The state of Gujarat is located in the western part of India. It has the Great Rann of Kutch, hills, historic forts and palaces. These, along with museums, temples, fauna and flora, fairs and festivals and folk arts draw a plethora of tourists to this state. Gujarat is also blessed with wildlife sanctuaries, which serve the purpose of protecting the flora and fauna in the state.
Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary
Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary is situated Banaskantha district. It was declared a sanctuary in May, 1978 and is spread over an area of about 180.66 square kilometers. Its existence is attributed to the need of protecting a vulnerable species called sloth bear. Apart from sloth bear, the sanctuary area is occupied by arid to semiarid and dry deciduous thorny scrub, plants, leopard, sambar, wild boar, etc.
Gaga Wildlife Sanctuary
Gaga Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Bhatia taluka, Jamnagar district. It was established in November, 1988 and is spread over an area of about 332.87 hectares. Its faunal population comprises of grassland, saline scrub, kerdo, etc whereas it"s faunal population consists of golden jackal, jungle cat, mongoose, and Indian wolf. It also houses avifaunal species like flamingoes, great Indian bustard and lark.
Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary
Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary is located in Narayan Sarovar in the Lakhpat taluka of Kutch district. It occupies an area of about 444.23 square kilometers. Dry deciduous scrub, salvadora scrub, desert thorn forest, dry savannah type vegetation, etc comprise the flora of this sanctuary. About 14 species of mammals, reptiles and snakes comprise the fauna of this sanctuary.
Barda Wildlife Sanctuary
Barda Wildlife Sanctuary is situated approximately 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) from Porbandar. It was established in 1979 and occupies an area of 282 square kilometers. Some of the inmates of this sanctuary are southern tropical forest, northern tropical thorn forest, euphorbia scrub, blue bull, chinkara, etc.
Purna Wildlife Sanctuary
Purna Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Western Ghats mountain range. It was declared a sanctuary in July, 1990. This sanctuary houses about 700 species of plants, trees, wild animals, birds and spiders.
Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary
Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Narmada district. It is spread over an area of about 607.70 square kilometers. Groves of bamboo, flowering plants, nocturnal flying squirrels, sloth bear, leopard, rhesus macaque, chousingha, barking deer, python, etc are the occupants of this sanctuary. This Wildlife Sanctuary is also noted for Zarwani Waterfalls.
Other Wildlife Sanctuaries of Gujarat
Wild Ass Sanctuary, Balaram Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary, Rampara Wildlife Sanctuary and Thol Wildlife Sanctuary are some of the other Wildlife Sanctuaries of Gujarat.
