Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary

Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary also known as the Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Little Rann of Kutch in the Gujarat state of India. It is spread over an area of 4954 km².[1]

Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary
Wild Ass Nature Education Camp
Indian Wild Ass in the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch
LocationKutchh, Gujarat, India
Nearest cityAhmedabad
Area4954 km2
Established1972
World Heritage siteUNESCO Tentative List
WebsiteGujaratTourism
Map of Gujarat showing the Little Rann of Kutch and Greater Rann of Kutch

The wildlife sanctuary was established in 1972 and came under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The sanctuary is one of the last places on earth where the endangered wild ass sub-species Indian Wild Ass (Khur) (Equus hemionus khur) belonging to Asiatic Wild Ass species Onager (Equus hemionus) can be spotted.

Geography

The Rann of Kutch is a sealine desert. During monsoon, the Rann (Gujarati for desert) gets flooded for a period of about one month and is dotted with about 74 elevated plateaus or islands, locally called 'bets'. These bets are covered with grass and feed the population of around 2100 animals.[2]

Species found

The sanctuary is habitat to many species of animals and birds. According to the data submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre[3] the sanctuary has

Pied bush chat in LRK

Threats

The main threat faced by the sanctuary is the illegal salt panning[4] activity in the area. 25% of India's salt supply comes from panning activity in the area.[5]

Biosphere Reserve - World Heritage Site

It is nominated by the Forest department to be a biosphere reserve which are areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems internationally recognized within the framework of UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme. it will focus on conserving biological diversity, research, monitoring and providing sustainable development models, the proposal has been sent to and listed at UNESCO.[6][7][8]

Wildlife Sanctuaries and Reserves of Kutch

From the city of Bhuj various ecologically rich and wildlife conservation areas of the Kutch / Kachchh district can be visited such as Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary, Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary, Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary, Kutch Bustard Sanctuary, Banni Grasslands Reserve and Chari-Dhand Wetland Conservation Reserve etc..

  • A group of female asses breaking into a run
  • Alpha Male of a group.
  • Nilgai group at Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch
  • Landscape of Wild Ass Sanctuary Little Rann of Kutch
  • Indian Wild Ass
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See also

References
  1. "Wildlife Sanctuaries". wiienvis.nic.in.
  2. "Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 27 February 2006. Retrieved 2006-09-13.
  3. "Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2006-09-13.
  4. The salt-panners of the little Rann; kuensel online; Nov 16, 2009; asiaone news; Singapore Press Holdings
  5. "Rann of Kutchh Wild Ass Sanctuary, Kutchh". Archived from the original on 2006-10-17. Retrieved 2006-09-13.
  6. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
  7. Kaushik, Himanshu (July 22, 2008). "Kutch gets biosphere reserve status" – via The Economic Times.
  8. Kutch’s wild ass habitat may soon get heritage label (2 Page article online); by DP Bhattacharya; Jul 26, 2007; Indian Express Newspaper

Further reading
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