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The wolf and the jackal are the main predators in the park. Other mammals likely to be seen are Bengal fox, Black–naped Hare, Indian Desert Gerbil, Jungle cat, and Nilgai.
Driving in jeeps with walks is the usual method of watching. There are also some watch towers and hides maintained by the forest department.
A minimum of one full day is required for bird watching.
The main reason to visit Gir is to see the Asiatic Lion, in its natural habitat. Latest census reports have counted 107 lions at Gir.
Birders should know that Gir comprises diverse habitats - open scrub country, dry deciduous and tropical thorn forest and an evergreen corridor along the riverside. The forest is home to a large variety of birds. It is said that, had, Gir not been a lion sanctuary, it would have been termed one of the finest bird sanctuaries in Gujarat. More than 300 species of birds have been recorded.
Changable Hawk, Crested serpent, and Bonneli’s Eagle, Black Ibis, Wooley-necked Stork, Rock Bush Quail, Painted Sand Grouse, Crested Tree Swift, Greater Rocket-tailed Drongo, Black headed Cuckooshrike, Asian Paradise-Flycather, Brown, Fish and Great Horned Owls; Pygmy Woodpecker, Black Headed Oriole and Indian Pitta are the chief attraction
Birding and wild life watching within the park by jeep safari. There is a good birding walk available just outside the park. Two full days are recommended for lion safari and birding.
The Taj Group of hotels operates Gir Lodge with luxury rooms and all facilities. For details click on Lodges. Little Rann of Kutch – Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary
The Kathiawar Peninsula in Gujerat State is separated from land to its North by the Gulf of Kutch. A large portion of this low-lying peninsula accumulates water and gets converted into a vast swamp during the monsoons. As it dries in the winter sun, it becomes a desert like expanse of dry silt, interspersed by lagoons and small islands with vegetation called “bets”. This is the Rann of Kutch, bordering Pakistan. The South East portion of the Rann called the Little Rann, is open to tourists. This unique region is astonishingly rich in bird life; particularly in winter when millions of waterfowl, along with desert species, can be spotted.
The entire 4950 sq kms of the Little Rann of Kutch, has been designated as the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary, as it is home to the rare and endangered “khur” – The Indian Wild Ass; not found anywhere else in the world.
In winter the Little Rann is host to a variety of birds - almost 300 species. Some of the species that can be seen are:
Cranes: Demoiselles, Common, and Sarus, Pelicans: Great White, Dalmatian, and Spot billed pelicans Flamingos: Both lesser and Greater Storks: Painted, Openbill, Wooly- necked, White, Black and Black-necked. Ducks: Lesser-whistling, Spot- Billed, Comb, Marble teal, and most other common wintering ducks. Waders: Collard, Oriental, and Small Pratincoles, White-tailed, Sociable, and Yellow-wattled Lapwings, and Long billed Plover (rare) Raptors: Long –legged, common, and white-eyed Buzzards, Bonelli’s, Imperial, Tawny, Steppe, Greater Spotted, Lesser Spotted, Booted, and Short toed snake Eagle, Six species of vulture, Pallid and Montagu’s Harriers, Merlin, and Red-necked Falcon Desert birds: Mac Queens Bustard, Lesser Florican (rare), Chesnut-belied and spotted Sandgrouse, Crean coloured, and Indian Coursers, Rain , Jungle Bush and Rock Bush Quails, and Yellow-legged and Barred Button quails,
Larks:
Singing and Indian Bush Lark, Ashu-crowned and Black-crowned Sparrow larks,
Rufous-tailed , Greater Hoopee, Greater short-toed, Sand, Bimaculated,
crested and Syke’s Larks and Oriental Lark ( rare), and Blyethroat, Brown-rock Chat.
Other mamalls found are: Blue-Bull, Chinkara, Hedgehog, Wolf, Jackal, Fox, Jungle and Desert Cats.
Zianabad is the logistics base for the little Rann. The nearest airport is at Ahmedabad – 110 Kms (2.30 hrs). Rajkot airport is 175 Kms ( 3.30 hrs). Zainabad is well connected to all parts of Gujerat by road.
The method of exploration and birding is by open jeeps.- Morning and Afternoon safaris are an unusual experience. Two full days is the minimum period for bird watching.
Birders interested in local culture can take excursions to a typical Saurashtra village, handloom weaving and dyeing units and the village potter.
Desert Coursers, operate Camp Zaianabad whilst Rann Riders, operate another complex at Dasada. providing “kooba’ cottages, and “Bhunga” houses of the Rabari tribe of Kutch. Both provide Accomodation and meals. They are located amidst wet- lands, and are imaginatively designed using local materials to recreate the appearance of a village. For more details click on Lodges.
Located just 06 Kms from the town of Jamnagar in Gujerat, this sanctuary has been created by building an Earthen Dam, to block the rainwater run off into the sea. This forms a freshwater wetland habitat. The 12 kilometer long dam, separates fresh water on one side and salt water on the other. You can spot thousands of wintering common and Demoiselle cranes, and other water birds including flamingos, pelicans, gulls, Whimbrel, ducks, waders and Indian Skimmers, nesting, and geese. The Black stork nesting can also be seen.
Method of Birdwatching is to walk along the dam. It is a refreshing change from riding in jeeps. One full days birding is recomended.
At Jamnagar. Hotel President has luxurious rooms with all facilities, Indian, Chinese and continental cuisine plus a 24 hrs coffee shop. Click on Lodges for more details.
There are several spots along the shore line for
watching shore birds. |
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Birders can
spot the Stoliczka’s Bushchat, Ashy- crowned sparrow lark, Rufous-tailed,
and crested Larks, Desert and Variable wheatears, Southern Grey and Rufous–tailed
Shrikes. Apart from the Harrier, other raptors to be seen could include
Black-shouldered Kite, Shikara, and Short-toed Snake Eagle. Common Crane and
other waders can be spotted on the Alag River.
Inside the
park, the Forest Department Lodge offers basic accommodation. Better
accommodation is at Bhavnagar town, at Nilambagh
Gir
is located in southern Gujerat. It is connected by air to Mumbai via Rajkot
airport 160 kms (3.30 hrs), and can be reached by a good network of roads
from any part of Gujerat. 
The
Indian wild ass represents the horse tribe. The Wild Ass is capable of
marathon runs at a pace of about 24 km/h for as long as two hours, reaching
a top speed of 70 km/h over short distances. In the Little Rann of Kutch,
the Asses are attracted by the flat grass covered expanses of the bets,
where coarse grasses spring up in the monsoons. With the advent of
summer, the Asses move to bets in which there is perennial supply of
water and grass. 
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