ABOUT GIR NATIONAL PARK

Established in 1965, Gir Forest National Park is located near Talala Gir, about 65 km from Junagadh in Gujarat. The diverse ecosystem of park is a result of joint efforts for protection by government forest department, wildlife activists and NGOs. The forests of Gir were hunting grounds of erstwhile Nawab of Junagarh.
The vegetation of the park is dry deciduous type. Seven major rivers namely Hiran, Shetrunji, Datardi, Shingoda, Machhundri, Godavari and Raval flow through the region. The Kamleshwar Dam is regarded as the lifeline of Gir. The flora found here includes ber,jamun, babul, flame of the forest, zizyphus, tendu anddhak, karanj, umlo, amli, sirus, kalam, charal.
The region is the only home to Asiatic lions in India. Other mammals found here include Indian leopards, Indian cobras, jungle cats, striped hyenas, golden jackals, Indian mongoose, Indian palm civets, and honey badgers. Desert cats and rusty-spotted cats, chital, nilgai, sambar, four-horned antelope, chinkara wild boar and blackbucks. The region is also a home to over 300 species of birds including crested serpent eagle, endangered Bonelli’s eagle, crested hawk-eagle, brown fish owl, Indian eagle-owl, rock bush-quail, Indian peafowl, pygmy woodpecker, black-headed oriole, crested treeswift and Indian pitta.
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