Vansda National Park, also known as Bansda National Park, was established in 1979. It is in the Vansda tehsil, Navsari District of Gujarat, India. It is a protected area representing the thick woodlands of southern Gujarat and the Dangs. Adivasis, an important trading place for the surrounding area, represents the majority of this area’s population. It is part of a moist deciduous forest area with groves of “katas” bamboo. The Dry Deciduous Forest areas have “Manvel” bamboo, making it diverse. Beauty lies in different forms in Vansda.
The botanical garden stands as a form of attraction, but apart from them, the source of attraction includes local tribes, “Conservation centre”, and “Gira Falls”. The Nature Club Surat maintains a deer breeding centre in this region. Vansda National Park is a place of beauty and attraction where a person can find creatures with unique abilities. The canopy in the forest is so thick that various parts of the forest are found in darkness.
Flora and Fauna found in the region
- Different animals found in the region are dhole, rhesus macaque, Indian leopard, wild boar, common palm civet, small Indian civet, Hanuman langur, Indian porcupine, Indian giant squirrel, jungle cat, four-horned antelope, striped hyena, flying squirrel and pangolin.
- It is a potential habitat for the tiger, but the Bengal tiger is reportedly extinct in Gujarat. The border areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have tigers.
- The area has a high diversity of species of forest birds, which is one of the main attractions for ecotourism.
- The species of birds include yellow-backed sunbird, common grey hornbill, Malabar trogon, grey-fronted green pigeon, jungle babbler, forest spotted owlet, great Indian black woodpecker and Shama.
- Pythons and venomous snakes can also be found here.
- The Giant wood spider, the largest spider in Gujarat, is found here.
- There are various flowering plants found in this region. This includes sadad, teak, kadad, timru, khakhro, humb, bamboo, mahudo, dudhkod, kusum, umaro, behada, asan, Tanach, ambla, shimlo, chopadi, sisam, etc.
Different National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Gujarat:
The state has several parks and sanctuaries, which the Forest Department of the Government of Gujarat manages.
National Parks
- Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar
- Gir Forest National Park
- Vansda National Park
- Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch
Wildlife Sanctuaries
- Wild Ass Sanctuary
- Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary
- Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary
- Gir Wildlife Sanctuary & National Parks
- Balaram Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary
- Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary
- Marine Sanctuary
- Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary
- Barda Wildlife Sanctuary
- Purna Wildlife Sanctuary
- Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary
- Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary
- Ratanmahal Sloth Bear Sanctuary
- Thol Lake Bird Sanctuary
- Pania Wildlife Sanctuary
- Rampara Wildlife Sanctuary
- Hingolgadh Nature Education Sanctuary
- Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary
- Gaga Wildlife Sanctuary
- Kutch Bustard Sanctuary
- Porbandar Bird Sanctuary
- Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuary
- Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary
