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Velavadar National Park
Location: Gujarat, India
Area: 34 sq. km.
Major Wildlife Attractions: Blackbuck
Best time to visit: November to February
Places to Stay: Tourist Lodge
About Velavadar National Park
Velavadar National Park, also known
as Velavadar Black Buck Sanctuary is situated in the Bhal region of
Saurashtra. Ideally set between two rivers, one of the main reasons
for the rich soil found here, the park is located about 50 km west of
the Gulf of Cambay.
Velavadar's history dates back to the pre independence period when
the place was a part of the princely state of Bhavnagar and the park
used as a grazing ground for the Maharaja's cattle. After
independence, the population of blackbuck started to decrease and came
down to a meagre 200 in 1966. It was then that the area of 8.9 sq. km
was converted into a sanctuary. In 1972, the area was increased to
around 34 sq. km and was accorded the status of a national park under
the Wildlife Protection Act. A unique feature of the park is that it
is the only tropical grassland in India to be given the status of a
national park.
There are two gates with a road in between which leads to the park.
The reception attached to the Kaliyarbhavan Forest Lodge is the place
where the visitors pay the entry fee to the park. The park
interpretation centre located at a short distance from here provides
basic information about the animals and birds found in the area.
Wildlife Attractions in
Velavadar National Park
The ecosystem of the park houses four distinct habitats, grassland,
shrubland, saline land and high tidal lands. One of the most thrilling
sights in the area is the unusual mating rituals of the blackbuck,
which involves a spectacular vertical leap of upto 2 mts by the male.
The park is home to over 187 species of birds including residents and
migratory birds such as Harrier, Partridge, Pelican, Duck, Crane,
Stork, Eagle, Sand Grouse, Lark and Lesser Florican.
Besides the blackbuck, other commonly found mammals include the
Nilgai, Wolf, Wild Cat, Jackal, Indian Fox, Wild Boar, Porcupine, Hare
and Rodent, while the reptile kingdom constitute of Saw Scaled Vipers,
Common Cobra, Krait, Rat Snake and Sand Boa.
The jungle trail located in the park is a straight path with
watchtowers dotted around it. The 'wetland', located just 3 km from
the entry gate is an ideal spot to check out the wildlife. There are
no safaris provided by the forest department, so your own vehicle is
the only source of enjoying a ride around the park but be cautioned as
animals cross the roads at all times, so be sure to drive slowly and
safely.
Best Time to Visit Velavadar National Park
The ideal time to visit the Velavadar National Park is between the
months of November to February.
How to Get there
Air: Bhavnagar is the nearest airport. Mumbai is connected to
Bhavnagar through Jet Airways (7:35, daily) & Air Deccan (15:10,
daily). Be sure to book in advance as not many flights are available.
Rail: Bhavnagar is the nearest railhead, connected by trains
from Mumbai, Bhavnagar Exp. (21:25, daily) & CCT BVC Exp. (4:50,
Fri).
Road: To reach by road from Ahmedabad, take the NH8A to
Bagodra via Sarkhej. From Sarkhej, drive through the state highway to
Velvadar via Fadra, Pipli, Dholera and Adhelui. Average time taken for
the journey is around 5 hrs. The route from Bhavnagar is through the
state highway to Adhelui via Nari and Sanes while an alternate route
is via Valbhipur and Navgaon. |