BANNI GRASSLAND (Syllabus GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Following their release in Kuno National Park, cheetahs from Africa will soon inhabit Gujarat’s Banni grassland, as the central government has approved a proposal to establish a cheetah conservation breeding center in Kutch district.

Banni Grassland

• Location: It is situated near the Great Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.
• Size: It is considered to be the largest grassland in Asia, spreading over 2,497 kilometres and accounting for almost 45% of the pastures in Gujarat.
• Formation: The land in Banni was formed from the sediments deposited by the Indus and other rivers over thousands of years.
• Ecosystem: Two ecosystems, wetlands and grasslands, coexist in Banni.
• Vegetation: The vegetation is sparse and highly dependent on rainfall. 

o It is dominated by low-growing forbs and graminoids, many of which are halophiles (salt-tolerant). 

o The grasslands were traditionally managed by a system of rotational grazing.

• Flora: Prosopis Juliflora, Cressa critica, Cyperus spp, Sporobolus, Dichanthium, and Aristida.
• Fauna: It is home to mammals such as the Nilgai, Chinkara, Blackbuck, Wild boar, Golden Jackal, Indian Hare, Indian Wolf, Caracal, Asiatic Wildcat and Desert Fox etc.

o It is also known for the Banni breed of buffaloes.

• Reserve Forest Status: In 1955, the court notified the grassland as a reserve forest. In 2019, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the demarcation of the boundaries of Banni grassland and restricted non-forest activities.
• Significance: The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has identified Banni Grassland as one of the last remaining habitats of the cheetah in India.