Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Exploring the Jungles of Gir Forest National Park

The state of Gujarat in India, like all the other states, is like a bag full of candies. It has something for everyone. There are many amazing destinations to visit in Gujarat. While a large number of people visit Gujarat for its unique culture, the wildlife of Gujarat also has a lot of takers. The jungles of the Gir Forest National Park are ideal for exploring the rich biodiversity of Gujarat. Here are some interesting facts one should know about Gir National Park before visiting it.

1. The Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary were established in 1965.

2. It covers a very large area of 1412 km² inside which, 258 km² is a fully protected area. The remaining area is a wildlife sanctuary.

Asiatic-Lion-Gir-National-Park

3. The forests of Gir were a protected area under the princely state of Junagadh.

4. The main attraction of Gir National Park is the Asiatic Lion population that is more than 400.

5. The Gir National Park is also the only remaining natural habitat for these lion subspecies.

6. The presence of a supportive natural environment for Asiatic Lions makes it one of the most important protected areas in Asia.

Striped-Hyena-Gir-National-Park

7. Besides Asiatic lions, other carnivores of Gir National Park are the Indian leopards, sloth bears, jungle cats, striped hyenas and golden Jackals. The herbivorous population includes chital, nilgai, sambar, four-horned antelope, chinkara and wild boar.

8. The bird population of Gir consists of 300 different species and an astonishing number of 2000 species of insects can be found in the forests.

9. Around 400 species of plants are also recorded in Gir. The forest mostly consists of dry deciduous trees.

10. The best time to visit the Gir National Park is from December till the end of March.

Our entry for ABC Wednesday.

17 comments:

  1. The lion pic surprised me. I didn't know there were lions in India. Interesting.

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    1. Thanks for visiting by. Yes there are, in-fact Gir National Park is the only place outside Africa where one can find lions in their natural habitat.

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  2. Very interesting and important for wildlife! In my country we have only one national park, where we find wild boar and deer. We can walk there freely, though the wildboar are sometimes dangerous during breeding times.
    Great choice for J ! Thank you!
    Wil, ABCW Team.

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    1. In India we have many national parks. So one can never run out from a wildlife destination to choose from.

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  3. Beautiful Photos!
    Greetings, RW & SK

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  4. I thought the Asiatic Lion was extinct, so it's good to hear they are surviving - just!

    Seems like a lot of carnivores for one National Park! Eep!

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    1. They are thriving there.
      And they all keep their distance from each other :P

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  5. Fun to see... at a distance!
    ROG, ABC Wednesday team

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  6. Fascinating post and lovely photos.

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  7. Very good photo's.....thanks for sharing.

    Greetings from Holland, Joop

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  8. If I ever saw one, I'll probably say "Hi, Ena."

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  9. Hi there - I was reading about lions in India a few days ago - and here they are. Nice.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  10. What an interesting part of the world!!!
    Cheers from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!

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