Wildlife of Gujarat

Wildlife is one of the most famous attractions for visitors to Gujarat. The state has a variety of landscapes and landforms to shelter a wide range of animal species. The deciduous forests of Gir, the expansive grasslands of Velavadar, vast landscapes of the Rann of Kutch and the wetlands of Nalsarovar are the main habitats of the animal species found in Gujarat. The state has a number of national parks and sanctuaries where you can watch some of the rarest species of animals and birds.

The national parks and sanctuaries in Gujarat are as follows:

National Parks
» Gir National Park
» Marine National Park
» Blackbuck National Park
» Vansda National Park

Sanctuaries
» Wild Ass Sanctuary
» Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary
» Narayan Sarovar Chinkara Sanctuary
» Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary
» Thol Wildlife Sanctuary
» Porbandar Bird Sanctuary
» Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary

Gir National Park
Home to the last surviving population of the Asiatic Lions, the Gir National Park is Located in the south-west border of the Saurashtra Peninsula in the state of Gujarat India. Inhabiting about 300 Asiatic Lions, this area flanked with three unique and unusual reserves, the Nalsarovar Lake and Sanctuary; the Rann of Kutch and the Flamingo Islands makes a very delightful wildlife holiday for the wildlife enthusiasts.

Spread in an area of 1412.13 sq km, the Gir park area was the royal hunting grounds of the Nawab of Junagadh, and later defined as a protected forest by the concerned Government bodies. In 1966, 600 sq km were initially bounded as the Gir forest area, which was further extended to 1150 sq km. The park with it's core area of approximately 300 sq km was officially declared a national park in 1975.

Marine National Park
Spread over an area of 458 sq km, it is India's first marine national park. The national park is located in the Gulf of Kutch and is located at a distance of 30 km from Jamnagar. A variety of corals and fishes call the park their home and can be found close to the Pirotan Islands. Besides, the park is home to some rare and threatened species of animals and birds. The great Indian bustard, one of the most threatened bird species in India, has found a refuge here. The four-horned antelopes and blackjacks are the other major attractions for visitors in the park.

The marine life in the park is really interesting and worth seeing. Apart from beautiful corals, you can witness turtles, shrimp, sponge, eel and sea urchin among others. Octopuses can also be seen in good numbers here.