welcome to pknlr blog: About Sasan Gir Wildlife National Park

Tuesday 23 August 2011

About Sasan Gir Wildlife National Park

The Sasan Gir Lion Sanctuary lies on the southwestern fringes of the Saurashtra Peninsula. The sanctuary is home to some 432 Asiatic lions. The sanctuary was created in 1913 to provide protection to the largest surviving groups of the Asiatic lions. It was given the status of the sanctuary in 1965. The vegetation of the sanctuary consists of teak and deciduous trees including Sal (Shorea), Dhak (Butea frondosa) and Thorn Forests. The forest has a rugged terrain with steep rocky hillsides. There are A few springs also, but their flow generally depend upon the season. The Asiatic Lions had once become almost extinct specie. The number of Asiatic lions has been steadily on the rise since 1980 in the Gir Lion Sanctuary. The Asiatic Lion attracts a lot of visitors to the park every year. Sasan Gir is the only place in the world where the lion can be seen in its natural habitat outside the African continent. The Asiatic lion is slightly smaller than its African counterpart. The lion Safaris are popular among tourists. Jeeps and minibuses are freely available for touring the forest. The best time of the day to observe lions in their natural surroundings is at dawn and dusk, when they are on the prowl. Though the Asiatic lion is an elusive creature, a morning safari has a good chance of spotting the beast. The sanctuary provides natural habitat to other species like Chital, Chinkara (Gazelle), Four-Horned Antelope, Leopard, Nilgai, Spotted Deer, Wild Boar and Wild Ass. Monkeys, Parrots and peacock can also be seen around the forest. Adjacent to the Sihn Sadan Lodge is the Crocodile-Rearing and Research Center, where hatchlings are reared and then released into their natural habitat.

myself at sasan gir