Sasan Gir is a wildlife sanctuary located in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the only home of the Asiatic lion and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. The sanctuary covers an area of 1412 square kilometers and is home to a variety of wildlife, including leopards, hyenas, jackals, antelopes, and more than 300 species of birds. The sanctuary also has a number of ancient temples and monuments, such as the Girnar Temple and the Junagadh Fort. Additionally, the sanctuary is home to a number of activities, such as safaris, bird watching, and nature walks.
The Gir National Park, located about 60 km. from Junagadh in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, is one of India’s oldest sanctuaries and is synonymous with the majestic Asiatic Lion. The only place in India to see this animal, this park is responsible for saving an endangered species which was at the threshold of extinction in the start of the twenty first century, by providing it a more secured habitat.
Most of the area is rugged hills, with high ridges and densely forested valleys, wide grassland plateaus, and isolated hilltops. There are also areas of the park with open scrub and savannah-type grassland. This variety of vegetation provides for a huge array of animals.
Things to do in Sasan Gir
Along with the famous Lions, other animals and reptiles in the park include the chital (Indian spotted deer), sambar, chinkara, blackbuck, leopard, jungle cat, langur, striped hyena, wild boar, grey musk shrews, marsh crocodiles, Russell’s viper, Indian rock python and monitor lizard. Gir is also home to over 300 species of birds, many of which can be seen year-round – the Malabar whistling thrush, Paradise flycatcher, crested serpent eagle, king vulture, pelicans, painted storks to name a few.
Sasan Gir, with a forest rest house, is the main centre of the National Park. There is a Gir Interpretation Zone, at Devalia, 12 km west of Sasan Gir, which has been established as an eco-tourism zone to reduce an overload of visitors to the Gir national Park and to provide an experience of the wildlife of Gir at a single place and in a safe habitat.
Sasan Gir is home to a variety of flora and fauna, including the Asiatic lion, leopards, hyenas, jackals, antelopes, and more than 300 species of birds. Additionally, the sanctuary is home to a number of ancient temples and monuments, such as the Girnar Temple and the Junagadh Fort. Additionally, the sanctuary is home to a number of activities, such as safaris, bird watching, and nature walks. Additionally, the sanctuary is home to a number of educational programs, such as the Gir Interpretation Zone and the Gir Education Centre. Additionally, the sanctuary is home to a number of research centers, such as the Wildlife Institute of India and the Wildlife Trust of India.