Velavadar National Park

This exclusively Indian animal is perhaps the most graceful and beautiful of its kind. It has ringed horns that have a spiral twist of three to fours turns and are up to 70 cm long. The body's upper parts are black and the under parts and a ring around the eyes are white. The light brown female is usually hornless. There are two gates with a road in between which leads to the park. The reception attached to the Kaliyarbhavan Forest Lodge is the place where the visitors pay the entry fee to the park. The park interpretation centre located at a short distance from here provides basic information about the animals and birds found in the area.

Climate Velavadar is dry and arid. The greenery in the forests can be seen during the monsoon season. The summers, from April to June, are harsh with temperatures rising to 40°C. the winters, from December to February are cool and comfortable. The tourists need to carry light woolens during the summers and heavy woolens during the winters.

Flora Acacia and Banyan trees. A distinct belt of vegetation is found along the main rivers and streams. Species like the Jambu, Karanj, Umro, Vad, Kalam, Charal, Sirus and Amli are found here. These trees are mostly broad leaved and evergreen, giving the area a cool shade and the moisture content.

Fauna The ecosystem of the park houses four distinct habitats, grassland, shrubland, saline land and high tidal lands. One of the most thrilling sights in the area is the unusual mating rituals of the blackbuck, which involves a spectacular vertical leap of upto 2 mts by the male. The park is home to over 187 species of birds including residents and migratory birds such as Harrier, Partridge, Pelican, Duck, Crane, Stork, Eagle, Sand Grouse, Lark and Lesser Florican. Besides the blackbuck, other commonly found mammals include the Nilgai, Wolf, Wild Cat, Jackal, Indian Fox, Wild Boar, Porcupine, Hare and Rodent, while the reptile kingdom constitute of Saw Scaled Vipers, Common Cobra, Krait, Rat Snake and Sand Boa