Rann (Salt Marsh) located in Kutch district of Gujarat is famous for the Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary and it is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the country, a part of it is also in Sindh (Pakistan). Rann is a very uncommon landscape which was once a part of the Arabian Sea. With desert located on one side and Sea on the other the range of Eco-System in Rann of Kutch varies from Mangroves to desert vegetation. The conditions here are harsh for the wildlife and also the vegetation. Rann of Kutch is home to Asiatic Wild Ass, you will not see this photogenic handsome member of Horse family anywhere else. During the safari you will also see the Blackbucks, Neelgai, Chinkara, Striped Hyenas, Hedgehogs, Indian Fox, Jackals, and some reptiles as well. eclared a Ramsar Site the best birding is at the lakes and marshes where you will see some unimaginable numbers of cranes, pelicans, flamingos, storks. Rann is also a hunting ground for many raptors. Dasada, Nawa Talo, and Nal Sarovar sanctuary are also good birding sites in some driving distance from Rann.
About The Park
The Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in the Indian state of Gujarat, is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the country. In fact, it spans the entire area of the little Rann of Kutch where small grass covered areas, known as baits, forms the flora and is an important source to support the fauna of the region.
Asses consists of members of the horse family which are found in plenty in the region grazing on the grass covered expanse. The asses are tough animals with no match in the animal kingdom for the power and stamina they possess.
The best time to visit the sanctuary would be the post monsoon month of October, when the grasslands are replenished with water and a number of wild asses can be seen grazing upon and playing around in the area. The months of December to March is the cooler period when the weather is ideal for a wildlife safari. From April onwards, the heat starts building and it can get scorching hot during May and June.
Flora & Fauna
The Rann of Kutch is full of dry thorny scrub and there are no large trees. The main vegetation in the region includes many species of grasses that are widely available as the source of food for the wild Asses.
The most famous wildlife of the region includes the Indian Wild Ass, as well as the chinkara, desert fox, jackal, desert cat, caracal, nilgai, wolf, blackbuck, and striped hyena. Asses are the prominent attractions and the animal found in large numbers in the region. Herds of these animals can often be sighted in the area, grazing on the patches of grass. It is an interesting experience to observe some of their peculiar habits.
Besides the asses, other animals that can be found in the area include the endangered Ghudkhur, Blue-Bull, Chinkara, Hedgehog and carnivores such as the Wolf, Jackal, Fox, Jungle and Desert Cats.
The avian population of the area is equally diverse with more than 300 species of birds already registered. Some of the famous birds include Cranes, Flamingos, Houbara Bustard, Falcons along with a large number of larks, another major attraction of the area.
The Rann of Kutch is also known for its varied reptile population such as snakes, tortoises and lizards, most of which cannot be found anywhere else in the country.
To sum up, the Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary is habitat to around 93 species of invertebrates that include 25 species of zooplanktons, 1 specie of annelid, 4 crustaceans, 24 insects, 12 molluscs and 27 spiders.
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