Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary
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Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary also popularly known as Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary or Narayan Sarovar Chinkara SanctuaryForest dept begins manhunt to nab Chinkara killers
; By D V MAHESHWARI; Sep 04, 2008; The Indian Express
notified as such in April 1981 and subsequently denotified in 1995 with reduced area, is a unique
eco-system An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...
near
Narayan Sarovar Narayan Sarovar or Narayansar is a village and place of pilgrimage for Hindus on the Kori Creek. It is located in Lakhpat taluka of Kutch district, Gujarat, India. The ancient Koteshwar temple lies only 4 km away. Temples The temples, th ...
in the
Lakhpat Lakhpat is a sparsely populated town and sub-district in the Kachchh district in the Indian state of Gujarat located at the mouth of the Kori Creek. The town is enclosed by 7km-long, 18th-century fort walls. Etymology The town is named after ...
taluka of Kutch district in the state of
Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. The desert forest in this sanctuary is said to be the only one of its kind in India. Located in the arid zone, a part of it is a seasonal wetland. It has 15 threatened wildlife species and has desert vegetation comprising thorn and scrub forests. Its
biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
has some rare animals and birds, and rare flowering plants.
Wildlife Institute of India The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is an autonomous natural resource service institution established in 1982 under the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate change, Government of India. WII carries out wildlife research in areas of stu ...
(WII) has identified it as one of the last remaining habitats of the cheetah in India and a possible
reintroduction Species reintroduction is the deliberate release of a species into the wild, from captivity or other areas where the organism is capable of survival. The goal of species reintroduction is to establish a healthy, genetically diverse, self-sustainin ...
site for the
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
.Workshop on cheetah relocation begins, views differ
PTI, 9 September 2009; The Times of India
The most sighted animal here is the
chinkara The chinkara (''Gazella bennettii''), also known as the Indian gazelle, is a gazelle species native to Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Taxonomy The following six subspecies are considered valid: * Deccan chinkara (''G. b. bennettii'') ...
(population estimated in the range of 1200–1500), which is currently the flagship species of the sanctuary.


History

The sanctuary was first notified in 1981 covering an area of .


De-notification in favor of mining industry

In 1992, the Gujarat state government's department of mining and geology pointed out that there were huge deposits of
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
,
lignite Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, is a soft, brown, combustible, sedimentary rock formed from naturally compressed peat. It has a carbon content around 25–35%, and is considered the lowest rank of coal due to its relatively low heat ...
(brown coal), bentonite and
bauxite Bauxite is a sedimentary rock with a relatively high aluminium content. It is the world's main source of aluminium and gallium. Bauxite consists mostly of the aluminium minerals gibbsite (Al(OH)3), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)) and diaspore (α-AlO(O ...
inside the protected area of the sanctuary and argued that the ban on mining in the sanctuary was holding back development of the local economy.Mining digs deep into India's wildlife refuges
by Sanjay Kumar; 26 August 1995; NewScientist Magazine
An order dated July 27, 1993 of the Gujarat State Government initially de-notified the Sanctuary, by annulling the earlier notification of 1981 under which Narayan Sarovar had been declared a wildlife sanctuary. It issued a decree which abolished the original sanctuary and established a new one, consisting of 16 disjointed patches. This de-notification had reduced the area of the sanctuary from to disjointed ribbons of land totaling only in favor of commercial mining interests. The commercially biased court order reduced the area to a mere one-eighth of the original size, with a comment that the area was “substantially in excess of the requirements of a Sanctuary”. Following the de-notification, the Gujarat state government planned to grant a lease to a
cement A cement is a binder, a chemical substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and gravel ( aggregate) together. Cement mix ...
company for
open-cast mining Open-pit mining, also known as open-cast or open-cut mining and in larger contexts mega-mining, is a surface mining technique of extracting rock or minerals from the earth from an open-air pit, sometimes known as a borrow. This form of mining ...
in 2,000 hectares of land inside the original erstwhile Sanctuary to allow the mining of limestone, lignite and bauxite and for other industrial additives as it seemed an ideal location for a cement factory. The country's, or even Asia's, largest cement manufacturing unit was planned to be built there. Open-cast
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
mining is known to be harmful to the environment resulting in the release of large clouds of dust. Environmentalists feared that in the
arid A region is arid when it severely lacks available water, to the extent of hindering or preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life. Regions with arid climates tend to lack vegetation and are called xeric or desertic. Most ar ...
region of Kachchh district, these dust clouds would have harmful effects on both vegetation and wildlife as the limestone dust would condense in the cool nights settling on the leaves proving disastrous for the forests in the vicinity.


Environmental activists challenge de-notification in court

Several environment groups in the country challenged the de-notification decision in the courts, claiming it to be illegal because it had not been approved by the Gujarat state legislative assembly. The de-notification was challenged in the High Court of Gujarat and the
Supreme Court of India The Supreme Court of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme judicial authority of India and is the highest court of the Republic of India under the constitution. It is the most senior constitutional court, has the final decision in all legal matters ...
resulting in a legal battle between the Government of Gujarat and the 'Environmental Activists' along with inputs (adverse impacts on the sanctuary by limestone mining within its vicinity) provided by the Centre for Environment Education (CEE),
Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per t ...
which had initially brought the whole issue of de-notification to public light through its media campaign. In March 1995 the Gujarat High Court quashed the government decree, restoring the original sanctuary. But the court refused to comment on the "desirability or otherwise of the reduction of the sanctuary area".


Reduction in size of protected area to allow open-cast mining

In August 1995, the Gujarat state legislative assembly taking advantage of the court's reluctance to support the sanctuary approved a reduction in the size of the sanctuary area from to thus stripping protection from more than 40 per cent of the original protected area of the sanctuary and maintained that there were around 1200 chinkaras and that the smaller area was more than adequate for them. The new boundaries of the smaller sanctuary were carefully drawn to exclude the rich limestone and mineral-bearing areas. Environment groups contest that cement makers, eager for new sources of limestone, have been the main driving force behind the Gujarat state government's actions. The industry department of the state has been receiving several applications to build cement factories in the de-notified area. The Gujarat state assembly also stressed that Gujarat with its poor power supply cannot afford to ignore its brown coal deposits. The first lignite-fueled power generation station was built inside the sanctuary in 1991 and the second is now planned in Akri. Some miners had moved inside the boundaries of the sanctuary even before the 1993 decree that had initially abolished it escalating the mining and quarrying. Local forest officials believe that chinkara population is declining in the sanctuary and that their numbers are dwindling because their habitat is being destroyed. Pollution from the power station and the heavy traffic through the protected area also disrupts wildlife. Mining has made the water table salty, driving local villagers out of the area.


Geography

The sanctuary is delimited by the Kori creek on the northwest and mangrove forest on the west, while prominent land features form its northern and southern limits. While the northwest and western part exhibit a flat topography towards the sea shore, the northeastern part has undulating topography of minor hill ranges; the elevation of the sanctuary near the coast (near Tahera village) is (
above mean sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...
). In the hill section it is (a.m.s.l) at Manijal hill in Kaniyaro Rakhal. The rivers and streams flowing through the sanctuary are small and
ephemeral Ephemerality (from the Greek word , meaning 'lasting only one day') is the concept of things being transitory, existing only briefly. Academically, the term ephemeral constitutionally describes a diverse assortment of things and experiences, fr ...
in nature (Kapurasi and Kali are the two river systems) since rainfall is very scanty and erratic. Surface water is being harnessed at 15 reservoirs that surround the sanctuary. Ground water potential is meagre and water is saline in the sanctuary area. The number of villages in the sanctuary at present is reported to be 32 (1997–98) vis-à-vis 56 villages before de-notification of 1995. It is also reported that the sanctuary has been subjected to deforestation due to anthropogenic pressures; with the mining activities permitted after de-notification causing considerable stress on the sanctuary. ;Geology Geological formations in the sanctuary area primarily consist of
basalt Basalt (; ) is an aphanite, aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the planetary surface, surface of a terrestrial ...
ic rocks on the eastern part, tertiary formation in the central part comprising numimulistic
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
and
shale Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4) and tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, especial ...
bordering the basaltic rocks in south and up to Lakhpat, recent
alluvium Alluvium (from Latin ''alluvius'', from ''alluere'' 'to wash against') is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluv ...
in a belt of along the coast and scattered coastal sand dunes are on the western boundary. The area is rich in minerals such as limestone in belt (assessed as 1270 million tonnes) extends from the south Saran Nani village to Lakhpat), lignite in a belt of (15 million tonnes) and bentonite; lignite and bentonite are being mined close to Panandhro and Saran villages, while the mining of limestone is yet to begin. Sandy alluvium, clay and black loam are the soil types identified in the sanctuary area. However, vegetation in the central area of the sanctuary is good in view of black loamy soil found here, which is fertile and has better moisture retaining capacity.


Climate

The sanctuary has a tropical climate where summer is very hot. The arid climate has recorded maximum temperature varying from and a minimum of . During summer, May and June are the hottest months with dusty storms. In winter, December and January are the coldest months. Rainfall is very meagre; the average annual rainfall of Lakhpat (Dayapar station) is reported as (average of 25 years data). Evapo-transpiration rate varies between /year.


Fauna

The sanctuary harbours not only three types of great Indian bustards and the lesser florican but is also habitat for the
black partridge The black partridge (''Melanoperdix niger''), also known as the black wood partridge, is a small (up to 27 cm long) partridge with a thick bill, grey legs and dark brown iris. It is the only member of the monotypic genus ''Melanoperdix''. ...
, several species of ''herpetofauna'', a large number of bird species (terrestrial and aquatic) including 19 identified species of raptors.


Birds

The avifauna study of the sanctuary was specifically undertaken at the initiative of the Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology, in 1997–98 to evolve a 'Management Plan' that conserves the bird species. The study has identified 161 species (46 families) of which 112 are resident species (of 36 families) and 38 are migrants – majority are wetland birds – belonging to 13 families, vis-a-vis an earlier study that had identified 112 species of 36 families of which 23 were migrants. The study also provides detailed information of the avifauna in respect of each habitat of the sanctuary for resident and migratory birds, region wise, season wise and feeding habit wise. The abundant species identified were: grey francolin,
Eurasian collared dove The Eurasian collared dove (''Streptopelia decaocto'') is a dove species native to Europe and Asia; it was introduced to Japan, North America and islands in the Caribbean. Because of its vast global range and increasing population trend, it ha ...
, laughing dove,
Indian robin The Indian robin (''Copsychus fulicatus'')Rasmussen & Anderton emend the species epithet from ''fulicata'' to ''fulicatus'' since ''Saxicola'' is masculine and the ''-oides'' ending is always masculine according to ICZN Code 30.1.4.4ICZN Code. See ...
, red-vented bulbul, common babbler,
house sparrow The house sparrow (''Passer domesticus'') is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of and a mass of . Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, a ...
and plain
munia ''Lonchura'' is a genus of the estrildid finch family, and includes munias (or minias) and mannikins. They are seedeating birds that are found in South Asia from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka east to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippine ...
.
Greater short-toed lark The greater short-toed lark (''Calandrella brachydactyla'') is a small passerine bird. The current scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus name, ''Calandrella'', is a diminutive of ''kalandros'', the calandra lark, and ''brachydactila'' ...
(''
Calandrella brachydactyla The greater short-toed lark (''Calandrella brachydactyla'') is a small passerine bird. The current scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus name, ''Calandrella'', is a diminutive of ''kalandros'', the calandra lark, and ''brachydactila'' ...
'') was the common migratory bird seen here in large numbers. The birds sighted less frequently, called the 'specialists' were
ortolan bunting The ortolan (''Emberiza hortulana''), also called ortolan bunting, is a Eurasian bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a passerine family now separated by most modern scholars from the finches, Fringillidae. The genus name ''Emberiza'' is fro ...
, desert warbler, pied tit,
white-browed fantail The white-browed fantail (''Rhipidura aureola'') is a small passerine bird belonging to the family Rhipiduridae. Description The adult white-browed fantail is about 18 cm long. It has dark brown upperparts, with white spots on the wings, ...
, lesser spotted eagle, sirkeer malkoha,
Eurasian wryneck The Eurasian wryneck or northern wryneck (''Jynx torquilla'') is a species of wryneck in the woodpecker family. This species mainly breeds in temperate regions of Europe and Asia. Most populations are migratory, wintering in tropical Africa and ...
and
yellow-crowned woodpecker The yellow-crowned woodpecker (''Leiopicus mahrattensis'') or Mahratta woodpecker is a species of small pied woodpecker found in the Indian subcontinent. It is the only species placed in the genus ''Leiopicus''. Taxonomy The yellow-crowned woo ...
.


Mammals

The faunal diversity consists of 14 species of mammals, nine species of reptiles and six species of snakes. Some of the important ones supported by the sanctuary include:
chinkara The chinkara (''Gazella bennettii''), also known as the Indian gazelle, is a gazelle species native to Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Taxonomy The following six subspecies are considered valid: * Deccan chinkara (''G. b. bennettii'') ...
, blackbuck,
caracal The caracal (''Caracal caracal'') () is a medium-sized wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid areas of Pakistan and northwestern India. It is characterised by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long tufted e ...
,
desert cat The Arabian Mau is a formal breed of domestic cat, originated from the early African wildcat, a short-haired landrace native to the Arabian Peninsula. It lives in the streets of the Arabian Peninsula and has adapted very well to its extreme cl ...
,
pangolin Pangolins, sometimes known as scaly anteaters, are mammals of the order Pholidota (, from Ancient Greek ϕολιδωτός – "clad in scales"). The one extant family, the Manidae, has three genera: '' Manis'', '' Phataginus'', and '' Smut ...
, great Indian bustard,
porcupine Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. The term covers two families of animals: the Old World porcupines of family Hystricidae, and the New World porcupines of family, Erethizont ...
, blue bull or
nilgai The nilgai (''Boselaphus tragocamelus'') (, literally meaning "blue cow") is the largest Asian antelope and is ubiquitous across the northern Indian subcontinent. It is the sole member of the genus ''Boselaphus'' and was described by Peter Sim ...
(''
Boselaphus tragocamelus The nilgai (''Boselaphus tragocamelus'') (, literally meaning "blue cow") is the largest Asian antelope and is ubiquitous across the northern Indian subcontinent. It is the sole member of the genus ''Boselaphus'' and was described by Peter Sim ...
''),
Indian boar The Indian boar (''Sus scrofa cristatus''), also known as the Andamanese pig or Moupin pig,Lydekker, R. (1900), The great and small game of India, Burma, & Tibet', London : R. Ward, pp. 258-266 is a subspecies of wild boar native to India, Nepal, ...
(''
Sus scrofa The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is no ...
''),
Indian wolf The Indian wolf (''Canis lupus pallipes'') is a subspecies of gray wolf that ranges from Southwest Asia to the Indian Subcontinent. It is intermediate in size between the Himalayan wolf and the Arabian wolf, and lacks the former's luxuriant wint ...
(''Canis lupus pallipes''),
Indian grey mongoose The Indian grey mongoose (''Urva edwardsii'') is a mongoose species native to the Indian subcontinent and West Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The grey mongoose inhabits open forests, scrublands and cultivated field ...
(''Urva edwardsii''),
hare Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The ge ...
, striped hyena ('' Hyaena hyaena'') and the peafowl. The caracal is considered endangered in Gujarat and vulnerable internationally, has been seen now in this sanctuary at Kutch after a lapse of almost 10 years. Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology (Bhuj) sighted two individuals in February and March 1998. Other species present include honey badger (''Mellivora capensis''), pangolin (''Manis crassicaudata'') and desert fox (''Vulpes vulpes pusila'').


Reintroduction of cheetah

Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary and
Banni Grasslands Banni Grasslands Reserve or Banni grasslands form a belt of arid grassland ecosystem on the outer southern edge of the desert of the marshy salt flats of Rann of Kutch in Kutch District, Gujarat State, India. They are known for rich wildlife a ...
, both in Kutch, have been classified by
Wildlife Institute of India The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is an autonomous natural resource service institution established in 1982 under the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate change, Government of India. WII carries out wildlife research in areas of stu ...
(WII) as the last remaining habitats of the cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') in India and are proposed as some of the possible sites for the
reintroduction Species reintroduction is the deliberate release of a species into the wild, from captivity or other areas where the organism is capable of survival. The goal of species reintroduction is to establish a healthy, genetically diverse, self-sustainin ...
of the
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
in India.
Asiatic cheetah The Asiatic cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus venaticus'') is a critically endangered cheetah subspecies currently only surviving in Iran. It once occurred from the Arabian Peninsula and the Near East to the Caspian region, Transcaucasus, Kyzylkum D ...
(''Acinonyx jubatus venaticus'') that used to occur here are now locally
extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
in India and elsewhere, except a very small critically endangered and fragmented population of last few, estimated to be below 100, thought to be surviving only in the
central desert The deserts of Australia or the Australian deserts cover about , or 18% of the Australian mainland, but about 35% of the Australian continent receives so little rain, it is practically desert. Collectively known as the Great Australian desert, th ...
of
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. Thus cheetah experts from around the world have advised India to import and introduce the cheetah from Africa as genetically it is identical to the ones found in Asia, as latest genetic studies have revealed that the Asian population had separated from the African relatively recently only 5000 years ago which is not enough for a subspecies level differentiation. However, the reintroduction project has been on hold in 2012, after the discovery that Asiatic cheetahs are genetically distinct and have been separated from the
South African cheetah The Southeast African cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus jubatus'') is the nominate cheetah subspecies native to East and Southern Africa. The Southern African cheetah lives mainly in the lowland areas and deserts of the Kalahari, the savannahs of Okav ...
s (''Acinonyx jubatus jubatus'') between 32,000 and 67,000 years ago.


Flora

The sanctuary is generally made up of natural desert thorn forests and grasslands - a mixed forest system comprising dry
savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the Canopy (forest), canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to rea ...
, desert thorn, tropical euphorbia scrub forest and Salvadora scrub forest, Rann saline scrub and desert dune. In view of the edaphic climax of the forest, the tree height in the sanctuary ranges from . Scanty desert vegetation in the sanctuary is attributed to five factors: salinity at all depths in most areas, scanty rainfall, high velocity of desert winds, shallow soils and undulating topography of its hill region. Thirteen vegetation communities, 32 varieties of trees and 14 varieties of climbers have been recorded. Specifically, the forest vegetation types identified in the sanctuary are: dry deciduous scrub, salvadora scrub, desert thorn forest, babul '' Acacia nilotica'' forests, tropical '' Euphorbia'' scrub, dry savannah type vegetation, – '' Salvadora'' association, gorad (''
Senegalia senegal ''Senegalia senegal'' (also known as ''Acacia senegal'') is a small thorny deciduous tree from the genus '' Senegalia'', which is known by several common names, including gum acacia, gum arabic tree, Sudan gum and Sudan gum arabic. In parts of I ...
''), ''
Zizyphus ''Ziziphus'' is a genus of about 40 species of spiny shrubs and small trees in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, distributed in the warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions of the world. The leaves are alternate, entire, with three promi ...
'' scrub and ''
Capparis ''Capparis'' is a flowering plant genus, comprising around 250 species in the family Capparaceae which is included in the Brassicaceae in the unrevised APG II system. These plants are shrubs or lianas and are collectively known as caper shrubs o ...
'' association. The predominant plant species identified are the gorad and the babul; gorad, is the main species which covers an extensive area in the eastern zone while babul is the dominant species in the western zone where limestone is the geological formation in some of the patches. The invasive species '' Prosopis juliflora'' is noted to be spreading in the sanctuary resulting in decrease of grassy and herbaceous patches. The invasive vegetation of ''
Prosopis chilensis ''Prosopis chilensis'' is a species of tree in the genus ''Prosopis'', belonging to the family Fabaceae. It is found in parts of central Chile, southern Peru, Bolivia, and Andean (northwestern) Argentina. Its common names include Chilean mesqui ...
'' is reported in an area of in the sanctuary. The flowering plants listed in the sanctuary include 252 species, important ones being desi baval, gorad, hermo,
ber ''Ziziphus mauritiana'', also known as Indian jujube, Indian plum, Chinese date, Chinese apple, ber, and dunks is a tropical fruit tree species belonging to the family Rhamnaceae. It is often confused with the closely related jujube, Chinese j ...
, pilu, thor, gando baval, gugal, ingorio, kerdo and
cariso Kaiso is folk music, and an important ancestor of calypso music. As early as the 1780s, the word kaiso was used to describe a French creole song and, in Trinidad, kaiso seems to have been perfected by the chantwells (singers, mostly female) durin ...
.


Habitat conservation

The desert ecosystem of the sanctuary has been affected by several factors. Some of the key factors identified are: restricting the reserve area and allocating limestone areas for mining, which not only encroached on this precious forest but also disturbed the habitat of avifauna and flora of the forest; the encroachment for cultivation by farmers is also a major factor that reduces the reserve area and restricts movement of wildlife; cattle grazing and cutting of trees for fuel and other purposes has also caused denudation that affects bird habitats. The conservation measures suggested include preservation of wetland, particularly the water bodies in the sanctuary to retain and attract migratory birds, availability and creation of hole-nester by prevention of clearance of dead trees, and attention to globally or nationally threatened species by protecting their habitats; the two species specifically referred are the pied tit (white-napped tit) considered endemic to India and the Macqueen's bustard (
houbara bustard The houbara bustard (''Chlamydotis undulata''), also known as African houbara, is a relatively small bustard native to North Africa, where it lives in arid habitats. The global population is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2014. ...
); in this context, the
yellow-crowned woodpecker The yellow-crowned woodpecker (''Leiopicus mahrattensis'') or Mahratta woodpecker is a species of small pied woodpecker found in the Indian subcontinent. It is the only species placed in the genus ''Leiopicus''. Taxonomy The yellow-crowned woo ...
is also mentioned, as their numbers are reported to be small. there is one more species of rabbit is can be seen because of animal friendly peoples and good environmental conditions and fox also here in good condition and national bird is here and easily visible and no. of reptiles are present here some are poisonous and some are friendly


Interpretation centre

An 'Interpretation Centre' at Loriya next to the sanctuary was established in 2006 with the objective of providing important information to the public about the sanctuary. Even 30–35 hutments were constructed as part of the centre. It was inaugurated with a lot of fanfare when the 'Kutch Utsav' was organized here. Unfortunately, the Centre has remained neglected without any staff to man it (funds constraint is mooted as one of the reasons). The forest officials say that the centre would function once funds are allocated.


Visitor information

The sanctuary is located from Bhuj, which is the district headquarters of the Kachchh. Kutch is well connected by road, rail and air links with the rest of the country.


Gallery

File:Chinkara (Gazella bennettii) or Indian Gazelle.jpg,
Chinkara The chinkara (''Gazella bennettii''), also known as the Indian gazelle, is a gazelle species native to Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Taxonomy The following six subspecies are considered valid: * Deccan chinkara (''G. b. bennettii'') ...
(''Gazella bennettii'') or Indian gazelle File:Prosopis juliflora.jpg, Invasive species – '' Prosopis juliflora'' File:Babool (Acacia nilotica) flowers at Hodal W IMG 1248.jpg, '' Acacia nilotica'' File:Ziziphus mauritiana fruit 2.jpg,
Ber ''Ziziphus mauritiana'', also known as Indian jujube, Indian plum, Chinese date, Chinese apple, ber, and dunks is a tropical fruit tree species belonging to the family Rhamnaceae. It is often confused with the closely related jujube, Chinese j ...
(''Ziziphus mauritiana'') tropical fruit tree species File:Indian jujube (fruit).jpg, Indian jujube (fruit)


See also

* Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary (similar name of another sanctuary) * Greater Rann of Kutch * Little Rann of Kutch *
Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Great Rann of Kutch, Kutch district, Gujarat, India. It was declared a sanctuary in February 1986. It is the largest Wildlife refuge, Wildlife Sanctuary in India areawise. It is one of the larg ...
* Kutch Bustard Sanctuary *
Banni grasslands Banni Grasslands Reserve or Banni grasslands form a belt of arid grassland ecosystem on the outer southern edge of the desert of the marshy salt flats of Rann of Kutch in Kutch District, Gujarat State, India. They are known for rich wildlife a ...
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Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary also known as the Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Little Rann of Kutch in the Gujarat state of India. It is spread over an area of 4954 km². The wildlife sanctuary was established in 1972 and came u ...
* List of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries of Gujarat, India


References

{{Authority control Protected areas established in 1981 Wildlife sanctuaries in Gujarat Cheetah reintroduction in India Protected areas of Kutch district 1981 establishments in Gujarat