Gir National Park

Gir National Park is also a Wildlife Sanctuary, a forest and, as the name suggests, a National park located near Talala Gir in Gujarat, India. This National Park lies 65 km south-east of Junagadh, 43 km north-east of Somnath, and 60 km southwest of Amreli. It was founded in 1965 in the private hunting territory of the erstwhile Nawab of Junagarh. It has a total area of 1,412 km2, of which 258 km2 is entirely protected as a national park, and 1,153 km2 is designated as a wildlife sanctuary. The Gir National Park is a dry deciduous ecoregion. The population of Asiatic Lions in the National Park was 523 in 2015, 27 percent more than the number in 2010.

History of Gir National Park

Only about a dozen Asiatic lions remained in India by the end of the nineteenth century. All of them were in the Gir Forest. The Nawab of Junagadh was forced to create the sanctuary after he was made aware by the British Viceroy of the alarming loss of the lion population in Gir. Now, in the whole of Asia, Asiatic lions can only be found in Gir. This National Park is one of Asia’s most important and protected areas due to its biodiversity.

Geography of Gir National Park

Water Reserve 

Shingod, Godavari, Machhundri, Hari, Datardi, Shetrunji and the Raval Gir are the perennial rivers which flow here. The area’s four reservoirs are located at four dams; they are the Shingoda, Machhundri, Hiran and Kamleshwar dams, termed as ‘the lifeline of Gir.’ The coordinates of the National Park lie between 21°08′09′′N and 70°47′49′′E.

Flora

In a survey of Gir National Park conducted by Samtapau & Raizada in 1955, almost 400 plant species were identified. During their survey, the Botany department at M.S. University of Baroda updated the count to 507. Teak-bearing areas are mostly found on the forest’s eastern side, which accounts for approximately half of its entire size.

Acacias come in a variety of species. Ber, Jamun (Syzygium cumini), babul (acacia), flame of the forest, zizyphus, tendu, and dhak are some of the other plants that may be found here. The forests are very significant for biological studies. Annual harvesting yields almost 5 million kg of green grass, worth about 500 million (US$7.12 million) in value. Each year 123,000 metric tonnes of wood for fuel are produced in the forest.

Fauna 

All the types of wildlife are present in the Gir National Park. The jungle cat, Asiatic lion, golden jackal, ruddy mongoose, Indian leopard, striped hyena, Indian gray, Bengal fox and honey badger are among the carnivores. The Primary herbivores of the national park are Four-horned antelope, Chinkara, Chital, Nilgai, and Sambar. The blackbucks sometimes pay a visit in the surrounding area. Hare and porcupine are mammals that are spread very widely, while the pangolins are not so common. Both poisonous as well as non-poisonous snakes are also found in the National Park. Pythons are seen occasionally.

Ecological Problems for Gir National Park

The environment of the Sanctuary and the Gir National Park is threatened by a number of factors. Droughts, cyclones, and forest fires are natural disasters that affect the park. Excessive traffic, overgrazing, encroachment, and the resultant weed infestation are all manifestations of anthropogenic dangers. Tourism, as well as mining in the peripheral zone, contribute to this environmental damage. The railway lines that pass all over the outer zone destroy the environment. The small genetic base of massive mammals is also a cause of worry.

Conclusion

Gir National Park is also a Wildlife Sanctuary and also a forest located near Talala Gir in Gujarat, India. Gir National Park lies 65 km south-east of Junagadh, 43 km north-east of Somnath, and 60 km southwest of Amreli. Only about a dozen Asiatic lions remained in India by the end of the nineteenth century. All of them were in the Gir Forest, which was part of Junagarh’s Nawab private hunting grounds. So, the Nawab decided to establish a sanctuary to preserve the Asiatic lions.