Gir forest will be closed for 4 months from 16 June for visitors in lieu of the monsoon season, and protected area management initiative by the forest department.
The sanctuary is home to many animals such as leopard, hyena, Chital, Sambhar, blue bull, etc, and birds like Malabar whistling thrush, orange-headed orange-headed ground thrush, paradise flycatcher, black-naped flycatcher, Indian pitta, etc; besides being the last abode of the Asiatic Lions.
During the last eight months, over five lakh people visited this area which is stretched over 1412 square kilometers.
The forest shall be closed from 16 June to 15 October. Devaliya Safari park which is big enough for lion sightings shall remain open for tourists though.
Mohan Ram, Deputy conservator of the forest said that the Gir Jungle trail will remain closed as per the protected area management plan. He also shared that there were 338 bird species inside the area, and the breeding period of those birds as well as other wild animals also begins during the monsoon period.
Ram revealed that during monsoon, road accessibility remains a problem which is one of the reasons, tourists are not allowed inside the protected area.
