Facts and Figures:
Area: 495, 370 hectares
Languages: Gujarati, Hindi, and English
Altitude: 2 to 3 m above sea level
Best time to visit: October to June
STD Code: 02754

Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary:

Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in Gujarat. The place is a featureless expanse of flat land in addition to the sea bed and dotted with islands known as “Baits”. The entire Little Rann of Kutch is known as “Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary”. The place even forms the core for flora and fauna. The sanctuary is the largest wildlife sanctuary in India.The Indian wild ass depicts the horse tribe in India. The asses are attracted by the flat grass covered which covers the island in the little Rann of Kutch. The coarse grasses spring up in monsoon. With the arrival of summer these asses move to the oilier bets where there is supply of water and grass for longer time.There is no one in the animal kingdom to match the speed and stamina of these wild asses. These asses are capable of marathon runs at a beginning speed of 24 km/h which can continue for 2 hours and then reaching on to a speed of 70 km/h in a very short distance. The wild ass is a strong animal. A male horse fights aggressively for the possession of the mare in the mating season. The one of such type of wild ass can rear up on their hindlegs and kick and bite viciously. The fowl is born after mating normally between July and September.Other than wild ass one can also find rare and endangered Ghudkhur also known as Equshemionus Khur. They are not found any where else in the world. There are other animals also which are found in large number here like the Blue-Bull, Chinkara, Hedgehog and carnivores such as the Wolf, Jackal, Fox, Jungle and Desert Cats. During winters 300 different types of birds can be seen here inside and near the Rann. Cranes and Flamingos can be seen in thousands. The rare birds like the Houbara Bustard, Falcons, a large number and species of larks and other arid region birds can be seen. Reptiles are also found here like snakes, tortoises, lizards. One can come and see the watch towers which is a tourist complex. There are other tourist related facilities also which are active to enhance wildlife viewing in this unique place.Traveling in an open jeep on the vast Rann is an exciting and refreshing experience. The other scenes of sunrise and sunset are also breathtaking which display exotic hues. Viewing wildlife is thrilling and exciting adventure the more satisfying is to watch the animal behavior than just looking at the place as a sighting. If visited one should at least spend 3-4 days here. In the morning and evening excursions in Jeep/Mini coaches are conducted at a leisurely pace which can take convenient number of persons in one go. The safaris that visit the place even include the visit to ancient monuments and inland salt works and other places of interest.Wild Ass Wildlife SanctuaryA short journey can be made to view a typical Saurashtra village famous for handloom weaving and dyeing units and village potter are also available here.Special rides and camouflaged boats can be provided for people who are interested in birds and photography.One can even enjoy trkking and living with Rabari and Bharwad tribes who migrate to this place. Between July and September special camps are operated on the edge of the Rann.One can even enjoy the camel and Jeep safaris in and across the Rann with tented camps on the Baits which can be arranged up to three to seven days.Total distance from Ahmedabad is 110 kms which take a time span of 2 and ½ hours. Viramgam is 45 kms from the place takes approximate 1 hour to reach here. Rajkot is 175 kms taking a time of 3 and ½ hours. Bhuj is 268 kms from the place and takes approximately 6 hours to reach the place.Nearest airport is Ahmedabad. Nearest railway station Viramgam Railway station.

LOCATION:
Situated in the region of the Little Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, the sanctuary is around 150 km off Ahmedabad. The sanctuary lies between the latitude 23.26° North and longitude 71.20° East. The region is well connected to other parts of the state through regular road transport.

CLIMATE:
The climate of the region is extreme with May being the hottest month. The average temperature during this time is around 31°C. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 11°C. During the monsoon, the whole region becomes flooded with rainwater.

FLORA AND FAUNA:
The Rann of Kutch is full of dry thorny scrub and there are no large trees. The main vegetation in the region includes many species of grasses that are widely available as the source of food for the wild Asses.

The most famous wildlife of the region includes the Indian Wild Ass, as well as the chinkara, desert fox, jackal, desert cat, caracal, nilgai, wolf, blackbuck, and striped hyena.

ATTRACTIONS:
The Little Rann of Kutch, which covers an area of roughly 5,000 square km, is primarily known as the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary. The sanctuary was established in 1972 as the last natural habitat of the Indian Wild Ass (Equus Hemionus Khur). One of the three surviving species of the Wild Ass in the world-the other two being found in Central Asia and in and around Tibet-the Khur is high on the list of endangered species. Only 1,800 to 2,000 of the species survive today.
   
Besides the Wild Ass, the sanctuary is home to a host of other animals and nearly 350 different species of birds, including the common crane, pelican and the lesser flamingo. Apart from this, one can also get a rare insight into the lifestyles of the numerous ethnic groups and local tribes, which live in and around the Rann. The tribes living in the region are the Kolis, Rabaris, Bajanias, Kutchis, Gujjars and the Bharvads.

Interestingly, the Little Rann gets a fair number of winged visitors in the winter months. Among these, the blue-tailed bee-eater that comes all the way from Europe; the common crane and the demoiselle crane from Siberia; the ceraneous vulture from Egypt and the houbara bustard from Iran and Iraq are the ones most commonly sighted.

Zinjuwada, bang on the edge of the Rann, has an old, 11th century fort built during the Solanki era and houses one of the area's largest salt works.

Zainabad, 150 km off Ahmedabad, is the ideal base for a trip into the sanctuary. Zainabad had been founded in the early part of this century. The ruling family of this place came here from Multan around the mid-13th century to settle down in Dasada. It was only around 1912 that the capital was shifted to a village called Karala, which was later renamed Zainabad.

PLACES NEARBY:
Rajkot is an important city in the Saurashtra region. The place was formerly the capital of this region and is famous for its Association with Mahatma Gandhi.

Modhera is famous for its temples built of delicately carved stone.

Patan is one of the oldest cultural centers in the region and famous for its Patola saris.

There are some other national parks in the region including the Marine National Park and Nal Sarovar Park, which are rich in flora and fauna and are really worth a visit.

The other important places in the vicinity of the Little Rann of Kutch are Bhuj and Wankaner.

REACHING THERE:

By Air: Bhuj, situated around 150 km is the nearest airport. There are regular flights to Mumbai from Bhuj.

By Train: Dhangadhra situated around 22 km from the sanctuary and 130 km from Ahmedabad is the nearest railway station. The place is connected to all the major cities in the region.

By Road: The sanctuary is well connected to the other important places in the state by State Transport Corporation buses as well as luxury coaches operated by private companies. From Bhuj, regular buses, auto-rickshaws, and taxis are available for commuting up to the sanctuary and there are direct buses from Rajkot too. From Ahmedabad, one can take a bus to Dasada, 12 km northeast of Zainabad, the nearest important place to sanctuary.