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Family Wildlife Adventures Website

Western India

GOA

Once a Portuguese colony and with a coastline of 65 miles, Goa is hilly and includes a portion of the Western Ghats rising to nearly 4,000 feet. The two largest rivers are the Mandavi and Zuari, between the mouths of which lies the island of Goa (Ilhas). The island is triangular, the apex (called the cape) being a rocky headland separating the harbour of Goa into two anchorages. It is a delightfully laidback and charming state with many beautiful beaches, colonial churches and hills. The people of Goa are a mix of the Portuguese descendents and the indigenous population.

Bhagwan Mahveer Wildlife Sanctuary

(Molem National Park) Bhagwan Mahveer Wildlife Sanctuary is Goa’s largest and most remote tract of intact forest. It is also the most ecologically rich region of Goa, where birds endemic to the Western Ghats and southern India can be found alongside a host of forest species and winter migrants, comprising a bird list of over 250 species including orange-headed ground-thrush, a white-rumped shama heart-spotted woodpeckers Malabar pied hornbills black-naped oriole and velvet-fronted nuthatch.

Backwoods Camp

Owned and run by birders, the permanent camp is on the very edge of Molem Natioanl Park, near the village of Tambdi Surla, with its ancient temple. It enjoys a scenic location, surrounded by forest, rice paddies and small streams, and offers simple but comfortable canvas tents or wooden huts which en suite bathroom - with only 14 rooms it does not impact on the surrounding environment. . The restaurant serves traditional Indian food, designed to suit western tastes. Backwoods Camp is the perfect place from which to explore the sanctuary and to discover the region's distinctive avifauna. Being within close proximity of Mollem National Park, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, and Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, it is also a convenient place from which to explore these protected areas.

GUJARAT

Mahatma Gandhi’s native state, Gujarat has a wide range of scenery and habitats, including vast salt marshes, irrigated fields, deserts and good beaches. Aside from plenty of bird life, the Rann of Kachchh has the only remaining wild asses in India and the Velvadhar conserves the rare black buck.

Velavadar National Park

Located only 64 Kms from Bhavnagar, the park has the highest concentration of blackbuck in the world. The only tropical grassland in India to be given the status of a national park, Velavadar is a 36 kms patch of savannah-type scrubby grassland well suited to the requirements of these lovely animals. The park is set between two rivers, a few miles from the Gulf of Cambay sea coast. The rich soil is believed to have its origins in the sea.

The principal attraction is the massive population of blackbuck, the handsome Indian antelope whose formerly widespread wild population has decreased drastically over the last century and fragmented into various pockets. The blackbuck is endemic to India and is rated among the most elegant antelopes and one of the fastest animals over a long distance. During the rule of the Maharajahs of Bhavnagar, Velavadar was harvested for grass to feed the royal cattle herds and the antelope were protected except for the occasional hunting camp.

Early March is the rutting period when we can witness conflicts between rival males. This is the time in the blackbuck year when the males establish their dominance over the harems of females and many skirmishes occur as the younger bucks seek to displace the older animals and claim their right to reproduce.

A few wolves also occur at Velavadar but the reserve exists mainly as a showcase for the blackbuck and they will definitely be the star attraction here.

Other mammals seen in Velavadar are fox, jackal, jungle cat, wild pig, hare and rodents. The birdlife is extensive. Sandgrouse, larks and other grassland species are seen in fair numbers. The harrier roost at Velavadar is one of the largest in the world.

Gir National Park

Lying on the southwestern fringes of the Saurashtra peninsula (west-central India), the park is the last home of some 300 Asiatic lions. It was created in 1913 and given sanctuary status in 1965. Once close to extinction, the number of Asiatic lions has been steadily rising since 1980 in this safe haven (about 239 lions were reported in 1985). The vegetation consists of teak with a mixture of deciduous trees, including sal (Shorea), dhak (Butea frondosa), and thorn forests. The terrain is rugged with steep rocky hillsides. A few springs exist, but their flow is erratic depending upon the season.

Confined to this forest since 1884, the Asiatic lion is slightly smaller than its African cousin - nevertheless a large male is quite a sight to behold. The best time to observe the big cats is at dawn and dusk, when they are on the prowl.

Sharing the Gir forest with the lions is an impressive variety of wildlife. About 200 leopards frequent the sanctuary and are regarded as being easier to see here than at any other reserve. As for prey species, there are large numbers of spotted deer, herds of sambar and nilgai, wild boar, four-horned antelope, chinkara and grey langur monkeys. Carnivores include wild cat, jungle cat, golden jackal and a small but increasing population of the rare striped hyena. The 200-plus bird species include the peafowl, grey partridge, Bonelli's eagle, crested serpent eagle, jungle bush quail, painted sandgrouse, common green pigeon and several species of doves. Gir is also home to the marsh crocodile, which can be sighted easily in its rivers and particularly in the lake of the Kamaleshwar dam.

Gir National Park is steeped in history and folklore. It boasts temples of great antiquity such as Kankai Mata and Tulsishyam, a place of pilgrimage with hot springs. The forest is famous for its cattle herders, the Madharis, whose buffalo form a substantial part of the lions' meals. Extremely hospitable, the Madharis’ lifestyle has changed little over the years, and their folklore and traditions are a unique record of the coexistence of humans with lions.

Jamnagar Marine National Park

Gujarat created the country's first Marine National Park, spread over an area of nearly 458 square kilometres in the Gulf of Kutch, 30 kilometres from Jamnagar. Here corals come in an amazing variety of shapes and sizes, from the convoluted brain coral to ones that resemble deer antlers. Turtles, shrimp, sponge, eels and sea urchins lurk among the corals and huge schools of fish create a riot of colour. Here you can see dolphins and octopuses, the dugong, a marine mammal of the Sirenea order similar to the manatee of the Americas. The park has dense mangrove growth, which provides fish with a nursery and scores of birds with nesting and roosting sites.

Little Rann of Kutch (Kachchh) Sanctuary

Created in 1973, this is one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries in India, spanning some 4950 square kilometres in area and comprising a range habitats from saline desert plains, arid grasslands, rocky and thorn scrub to lakes and marshes.

It is best known for its herds of the handsome chestnut brown Asiatic wild ass, which does not survive elsewhere and is the last of India's wild horses. They are found in herds of 30 or so and are capable of withstanding severe dehydration. It also supports a thriving population of gazelle, blue bull, wolf, Indian fox, jackal, jungle cat and hare. Birds include the houbara bustard, spotted and Indian sand grouse, francolin partridge, bustard quails, desert wheatear, desert larks, steppe eagle, imperial eagle, short toed eagle, five species of vulture, laggar falcon, flamingos, pelicans, ducks, cranes and storks.