Gir Wildlife Sanctuary

Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Gir National Park or Sasan Gir, is located near Junagadh in Gujarat and covers about 1,410 square kilometers, with approximately 259 square kilometers designated as a national park and the remainder as a wildlife sanctuary.

It was established in 1965 to protect the endangered Asiatic lion, which once faced near extinction but now has a population exceeding 500 individuals spread across the sanctuary and surrounding districts. The sanctuary features dry deciduous forests with teak, sal, and thorny trees, supporting diverse wildlife including leopards, sambar deer, nilgai, chinkara, four-horned antelope, and various smaller carnivores like jackals and hyenas. Gir is also rich in birdlife, hosting over 300 species and recognized as an important bird area, with notable raptors such as vultures, eagles, and hawks.

Reptiles include marsh crocodiles, king cobras, pythons, and tortoises. The sanctuary’s terrain consists of rugged hills, plateaus, and valleys, with water bodies like Kamleshwar reservoir that support marsh crocodiles. Apart from the wildlife, the park is significant for ongoing conservation efforts that have successfully revived the Asiatic lion population and continue to protect the broader ecosystem.