GIR NATIONAL PARK & WILDLIFE SANCTUARY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: To protect wildlife and ensure human safety on roads through Gir National Park, the Gujarat forest department has installed high-tech speed monitoring systems and thermal cameras along a 1-km stretch of State Highway 26.

Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (GNPWLS)

• About: The Gir Forests represent the largest compact area of dry deciduous forests in the semi-arid western part of India.
• Home to the Asiatic Lion: It is the last natural habitat of the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica), an endangered species.
• Conservation: The sanctuary is internationally recognized for its efforts in saving the Asiatic lion from extinction.
• Declared Sanctuary: Gir Forests was officially declared a sanctuary in 1965.
• National Park Status: Out of the 1153.42 sq. km area of the sanctuary, 258.71 sq. km was designated as a National Park.
• Rich Biodiversity: The forests support a wide range of mammals, reptiles, birds, insects, and a rich variety of flora.
• Unique Habitat: Gir is the only place where Asiatic lions exist in their natural habitat today.
• Symbiotic Relationship: The Maldharis, a religious pastoral community, have a traditional, symbiotic relationship with the lions and live in settlements called "nesses.“
• Other National Parks in Gujarat: Black Buck National Park, Vansda National Park, Marine National Park.