वेलावदार राष्ट्रीय उद्यान (Blackbuck (Velavadar) National Park) *Hindi Exclusive
वेलावदार राष्ट्रीय उद्यान की स्थापना 1976 में की गई थी, जो सौराष्ट्र के भाल क्षेत्र में गुजरात के भावनगर जिले में स्थित है। यह पूर्व में शिकार के प्रयोजनों के लिए इस्तेमाल किया गया था जो भावनगर के महाराजा की निजी चरागाह था। काले हिरण राष्ट्रीय उद्यान के मुख्य आकष्रण हैं, जबकि अन्य जानवरों में नील गाय, अन्य सियार, भेड़िया, जंगली बिल्ली, आदि भी देखे जा सकते हैं।
Located in Gujarat State, in western India, Velavadar is only a few kilometres from the Gulf of Cambay, and is home to a large population of India’s endemic blackbuck.
However, the park is most notable for being one of the few places in the world with a healthy wolf population – the endangered Indian wolf is the number one predator here. Other animals of note include fox, jackal, jungle cat and wild pig.
Velavadar’s birdlife is extensive, with endangered birds like Houbara bustard, lesser florican, common crane, sarus white stork, white pelican, and Montagu, pallid and marsh harrier. A plethora of raptors includes steppe, tawny, greater and lesser spotted eagle, imperial eagle, Bonelli’s eagle, short-toed snake eagle, and both white-eyed and long-legged buzzard. Sandgrouse, larks and other grassland birds are seen in numbers, and the harrier roost is one of the largest in the world. Of particular note is the lesser florican, which migrates here to breed during the rainy season, when the males perform a spectacular courtship display involving enormous leaps into the air.
Velavadar lies 70 kilometres north of Bhavnagar airport, and en route you can visit Palitana, a magnificent complex of 863 ancient temples on Shatrunjaya Hill.
Blackbuck National Park at Velavadar is situated in the Bhavnagar District of Gujarat state, India.
Established in 1976 in the Bhal region of Saurashtra, the park is located around 42 km from the district headquarters city of Bhavnagar. Hugging the coasts of the Gulf of Khambhat on the south, it is spread over an area of 34.08 km2, which was primarily a "vidi" (grassland) of the maharaja of the princely state of Bhavnagar for hunting the blackbucks with his famous hunting cheetahs. On the northern side, it is surrounded by wastelands and agriculture fields. The national park has been classified as 4B Gujarat-Rajwada biotic province of semi-arid bio-geographical zone.
Flat land, dry grasses and herds of antelope have always attracted visitors to this park which has a grassland ecosystem. Successful conservation programs for the blackbuck, wolf and lesser florican (a bustard) are ongoing. Considered to be an endemic Indian species, the lesser florican, which once lived throughout the country, has become endangered in recent decades. Today, the largest population is in this park. Local wolf numbers are increasing, as are striped hyena, with sightings quite frequent during daylight in winter 2012-2013.
In July 1976, when the park was established, the initial protected area measured about 18 km2. In 1980, another 16 km2 were added, increasing the total area to 34.08 km2.
A southern portion of the park, which adjoins the Gulf of Khambhat, is in the Gulf's high tide zone and gets inundated with water. However, its semi-arid conditions, together with this inundation of seawater during monsoon, creates habitats suitable for various dependent fauna of the park.
According to a remote sensing study of habitat types, the park area is classified as follows:
7.57 km2 of dense grassland
9.91 km2 of sparse grassland
The fauna population of the park mainly includes blackbucks, wolves, Macqueen's bustards, hyenas and lesser floricans, with foxes, jackals and jungle cats as the main carnivores. Other species include wild pigs, hares and rodents typical of the savannah type grasslands and thorn scrubs.
Among birds, sandgrouse and larks are seen in fair numbers. According to Roger Geoffrey Clarke, the British harrier-expert, the harrier roost found at the park is one of the largest in the world.
5.05 km2 of Prosopis shrubland
5.13 km2 of saline land
5.08 km2 of high tidal mudflats
The mudflats are the high tide zones of Gulf of Khambhat and the lower part is prone to flooding.
Though the park is open most of the year, it remains strictly closed in monsoon from 15 June to 15 October: this is breeding season for blackbuck and very important species like the lesser florican, the smallest bustard.
Explore the Park - Velavadar Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar hindi
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