00 AM to 09:00AM & 09:00 AM to 12:00 AM
Evening: 03:00 PM to 06:00PM
Devalia Park: (Closed on Wednesdays)
Morning: 08:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Evening: 03:00 PM to 05:00 PM
Safari booking at Gir National Park is controlled by the Dept. of Forest, Gujarat (Govt. of India). One has to book the safari permit online. All the detail of Travelers must be filled in the form. Proof details must be entered with valid identity card.
The gypsy charges or vehicle charges are separate and one has to pay differently.
The tourists are not allowed to get down from the vehicle throughout the safari. A set of rules and regulation exists for the safari and the park guide is aware of that. One has to follow his instruction in order to follow the regulations.
For the gate entry one needs to produce identification documents of the tourists like passport/ aadhar card / pan card etc. For the foreigners the passport in original has to be shown.
Things to do in and around Sasan Gir:
Nature Walk at Sasan Gir
Bird Watching tour at Sasan Gir
Somnath (75 kms from Sasan Gir)
Diu – Beach Destination (100 kms from Sasan Gir)
Source: Wikipedia.