Gir National Park - The land of real wilderness
Introduction - Gir National Park Gir National Park attracts droves of visitors to see the Asiatic lion in the wild, as it's the only place in the world where these creatures are now found. Once almost hunted to extinction and listed as critically endangered in 2000, Asiatic lion numbers have recovered well due to conservation efforts. The park's core zone, which extends for almost 260 square kilometers, was declared as a Gir national park in 1975. However, the sanctuary was set up a decade earlier. According to the latest census in 2015, the number of Asiatic lions in Gir National Park and the surrounding area increased by 27% since 2010. The total lion population was recorded at 523, consisting of 109 males, 201 females, and 213 sub-adults and cubs. Gir's forested hilly terrain makes it a preferred habitat for the jackals, leopards, antelope, and deer that also live there. It's home to crocodiles, and over 300 species of resident birds as well. Location - Gir...