Gujarat
Gujarat is a state on the western coast of India, also my home state. It is the fifth largest Indian state by area and ninth largest state by population.
Gujarat was one of the main central areas of the Indus Valley Civilization. It contains ancient metropolitan cities from the Indus Valley such as Lothal, Dholavira & Gola Dhoro.
Gujarati is the official language of the state and is spoken by 86% of the population.
The Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat is home of the only wild population of the Asiatic lion in the world.
Sardar Sarovar Dam
The Sardar Sarovar Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Narmada river in Kevadiya, Gujarat. Four states receive water and electricity supplied from the dam namely, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra. Water from the dam irrigates approx. 18000 sq. km. of land spread over 12 districts in Gujarat and some 730 sq. km. in the arid areas of Barmer & Jalore districts in Rajasthan.
The states has 4 National Parks and 23 wildlife sanctuaries which are managed by the Forest Dept. of the Government of Gujarat. To name a few famous parks that are routinely visited by throngs of wildlife & bird photographers are:
Gir Forest National Park, Gir Somnath
Black Buck National Park, Velavadar, Bhavnagar
Little Rann of Kutch, Dasada
Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, Ahmedabad
Thol Lake Bird Sanctuary, Ahmedabad
GIR – Home to Asiatic Lion
Gir National Park is the only place in the world outside Africa where lions can be seen in its natural habitat.
Also famously known as SASAN GIR, the park is located is South-West from Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, South of Rajkot.
The park is a dry deciduous forest, and the last abode for the asiatic lion.
The sanctuary is internationally acclaimed for successfully saving this precious species from the brink of extinction.
The overwhelming presence of the omnipotent big cat diverts the attention of the common man from the remarkable bird population that the sanctuary has. However, the birds of Gir sanctuary did attract the great ornithologist, Dr. Salim Ali who believed that, had the Asiatic lions not been there, the area would have been one of the most fascinating bird sanctuaries of the country.
Unlike the other big cats, lion is tolerant of the presence of human being and it even lives near the human settlements. During the last century in British rule, lion population touched an all time low of 20 in 1913. The serious conservation efforts by the then Nawab of Junagadh saved the species from the brink of extinction. The subsequent efforts by the Forest Department has successfully brought the population to the present respectable status of 523 numbers of this majestic animal.
Black Buck National Park, Velavadar
Blackbuck National Park at Velavadar is situated in the Bhavnagar district. Established in 1976, the park is located around 42km from the district headquarters city of Bhavnagar. Hugging the coast of Gulf of Khambhat on the south.
Flat land, dry grasses and herds of antelope have always attracted visitors to this park. Successful conservation programs for the blackbuck, wolf and lesser florican are ongoing.The park is also the largest breeding ground for harriers.
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Little Rann of Kutch
The Little Rann of Kutch ( LRK ) is a salt marsh which is part of the Rann of Kutch in the Kutch district, Gujarat. LRK is home to the Indian Wild Ass. In order to conserve this species, the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary was create in 1973.
The sanctuary is home to various mammals such as Indian wolf, desert fox, nilgai, and many species of migratory birds such as ducks, pelicans, flamingoes, sandgrouse, francolin and the Indian bustard
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Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary
Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary primarily consisting of 121 sq. km. lake and ambient marshes. Mainly inhabited by migratory birds in winter and spring, it is the largest wetland bird sanctuary in Gujarat and one of the largest in India.
The lake attracts over 210 species of birds in the winter and harbors a variety of plants and animals.
Thousands of migratory waterfowl flock to this sanctuary just after the Indian monsoon season. The shallow area and ponds on the outer fringes of the lake attract the wading birds that feed in the shallow waters.
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