An
Overview :
Located on the Junagadh district of Gujarat, the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary was
established to protect the wild population of lions. In 1965, the area of
Gir forest was declared a national park. Now there are around 300 lions in
the park with some other animal species including deer, leopards and
numerous variety of birds.
Entry Fee :
Tourist are required to get permits to enter the sanctuary, which they can
obtain from the Sinh Sadan Forest Lodge Office. The sanctuary authority
charges an entry fee of Rs. 2 for Indians and 15 for foreigners. Additional
fees are required for the entry of camera, video filming and wildlife
safaris in the jungle.
Wildlife Attractions :
Flora in the sanctuary - The main vegetation of the sanctuary comprises of
dry deciduous forest scrub, grassland and some marshland. Teak, Acacia,
Banyan are the major tree species found here. Others include the Jamun,
Karanj, Ber, Tendu and Unro. These trees provide excellent habitat to a
large variety of bird species.
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Fauna in the Sanctuary - Beside lions, the Gir Sanctuary is also home to
a large number of leopards, sambar, chital, nilgai, chowsingha, Gazelle,
wild boar, langur, hares and hyena.
» Avifauna in the Sanctuary - Its dense forest with
a large number of water bodies serve as habitat for a large variety of bird
species. The major bird species found here are flycatcher, woodpeckers,
vultures, owls, flamingo, sandgrouse, partridges, storks and a variety of
eagles.
Trips within the Park :
Jeep safari is the best way for wildlife viewing of the sanctuary.
Accommodation :
Good accommodation facilities are available both within and outside the
park. There are a number of budget and luxury hotels along with two forest
lodges ; the Sinh Sadan Lodge, the Gir Lodge offer excellent services with
all kinds of modern facilities.
Getting to the Park :
» Air - The nearest airport is Keshod at a distance
of 90 kms. From here daily flights are available to Mumbai.
» Rail - Ahmedabad(395km) the nearest railhead and
is well connected to other cities of Gujarat and the neighboring states.
» Road - State Transport has bus services to all
the major destinations of Gujarat.
