The Asiatic Lion (also known as the Persian Lion or Indian Lion) is a member of the Panthera Leo Leosubspecies that is restricted to India.
Its previous habitats consisted of West Asia and the Middle East before it became extinct in these regions.
Asiatic lions are slightly smaller than African lions.
The most striking morphological character, which is always seen in Asiatic lions, and rarely in African lions, is a longitudinal fold of skin running along its belly.
Distribution:
Asiatic lions were once distributed to the state of West Bengal in east and Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, in central India.
At present Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is the only abode of the Asiatic lion.
Threats:
Its vulnerability to unpredictable events such as a plague or a natural disaster, poaching and locals near the Gir National Park killing the lions in retaliation for attacks on livestock.
It is India’s first Marine Wildlife Sanctuaryand first Marine National Park which were created in the Gulf of Kutch in 1980 and 1982, respectively.
It is an archipelago of 42 tropical islands along the northern coast of Jamnagar district and the southern coast of Kutch.
Some of the finest coral reef fringe islands are found at Pirotan, Narala, Ajad and Positara, with species of hard and soft coral.
Major Fauna: Corals, sea turtles such as green sea turtles (EN), olive ridleys (VU) and leatherbacks (VU), dugongs (sea cow; VU), Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins.
Threats: Extraction of corals and sands by cement industries, increased turbidity of water, oil refineries, chemical industries, and mechanized fishing boats.
Vansda (Bansda) National Park
Also known as Bansda National Park.
It is located on the banks of Ambika River in the Western Ghats.
The park has dwellings of local tribals belonging to Bhil, Gamit, Warli, Kokni, Kunbi and Dangi tribes.
Vegetation: Deciduous forests.
Major Flora: Teak, bamboo, sisam trees.
Major Fauna: Indian leopard, rhesus macaque, small Indian civet, chausingha, Indian (Malabar) giant squirrel.
Wildlife Sanctuaries of Gujarat
Balaram Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary
It is located to the south ofMt. Abu (in Aravallis)at the Gujarat-Rajasthan border.
Major Fauna: Sloth bear, striped hyena, leopard, Nilgai, Indian porcupine, small Indian civet, Indian pangolin.
Barda Wildlife Sanctuary
Barda Wildlife Sanctuary area falls into two districts, Porbandar and Jamnagar in the state of
It is characteristically abundant in floral diversity, which consists of a good number of medicinal plants.
Flora:The area has the maximum floral diversity in the state (650 plant species), Gorad, Babul, Dhav, Rayan, Ber, Jamun, Amli, Dhudhlo, Bamboo
Fauna: Leopard, Hyena, Wild boar, wolf, Jackal, blue bull, Rare and endangered spotted eagle and crested hawk eagle etc.
It was a previous range of Asiatic lions. The Gujarat Forest Department has presented its proposal to make BWLS the second home to the lions as part of “Project Lion @ 2047”.
Gaga (Great Indian Bustard) Wildlife Sanctuary
It is situated in the Saurashtra peninsula on the coast of the Gulf of Kutch.
It is established to protect Great Indian Bustard (CR). Along with Kutch Bustard Sanctuary, Gaga Wildlife Sanctuary is one of two great Indian bustard sanctuaries in Gujarat.
Great Indian Bustard (GIB)
The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), the State bird of Rajasthan, is considered India’s most critically endangered bird.
It is considered the flagship grassland species, representing the health of the grassland ecology.
Its population is confined mostly to Rajasthan and Gujarat. Small populations occur in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Threat:
The bird is under constant threats due to collision/electrocution with power transmission lines, hunting (still prevalent in Pakistan), habitat loss and alteration as a result of widespread agricultural expansion, etc.
It is kept under the species recovery programme under the Integrated evelopment of Wildlife Habitats of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
National Bustard Recovery Plans:
It is currently being implemented by conservation agencies.
Conservation Breeding Facility:
MoEF&CC, Rajasthan government and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) have also established a conservation breeding facility in Desert National Park at Jaisalmer in June 2019.
The objective of the programme is to build up a captive population of Great Indian Bustards and to release the chicks in the wild for increasing the population.
Project Great Indian Bustard:
It has been launched by the Rajasthan government with an aim of constructing breeding enclosures for the species and developing infrastructure to reduce human pressure on its habitats.
Eco-Friendly Measures:
Task Force for suggesting eco-friendly measures to mitigate impacts of power transmission lines and other power transmission infrastructures on wildlife including the Great Indian Bustard.
Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary
It is famous for Asiatic lions (EN).
It is located in the Girnar Hills.
Girnar Hills in Junagadh district of Gujarat, are famous since ancient times as a place of pilgrimage for both Hindus and Jains.
Jessore Sloth Bear Wildlife Sanctuary
Situated in the Banaskantha district.
It is established to the south of Mt. Abu at the Gujarat-Rajasthan border for the protection of sloth bear (VU).
The Banas River separates Jessore Sloth Bear Wildlife Sanctuary from Balaram Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary.
Sloth bears
Sloth bears are found in Sri Lanka, India, Bhutan and Nepal, predominantly in lowland areas.
Sloth bears primarily eat termites and ants, and unlike other bear species, they routinely carry their cubs on their backs.
They are also very fond of honey, hence their alternative name of “honey bear”.
Sloth bears do not hibernate.
Kutch (Lala-Parjan) Great Indian Bustard Wildlife Sanctuary
It is established to protect Great Indian Bustard (CR) (locally called Ghorad).
Along with Gaga Wildlife Sanctuary, it is one of two great Indian bustard sanctuaries in Gujarat.
Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary
It is a shallow seasonal saline wetland in the Great Rann of Kutch.
Fossils of dinosaurs, crocodiles and whales have been recovered from here.
It is a natural freshwater lake (a relict sea) located in the Thar Desert.
It is the largest wetland Bird Sanctuary in Gujarat.
The wetland is a lifeline for the Indian Wild Ass (NT) & blackbuck (LC). It is inhabited by migratory birds.
Avifauna: Flamingos, storks, herons, waterfowls.
Narayan Sarovar Chinkara Wildlife Sanctuary
It is located near Kori Creek. Its flagship species is chinkara (LC).
This Wildlife Sanctuary and Banni Grasslands (both in Kutch) have been proposed as possible sites for the reintroduction of the Asiatic cheetah (CR).
Purna Wildlife Sanctuary
It is located in the Western Ghats in Gujarat and Maharashtra and Purna River flows through it.
It is adjacent to the Vansda (Bansda) National Park.
Shoolpaneswar (Dhumkhal) Wildlife Sanctuary
It is located in the Satpura Rangesouth of theNarmada River.
It shares a common boundary with Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Tapti River separates Shoolpaneswar Wildlife Sanctuary from Purna Wildlife Sanctuary.
Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary
It is a man-made reservoir in Mehsana and is the most popular birding place near Ahmedabad after Nal Sarovar.
Major Avifauna: Flamingos, sarus cranes, great white pelicans, white-rumped vulture, Indian vulture.
Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary
It is located in the Little Rann of Kutch.
It is one of the last places where Indian wild ass (NT) can be spotted.
It can be considered a large ecotone, a transitional area between marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
It is dotted with about 74 elevated plateaus or islands, locally called ‘bets’.
The sanctuary is home to a sizeable population of Rabari and Bharwad tribes.
Flora:
It is full of dry thorny scrub, and there are no large treesexcept on the fringes and bets.
Some of the plants and trees that are found in this sanctuary are Morad, Unt morad, Theg, Dolari, Khijdo, Kerdo, Mithi jar, Kheri pilu, Akado, etc.
Fauna:
Besides Indian Wild Ass, the other mammals found here include Blackbuck, Nilgai, Bluebull, Hare, Wolf, Foxes, Desert Cat, Indian fox, Jackal, Hyena, Wild boar, etc.
There is rich birdlife, including the Houbara bustard, Sandgrouse, Pale harrier, Black-shouldered kite, Pelican, etc.
Threats: Illegal salt panning.
Indian Wild Ass
It is a sub-species of Asian Wild Ass, i.e., Equus hemionus.
It is characterized by distinctive white markings on the anterior part of the rump and on the posterior part of the shoulder and a stripe down the back that is bordered by white.
Distribution: World’s last population of Indian WildAss is restricted to Rann of Kachchh, Gujarat.
The sanctuary is located at the watershed of Ruparel river and Kalindri at the North East coastal region.
Sanctuary is located near Narara Island, and has a bio-diversified coral reef.
Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuary
also known as Mitiyala Grasslands.
Grassland with semi-dry deciduous trees.
It is almost like an offshoot of Gir Lion Sanctuary.
The area between the Mitiyala and Gir Sanctuary serves as a passage connecting the two habitats for the wildlife residing in these areas.
Porbandar Bird Wildlife Sanctuary
In the heart of city of Porbandar.
It is the only bird sanctuary in Gujarat that provides legal protection to the birds which nest there.
Ratanmahal Sloth Bear Wildlife Sanctuary
Dahod district.
The sanctuary falls on the border of Gujarat with Madhya Pradesh.
Ramsar Sites of Gujarat
Khijadia WLS
It is a freshwater wetland located in Jamnagar District near the Gulf of Kutch.
It is a freshwater wetland.
It was formed following the creation of a bund (dike) to protect farmland from saltwater ingress.
Endangered Species: Pallas’s Fish-Eagle (EN), Indian Skimmer (EN), Indian Bdellium-Tree (CR).
The sanctuary is now part of Marine National Park, Jamnagar, the first marine national park in the country. The sanctuary is also part of the Central Asian Flyway.
Nalsarovar BS
It is the largest natural freshwater lake (a relict sea) in the Thar Desert of Gujarat.
The wetland is a lifeline for a satellite population of the endangered Indian Wild Ass (NT).
Avifauna: Sociable Lapwing (CR), Sarus Crane (VU)
Thol Lake
It is a human-made reservoir essential during the dry seasons for Blackbucks (LC).
