Indian Wildlife >> West India >> Gujarat >> Velavadar Black Buck Sanctuary
Location:
Bhavnagar,
Gujarat.
Coverage Area :
Main Attractions : Black Buck.
Best Time To Visit : October To March.
Accommodation :
Arrival
Information :
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Rail :
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This is the home of the Indian black buck. Velavadar in the Bhal region of
Saurashtra is a unique grassland ecosystem that has attracted fame for the
successful conservation of the black buck - the fastest of the Indian antelopes.
Driving through the Velavadar National Park seems like a trip through the
African savannahs with similar landscapes of grasslands populated with herds of
antelope. Velavadar has the greatest population of blackbuck antelope among all
sanctuaries and national parks in India.
THE GRACEFUL BLACK BUCK
Once found in open plains throughout the country and the state of Gujarat, its
largest population at present occurs in Velvadar National Park. This exclusively
Indian animal is perhaps the most graceful and beautiful of its kind. The
fastest of the Indian antelopes, they move off in a series of leaps and bounds,
when threatened and then break into a lightening run.
It has ringed horns that have a spiral twist of three to four turns and are upto
70 cm long. The body's upper parts are black and the underparts and a ring
around the eyes are white. The female, light brown in colour is usually
hornless.
The males are a deep black colour set off by an equally striking white and have
long spiralling horns. They fight for supremacy during the rutting season, with
the strongest males taking the most coveted territories. The females and
immature males are light brown and white in colour and the former are hornless.
THE WILD POPULATION
The grey wolf breeds here and foxes, jackals and jungle cats can also be
sighted. The roosting of harrier hawks at dusk is an incredible sight. More than
1,500 can be seen gathering at a single site.
THE NATURE FRIENDLY KATHI COMMUNITY
A word of praise would not be out of place for the Kathi community who like the
Bishnoi community have protected the black buck with vigour and zeal as it is
associated with their past history of valour and religious practices.
