Gir National Park "EMPOWER IAS"

In news:

• ​ A lioness in Gujarat’s Gir National Park mothered a leopard cub for more than a month. A study has noted their short-lived bonding as a rare case of foster care between two competing feline species.

 

About Gir National Park

• Gir National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary is the last shelter to the surviving population of the Asiatic Lion in the wild.
• The park is located at 43 km (27 mi) north-east of Somnath, 65 km (40 mi) south-east of Junagadh and 60 km (37 mi) south-west of Amreli.
• The Government declared a big extent of Sasan Gir as wildlife sanctuary on 18th September, 1965 in order to conserve the Asiatic Lion.
• Sasan Gir as wildlife sanctuary scattered in area of 1412 square kilometers out of which 258 Km covers the core area of the National Park.
• The park is scattered in the area of 1412 sq. km (deciduous forest) comprising semi-evergreen and evergreen flora, acacia, scrub jungle, grasslands and rocky hills.
• Most of the area of the park is rugged hills, with high ridges and densely forested valleys, wide grassland plateaus, and isolated hilltops.
• The forest area of Gir was the hunting grounds of the Nawabs of Junagadh. But when the population of lions declined drastically then Nawab Sir Muhammad Rasul Khanji Babi declared Gir as a "protected" area in 1900.
• The 14th Asiatic Lion Census 2015 was conducted in May 2015. In 2015, the population has been 523 (27% up compared to previous census in 2010). The population was 411 in 2010 and 359 in 2005.
• In the total population of 523 there are 109 males, 201 females and 213 young/cubs.
• Gir has about 523 lions and 300 leopards, making it as one of the major 'big cat' concentrations in India.
• The carnivores group mainly comprises Asiatic lions, Indian leopards, Indian cobras, jungle cats, striped hyenas, golden jackals, Indian mongoose, Indian palm civets, and honey badgers.
• Desert cats and rusty-spotted cats also seen but rarely.
• The main herbivores of Gir are chital, Nilgai, Sambar, four-horned antelope, Chinkara and wild boar.
• Blackbucks from the surrounding area are sometimes seen in the sanctuary.
• Gir has a large population of marsh crocodile, which is among the 40 species of reptiles and amphibians recorded in the sanctuary.
• The park checklist has over 250 species of birds. Rare species such as Lesser Florican and the Sarus Crane are recorded in the grasslands along the periphery of the sanctuary.

 

 

 

Rivers and dams

• The seven major perennial rivers of the Gir region are Hiran, Shetrunji, Datardi, Shingoda, Machhundri, Godavari and Raval.
•  The four reservoirs of the area are at four dams, one each on Hiran, Machhundri, Raval and Shingoda rivers, including the biggest reservoir in the area, the Kamleshwar Dam, dubbed ‘the lifeline of Gir’.

 

Flora

• Teak occurs mixed with dry deciduous species. Savannah forests of Gir are locally known as “vidis”. It is the largest dry deciduous forest in western India.
• Several species of acacia are found. Also found here are ber, jamun, flame of the forest, zizyphus, tendu and dhak.

 

Fauna

• The carnivores group mainly comprises the Asiatic lion, Indian leopard, jungle cat, striped hyena, Golden jackal, Indian and Ruddy mongoose, and honey badger.
•  The main herbivores of Gir are chital, nilgai, sambar, four-horned antelope, chinkara and wild boar.
• Among the smaller mammals, porcupine and hare are common. The reptiles are represented by the mugger crocodile, Indian cobra, tortoise and monitor lizard .

 

Other National Parks in Gujarat

• • Black buck National Park
  • Vansda National park
  • Marine National Park

 

Asiatic Lion

• Scientific Name: Panthera leo persica
• Habitat: Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary

 

Threats

• They are vulnerable to disease, encroachment, forest fire, natural calamities, grazing, collection of fuelwood, Non-timber forest produce (NTFP), poaching, tourism, religious pilgrimage and accidental lion deaths due to human causes.
  • In 2018, Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) was responsible for the death of more than 25 Lions in the Gir forest of Gujarat.
  • Also, there have been indications of poaching incidents in recent years
     

 

Protection Status

• • IUCN Red List: Endangered
  • CITES: Appendix I