 Gir
is the only home in India of the Lion of which there are
nearly 300 in the park. The
Gir national park
lies in the Gujarat peninsula in SW India. The
terrain is rugged with low hills and the vegetation is
mixed deciduous, with stands of Teak, Acacia, Jamun, Tendu
and Dhak trees, interespersed with large patches of
grasslands. On the hills of the trees are sparse and
stunted. Within the sanctuary, there are numerous human
settlements of cattle herders called Maldharis with an
estimated 20,000 head of livestock (which, incidentally,
forms a significant part of the Lion’s diet). There are
also places of Hindu worship and pilgrimage and sulphur
springs at Tulsi Shyam and Kankai Mata. At the edge of the
park there are good populations of Indian Gazelle,
protected by the religious sentiment of the local people.
The Kamleshwar Lake has some Marsh Crocodile. Birds in the
park include the Paradise Flycatcher, Bonelli’s Eagle and
Painted Sandgrouse. Three unusual reserves, the Nalsarover
Lake and Sanctuary, where large numbers of water-birds can
be seen; the bare saline flats of the Rann of Kutch,
incredibly the home of the Indian wild ass and the
spectacular Flamingo island where nesting colonies of
flamingoes are to be seen, make Gujarat an exciting
place for wildlife enthusiasts.
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