Gir Forest National Park
The Gir National Park is a nature reserve in Gujarat, India. The 258.71 km ² core area of 1153.42 km ² of the total Gir sanctuary ( founded in 1965 ) is one of the most famous national parks of India. Together with the adjacent Pania Sanctuary includes the protected area 1452 km ². Famous National Park in particular is that in his area the only wild population of Asiatic lions exist. Other rare species such as the Indian Leopard or antelope horn, the four are still to be found in considerable numbers.
History
The forests of Gir were once a hunting ground for the Nawab of Junagadh. Lion Hunt scored in the history of the attractions that lured also white big game hunters in the woods. From 1900 the lion was placed under protection, but further hunted by poachers.
At the beginning of the 20th century, only a few dozen lions existed in the area of the Gir Forest. In all other areas of Asia the lion was gone. It was only in 1965 the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary ( Gir Wildlife Sanctuary ) was established as the first reserve in Gujarat. Since 1972, two-thirds of the native Maldhari were resettled together with their herds of cattle from the reserve. This and the conversion of the core zone of the reserve into a national park on 21 May 1975 marked the beginning of an effective protection for the fauna of the area. Effective protective measures and a dramatic increase in the prey population, the number of lions increased since then. In 1989 also the adjacent Pania Sanctuary was designated. Within the National Park today more than 400 lions. Now part of the lion lives around in satellite populations around the park. The Lion, the food still mostly consisted in 1900 of pets today eat 75% of wildlife.
Protected areas and vegetation
The Asian lion is now protected by a total of five reserves in the wider area of the Gir National Park. Here are the Gir Sanctuary, the Gir National Park and the Pania Wildlife Refuge along the 1452 km ² large Gir Conservation Area. This represents the actual Gir Forest block. Two other smaller reserves which Mitiyala Sanctuary Sanctuary and the " Girnar Sanctuary 'are located some distance from the National Park. A certain exchange of the lion population, however, is guaranteed here. The hilly area is covered by dry deciduous forests, thorn forests and savannas.
Fauna
In the Gir area today more than 400 Asian lions, of which about 300 in the Gir Forest itself, life in the rest of the surrounding areas. In addition, occur in the area more than 300 leopards and 150 striped hyenas. Thus, it has one of the largest predator densities in India. As a natural prey to large carnivores are a total of nearly 65,000 wild ungulates (as of 2010 ) are available. These are made up of about 52,000 Axishirschen, 4500 wild boars, 4,000 Sambarhirschen, 3000 nilgai, Indian gazelle 740 and 300 four- horn antelope. The blackbuck is listed among the species of Gir Forest, but should possibly occur in very low numbers. Other major species of the park are sloth bear, golden jackal, Hulman and marsh crocodile. The National Park is home to a total of about 250 species of birds, another 50 live in the surrounding area.
Animal stocks
In the Gir Forest grazing alongside the numerous wild animals pets of the local population, including primarily water buffalo and cattle. Before 1972, when they began segments of the population and relocate their pets, only about 6,000 wild ungulates and less than 200 lions came before. At that time the animal stocks were reduced from about 24,000 to about 12,000 animals in the 1980s. At the same time, the number of wild animals rose sharply. Today there are 65,000 wild ungulates in Gir Forest. In recent years, the number of pets, however, rose again, and their number is now in the Gir Forest again almost 24,000 animals (as of 2010 ). Pets provide food competitors is for wildlife and therefore limit the number of wild grazing animals and, ultimately, the predators. The biomass of wild herbivores is today (without the approximately 4,500 wild boars expected ) about 3.82 million kg (as of 2010 ). The total biomass of pets is with 6.82 million kg (as of 2010), well above even though their number is lower because the animals held have a higher body weight on average.