Velavadar National Park ( Blackbuck National Park ) [ Gujarat ]

Black Buck N.P. Velavadhar in the Bhal region of Saurashtra. The only tropical grassland in India to be given the status of a national park, Velavadar National Park is a 36 km patch of Savannah type grasslands and thorn scrub. The park is set between two rivers, a few miles from the Gulf of Cambay sea coast. The rich soil is believed to have origins in the sea. The principal attraction of the park is the massive population of blackbuck, the handsome Indian antelope, seen here in numbers running into thousands. The blackbuck is endemic to India and is rated among the most elegant antelopes and the fastest animals over a long distance. During the rule of the Maharajahs of Bhavnagar, Velavadar was harvested for grass to feed the royal cattle herds and the antelope were protected except for an occassional hunting camp. This is where His highness Krishnakumar Sinhji coursed blackbucks using cheetahs and flew falcons.

Velavadar is one of the few places in the world where the wolf population is proliferating. The wolf is the prime predator of Velavadar national park. Other mammals seen in Velavadar are fox, jackal, jungle cat, wild pig, hare and rodents. The birdlife is extensive. Sandgrouse, larks and other grasslands are seen in fair numbers. The harrier roost at Velavadar national park is one of the largest in the world.

General lnformation

Accommodation :

Tourist Lodge at the Park. ( Advanced notice needed )

How to get there :

By road : 4 hours(180 kms), trains to Bhavnagar 50 kms from Velavadar.