Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary

Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary or the Narayan Sarovar Chinkara Sanctuary is one of the most popular animal sanctuaries in Gujarat. The popular Sanctuary was set up on April 1981 but it was denotified on 1995 and the land area inside the park was reduced. The entire Sanctuary is located central to the Lakhpat Taluk, inside the Kutch district of Gujarat state, India. The historic Desert Sanctuary is considered to be one of the best in India and it is situated in the arid zone of India. The park is a part of the local wetland but it still houses more than a 1000 different species from all over region. The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has identified it as one of the last remaining habitats of the cheetah in India. According to experts, the Sanctuary can be a possible reintroduction site for the cheetah species in the near future. Local poachers and human expansion in the form of deforestation and settlement and mining activities after de-notification has resulted in the Sanctuary reducing in size in the last decade. Current Status: Narayan Sarovar now houses more than 15 different species of flora and fauna that belong to the endangered species. Apart from endangered species, the area also houses more than 50 different mammals, reptiles and birds. The flora in the region is also concentrated in the park with several rare flowering plants and trees being seen in the region. The most plentiful species at present is the Chinkara, a local Indian Gazelle. These animals are rare but they flourish in the park, which has a protected environment. The high heat, high winds, and frequent storms in the region can be detrimental to many species but the Indian Chinkara flourishes. For this same reason, many exotic species have adapted to the biosphere and they can be seen only in this region and nowhere else. The endangered Chinkara in particular is the only gazelle species in the world with horns on both sexes. There are only about 7000 chinkaras known to exist in India and they are highly endangered. However, more than 80% of them inhabit the Kutch. They are also particularly concentrated in the Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary, which is wonderful for their particular breeding and their preservation. Geography: The Sanctuary is bordered by the Kori creek on the northwest, with a flourishing mangrove forest on the west, while prominent land features form its northern and southern limits. The park is remarkably flat in the northwest and the western area and it gradually slopes down towards the seashore. Along the northeastern area of the park, minor hill ranges can be seen with heights that vary. The area near the coast (near Tahera village) may extend up to 2.7 metres (above mean sea level). In the hill section, heights of the hill range will extend up to 157 metres particularly near the Manijal hill in Kaniyaro Rakhal. Rainfall is very scanty and erratic in this area as it is primarily a desert region. However, local authorities have set up more than 15 reservoirs around the sanctuary. Ground water potential and reservoirs frequently fall very low and salinity in low reserves is common. The area also has more than 30 villages in the region. Wildlife: There are 161 species valuable species in the region and of that, more than 112 are resident species. About 38 are migrating species and most of them are wetland birds belonging to about 13 families. The most common species seen in this area are as follows: Grey Francolin, Red-vented bulbul, Common Babbler, Eurasian Collared Dove, Plain Munia, Greater Short-toed Lark, Laughing dove, Indian robin, House sparrow, etc were the common birds seen here in large numbers. Although every species of bird are seen, a few of the rarer versions are referred to as the 'Specialists' and they are usually seasonal in nature. The most common species include the Ortolan Bunting, and Yellow- Crowned Woodpecker. The Sanctuary is also home to the Caracal, an endangered cat found in Gujarat and vulnerable to extinction. This species is now in the sanctuary at Kutch after a reproduction drive instituted more than 10 years ago. It’s quite a rare site. Other rare species native to the area includes the endangered Indian Wolf, Ratel, Pangolin, and the Desert Fox. The sanctuary is also home to three different species of birds called the Great Indian Bustards, Lesser Florican and the Black Partridge. How to reach: By road: You can hire a bus from Bhuj to go to Narayan Sarovar twice a day (morning and evening). Private vehicle can are available at Bhuj and they will cost you about Rs. 5.50/- per km to Rs. 10/- per km. By air: Direct flights are available to Bhuj located about 70 km from Kutch By Rail: The nearby railway station is Bhuj located just one kilometer to the northern part of this city. Palanpur is the nearest railway station from Bhuj at the border of Rajasthan at 391 kilometers. Local trains are available. Best time to visit: October to March is peak time at the Sanctuary. You should carry your own food and water. References: http://www.traveladda.com/how_to_reach/west_india/gujarat/narayan_sarovar_wildlife_sanctuary_how_to_reach.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narayan_Sarovar_Sanctuary http://www.gujarattourism.com/showpage.aspx?contentid=257&webpartid=1151