Gir National Park

Gir National Park, national park in Gujarat, west-central India. It is located about 33 miles (53 km) south-southwest of the city of Junagadh in a hilly region of dry scrubland in the Kathiawar Peninsula. Gir has an area of about 545 square miles (1,412 square km), of which about 100 square miles (259 square km) constitute a national park, and 445 square miles (1,153 square km) form a sanctuary. Vegetation consists of teak with an admixture of deciduous trees, including sal (Shorea robusta), dhak (Butea frondosa), and thorn forests. Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is currently the only natural habitat of the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica).

The Gir Forests Reserve, created in 1913 to protect the largest of the surviving groups of Asiatic lions, was accorded sanctuary status in 1965. About 100 square miles (259 square km) of the area were made into a national park in 1975. There are an estimated 38 species of mammals in this park, including the Asiatic lion. Several hundred Asiatic lions have been bred in the sanctuary since it was established. “Lion shows” consisting of guided tours in protected vehicles are held regularly for visitors. Other large mammals include leopards, wild pigs, spotted deer, nilgai (a type of antelope), four-horned antelope, and chinkaras (a type of gazelle). A large central water hole contains a few crocodiles. There are an estimated 300 species of birds in this park. The Maldhari people, a pastoral community, also call Gir their home. The park has a small temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Krishna near the Tulsi-Shyam Springs.