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Sasangir Lion Sanctuary is home of some 300 Asiatic lions. Close to being an extinct species, the number of Asiatic lions has been steadily rising since 1980 in this safe haven. The vegetation in the area consists of teak with a mixture of deciduous trees, including sal (Shorea), dhak (Butea frondosa), and thorn forests. The terrain is rugged with steep rocky hillsides. A few springs also exist, but their flow is rather eccentric depending upon the season. Some sixty thousand tourists visited Sasangir National Park in 1999-2000. The park is a part of the Junagadh circuit of Gujarat, which includes Junagadh, Sasangir, and Somnath.
| Fast Facts |
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| Area |
1412 sq km |
| Altitude |
225-648 m above sea level |
| STD Code |
02877-5 |
| Languages |
Gujarati, Hindi, and English |
| State Capital |
No |
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Jeep safari is the most common occupation that one engages in after reaching the park. Wildlife photography can be another option and machans (watchtowers) and hides have been raised near waterholes to have a closer look of the lions. One can also visit other places in the vicinity like Junagadh and Somnath famous for their history and religious importance.
History:
The Asiatic lion once ranged from Asia Minor and Arabia through Persia to India. Till the advent of the British, it roamed throughout the northern and central states of India, from Sindh to Bengal and southward to the Narmada basin. But hunters were already hot on its trail. Looked upon as royal game-and rightly so-the lion was hunted mercilessly, right from Mughal times. As a result, the creature began to withdraw from most parts of its acclaimed territory in India. With the killing of the last lion outside Gujarat in 1884, the species was finally wiped out from everywhere save the Gir forest.
At the turn of the century, Gir was a splendid mixed deciduous forest of teak, acacia, ziziphus, and banyan, sprawled over some 3,386 sq. km. Lions would have thrived here, were it not for their enemies-hunters and a devastating famine that all but wiped out the prey species. At one time the estimated number of lions went down to as low as thirty.
Gir was then part of the erstwhile state of Junagadh. In 1900, deeply concerned about the future of the lion, the Nawab of Junagadh began to adopt conservation measures to save the harassed king of forests. The number of lions rose, but there were invincible forces still working against them. Till 1948, more and more lions fell to the guns of so-called sportsmen and visiting dignitaries. Meanwhile settlers like the cattle rearing Maldhari tribesmen were moving into the forest area, causing the habitat to shrink and the prey species to plummet way below acceptable levels.
The lions found themselves beleaguered. Denied their natural food, they turned to lifting cattle belonging to the Maldharis. And the Maldharis, in turn, took to poisoning the lions. Nor was there any hope of revitalizing the environment, for herds of cattle constantly overgrazed the forest area and degraded the land by trampling on it. The prey species could not possibly multiply. Indeed, their numbers kept dwindling.
To save the lions from this treatment, by a notification on September 18, 1965, the region was declared a forest reserve. Subsequently in 1974, the reserve was declared a national park and the protected area coverage was increased.
Best Season, Climate, and Clothing:
The area is usually dry and arid, but with the onset of monsoon greenery returns and the region assumes a fresh and renewed face. Summers (April-June) are harsh with temperatures as high as 44°C while winters (December-February) are cool. The average rainfall changes from place to place in the park. The Gir National Park is open from November to May (9 am to 6 pm). The best months to visit the park are from December to March. The park is closed between the months of June to October. Cotton clothing is apt for summers and woolens are required for winters.
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