Blackbuck National Park

The Blackbuck National Park was established in 1976 in the Bhal region of Saurashtra, 74 km from Bhavnagar’s facility.  This 34 sq-km park is surrounded by agricultural fields and wastelands in the north and the Gulf of Khambhat in the south. Apart from the eponymous blackbuck, animals like nilgai, jungle cat, jackal, wolf, and fox can also be found in this sanctuary. 

Birds are one of the main attractions of this park. Pelicans and white and painted storks, flamingos, three types of cranes, a variety of birds of prey, and the infrequently seen Stolizca’s bush chat can all be found here. Because of the marshes, these creatures are most commonly seen in the park’s southern section.

History 

Blackbuck National Park was once a private grassland belonging to the Maharaja of Bhavnagar, who used his famous hunting cheetahs to hunt blackbucks here. The blackbuck is currently deemed endangered and is protected from hunting and poaching. The sanctuary is home to blackbucks and was founded in 1976 and nearly doubled in size by 1980. 

In the past, cyclones wreaked havoc on the park. The deadliest cyclone occurred in 1982 when the storm killed 311 blackbucks. 

In Hindu mythology, a blackbuck is considered a God. In Gujarati, it’s referred to as “askailyar”. It goes by the Sanskrit names Krishna Sara, Krishna mruga, and saranga.

Geography

The park’s geography encompasses shrub areas, grasslands, saline plains, and mudflats. The southern section of Blackbuck National Park is bordered by the Gulf of Khambhat(or Cambay), and as this section lies in the Gulf’s high tide zone, it is regularly flooded. 

Agricultural fields and Wastelands surround it on the northern side. The park is located in the semi-arid Gujarat-Rajwada biotic province. The park is situated between the Parvalia and Alang rivers, which flow into the Gulf of Khambhat. The area is frequently flooded during the monsoon. 

Blackbuck herds can be found mainly in the sanctuary’s northern section, while areas of thorn woodland in the sanctuary’s southern section provide good bird-watching opportunities. Wolves can be spotted near the bank of the Alang River, which runs along the Park’s southern boundary. 

The sea is thought to be the source of fertile soil. The mudflats are the Gulf of Khambhat’s high tide zones, with the bottom section being the Gulf of Khambhat’s low tide zone.

The Blackbuck National Park presently covers 34 square kilometres, or about one-sixth of the size of Ahmedabad. Prosopis, an invasive shrub, covers 5 square kilometres, and the high tidal mudflats and saline soils span over 10 square kilometres. 

Flora

Vad, Karanj, Kalam, Charal Sirus, Acacia, Banyan Jambu, Amli and Umro are among the rich flora found in the Blackbuck National Park. With a few patches of Prosopis chilensis or mesquite, the park is mostly grassland. 

Fauna

The animals found at Blackbuck National Park are:

Mammals – Field mice, Jungle Cat, Nilgai, Blackbuck, Wild boar, Striped Hyena, Indian Grey Wolf, Golden Jackal, Indian Fox, Hare, Wolves, Wild pigs, Rodents, Gerbil, Mongoose, Hedgehog, etc. 

Reptiles – Common Cobra, Saw Scaled Vipers, Rat Snake, Krait, Sand boa, etc.

Birds – Desert and Variable Wheatear, Singing Bushlark, Crested Lark, Rufous-tailed Lark, Ashy-crowned and Black-crowned Sparrow Lark, Painted and Grey Francolin, Painted Sandgrouse, Greater Short-toed Lark, Indian Bushlark, Chestnut Bellied Sandgrouse, Spotted Sandgrouse, Tawny Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Quails and Sarus Crane, Laggar Falcon, Eurasian Hobby, Kestrel, Red-necked Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Imperial Eagle.

Conclusion

The Blackbuck National Park was established in 1976 and is situated in Velavadar in the north of Bhavnagar district of Gujarat. The distinct geographical areas of this national park provide habitat to a range of flora and fauna species.