Biogeographical Province- 4.15.07 (Thar Desert)

Geographical Location- In Junagadh and Amreli districts of Gujarat state, about 65km south-east of Junagadh and 50km east of Keshod Airport in Kathiawar Peninsula. The nearest towns include Talala (13km) and Veraval (42km). Access is via train or bus from Ahmedabad to Junagadh (327km), then partly through the reserve to Sasan (54km), or from Bombay to Keshod by air. 20?57'- 21?20'N, 70?27'-71?13'E

Date and History of Establishment- Comprises a wildlife sanctuary which encircles a national park as a core area. The entire area was established as reserved forest, in parts, first between 1882 and 1945, by notifications of the former states of Baroda and Junagadh, then again between 1963 and 1974 by the government of Gujarat under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 (IIPA, in prep.). An area of 126,502ha was initially declared a sanctuary on 18 September 1965 under the provisions of the Gujarat Wild Animals and Wild Birds Protection Act, 1963 (Notification No. GHKH/WLP/660/62848-P). A further 14,711ha was added on 16 January 1974. On 21 December 1973 14,040ha of the sanctuary was demarcated for national park status, with final notification 16 January 1974 under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (Notification No. AKH/29/WLP/1073/92161-P). On 3 September 1976 a further 11,831ha of the sanctuary was demarcated with a view to regazetting as part of the national park, with a proclamation on 6 October 1976 and final notification on 12 July 1978. On 20 February 1982 the intention to declare a further 15,000ha as national park was declared (IIPA, in prep.).

Area- 141,213ha, comprising the wildlife sanctuary (115,342ha) which encircles the national park (25,871ha)

Land Tenure- Government of Gujarat; the Irrigation Department has control over 1,814ha of reservoirs.

Altitude- 152-528m

Physical Features- Consists of undulating low hilly country. The protected area is surrounded by flat agricultural land. The parent rock is basalt and limestone and the soil on the northern hills is mostly lateritic, while in the southern and eastern areas fertile black soils are found on the forested slopes and in valleys. Water resources comprise 14 perennial streams, 18 perennial waterholes, seven seasonal artificial tanks, 75 artificial waterholes, four perennial dams and five springs. Apart from these, the area is divided by numerous seasonal streams (IIPA, in prep.).

Climate- There are three main seasons: a cold-dry season from October to February, with a minimum temperature as low as 10?C; a hot-dry period from February to June, with maximum temperatures up to 46.0?C, measured at Mendarda; and the monsoon from late June to early October. Rainfall is erratic and irregularly distributed. Maximum and minimum annual recorded rainfall is 1730mm and 210mm, respectively. The 1961-1968 mean annual rainfall at Mendarda, Talala, Una and Visavadar was 807mm, and 1000mm at Sasan. Gir is frequently affected by dry spells, and the entire park was hit by drought during 1985 to 1987, although the impact on wildlife is not known, whilst in 1982 a severe cyclone felled 280,000 trees (IIPA, in prep.).

Vegetation- Contains a compact block of dry mixed deciduous forest, surrounded by a belt of thorn scrub and intersected by long narrow ribbons of evergreen riverine vegetation. To the east, and on the higher ground, vegetation becomes more sparse and stunted, with open forest and interspersed patches of grass to in the east (IIPA, in prep.; Talbot, 1960). The mixed deciduous forest is dominated by teak Tectona grandis attaining about 10m. This open forest gradually changes to closed teak forest in central and south-western portions where the trees are taller (15m). In the east, open deciduous forest dominates where the rainfall is less than 600mm. Tree species include salai Boswellia serrata, dhak Butea monosperma, Lannea conomandelica, Anogeissus pendula and Diospyros melanoxylon. Ficus glomerata and Syzygium cumini occur in moist and cooler spots. Thorn scrub, and savanna, composed of thorny trees 4-8m tall (Acacia and Zizyphus) or widely-spaced shrubs and grasses are found in the west and south-west regions, while hill tops are dominated by grasses. Riverine vegetation, supported by perennial moisture, includes banyan Ficus sp., karanj Pongamia glabra, laurel trees, jambudo Eugenia jambolana, simul Bombax malabaricum, and a variety of evergreen bushes and creepers. The result is an evergreen strip, often dense, cutting through both teak and scrub forest, which provides cover for wildlife during the dry season (Talbot, 1960).

Fauna- Gir has been the only remaining habitat of Asiatic lion Panthera leo persica (E) since about the turn of the century, with a population, estimated at roughly five-year intervals from 1968 to 1990, of 177, 180, 205, 239 and 284 individuals, respectively (Anon., 1991a). Other carnivores include panther P. pardus (T) (212 animals in 1990 according to Gujarat State Forest Department). Important lion prey species comprise spotted deer (cheetal) Axis axis (counted at both 8,085 and 27,600 in 1990 using different census techniques), wild boar Sus cristatus (505), nilgai (bluebull) Boselaphus tragocamelus (771 or 1,524) and sambar Cervus unicolor (404 or 1,764), as well as domestic cattle. Other mammals include four-horned antelope Tetracerus quadricornis, chinkara Gazella gazella bennetti, striped hyaena Hyaena hyaena, jackal Canis aureus, common langur Presbytis entellus, porcupine Hystrix indica, hare Lepus nigricollis and black buck Antilope cervicapra. There are over 300 bird species including peafowl Pavo cristatus, grey partridge Francolinus francolinus, jungle bush quail Perdicula asiatica, painted sandgrouse Pterocles indicus, common green pigeon Treon phoenicoptera, several species of doves and others. There are also at least 24 species of reptiles, including marsh crocodile Crocodylus palustris (V) which has been the subject of a successful captive breeding programme (Chavan, 1979), and in excess of 2,000 insect species. A list of mammal and bird species is given in Anon. (1991a)

Cultural Heritage- Gir is home to a very old community of nomadic cattle grazers, the Maldhari. The park also contains several prominent temples to which pilgrimages are made, the three major ones being at Banej, Kankai and Tulshishyam (IIPA, in prep.).