Gir forest, Gujarat

Gir forest, also known as Sasan Gir, is a forest, national park, and wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat, India, near Talala Gir. It lies 43 kilometers (27 miles) north of Somnath, 65 kilometers (40 miles) south of Junagadh, and 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of Amreli. It was formed in 1965 in the former private hunting territory of the Nawab of Junagarh and has a total area of 1,412 km2 (545 sq mi), of which 258 km2 (100 sq mi) is entirely protected as a national park and 1,153 km2 (445 sq mi) as a wildlife sanctuary. It is part of the ecoregion of Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous woods.

Gir forest in Gujarat was formerly the Nawab of Junagadh's wildlife preserve and was formed as a national park in 1965 with the goal of protecting and increasing the lion population, which had dwindled to two dozen in the early twentieth century. Aside from Asiatic lions, the dry deciduous forest is home to a variety of leopards, including the jungle cat, desert cat, and rusty-spotted cat. Sloth bears, striped hyenas, golden jackals, Indian mongoose, Indian palm civets, ratels, chital, nilgai, sambar, four-horned antelope, chinkara, and wild boar are also found.

Location: Junagadh, Gir Somnath, and Amreli Districts, Gujarat, India