Black Buck N.P. Velavadhar in the Bhal region of Saurashtra. The only tropical grassland in India to be given the status of a national park, Velavadar National Park is a 36 km patch of Savannah type grasslands and thorn scrub. The park is set between two rivers, a few miles from the Gulf of Cambay sea coast. The rich soil is believed to have origins in the sea. The principal attraction of the park is the massive population of blackbuck, the handsome Indian antelope, seen here in numbers running into thousands. The blackbuck is endemic to India and is rated among the most elegant antelopes and the fastest animals over a long distance. During the rule of the Maharajahs of Bhavnagar, Velavadar was harvested for grass to feed the royal cattle herds and the antelope were protected except for an occassional hunting camp. This is where His highness Krishnakumar Sinhji coursed blackbucks using cheetahs and flew falcons.
Velavadar is one of the few places in the world where the wolf population is proliferating. The wolf is the prime predator of Velavadar national park. Other mammals seen in Velavadar are fox, jackal, jungle cat, wild pig, hare and rodents. The birdlife is extensive. Sandgrouse, larks and other grasslands are seen in fair numbers. The harrier roost at Velavadar national park is one of the largest in the world. The wold and the jackals are the main predators in the park. Wolves here use shrub land for lying-up, denning and for rendezvous and depend on blackbuck, hare and other small animals as their prey. Another rare sight is that of the lesser florican who migrate here and settle here be breed in the grasslands. After arrival, the male bird marks the territory and displays to attract the female. The courtship display of the male is a spectacular vertical leap up to a hight of two meters and may display over 500 times in a day ! Velavadar is also an excellent place to see a large number of harriers. The Park is very rich in other birdlife as well.

A word of praise would not be out of place for the Kathi community, who like the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan have protected the blackbuck with vigour and zeal, as it is associated with their past history of valor and religious practices. Such communities are the real strength of wildlife protection in Gujarat.

Arrival Information :

     Convenient  trains  from Ahmedabad  to Jamnagar,  from where boats  can be hired.

Objective: The main objective of the study is to assess the impact of Narmada canal on the Park and biodiversity there in. Introduction, Background information, Productivity & carrying capacity, Study on invasion of Prosopis juliflora, black buck, lesser florican, wolf and prey-pre dator relationship, Field trials of different techniques to prevent movement of black buck out side the Park, Impact assessment and Environmental safe guards & impact management. 95 species flowering plants, 14 of mammals, 140 of birds and 7 of reptiles are found.