Gir Sanctuary completes 50 yrs as the home to Asiatic lion

Gir Sanctuary completes 50 yrs Home to Asiatic lion

Gir Sanctuary & National Park

India’s State of Gujarat is in the forefront of development, Saurashtra is the westernmost, mainly dry and dough-prone region of Gujarat, and Gir is the jewel of Saurashtra.  Spread over 1412 sq. km. Of undulating land with dry deciduous forest, Gir is best known as the last of the Asiatic lion in the wild.

Over 400 lions, more that 250 leopards, and a number of other carnivores; ungulates crossing that 50,000 mark and 300+ species of birds flitting about among 500 types of tress; more than 2000 species of insects and other lesser know animals green revering patches of forest and dry scrub jungle; That’s Gir National park and Sanctuary a veritable paradise of biological diversity.

Asiatic Lion (Pathera leo persica)

The Asiatic lion once ranges from Iran/Iraq to UP and Bihar in India, the river Narmadawhich it never crossed-marking the southern boundary.  Hunting and loss of habitant caused its disappearance everywhere except in Gir.  Protection given by the Nawab of Junagadh and after independence, by the Gujarat State Forest Department has brought this magnificent animal back from the brick of extinction in the wild.

The Gir Sanctuary was created in 1965 and part of it was declared a National Park in 1975.

The Asiatic lion is some what different from the African lion.  Its mean is smaller, and it has a prominent belly-fold.  In Gir its main prey based comprises chital, sambar, wild boar.

Biological diversity

Gir National Park and Sanctuary harbours an amazing variety of life and habitats, besides the widely know Asiatic lion.