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8th February 2007
I was waltzed around a mountain of paperwork as we settled our exorbitant account with a person who clearly loved her job – the owner’s unsmiling mother. We left for Gir National Park with the bus eerily quiet for a change. Much of the route was tollway. The only site of any real interest was the ancient city of Junagadh, where a number of truly remarkable stone buildings were seen. Gir National Park is the last refuge of the Asiatic Lion. The national park and Lion Sanctuary in the Kathiwad peninsula of Gujarat has the distinction of being the last earthly refuge of the majestic Asiatic lion (Panthera leo). It is home of some 300 lions of this close to being extinct Asiatic species. Apart from the Asiatic Lions, the park is also home to large number of chitals, chinkara, leopard, wild ass and many other animals. The Asiatic lion once ranged from Asia Minor and Arabia through Persia to India. Before British and other hunting, it roamed throughout the northern and central states of India, from Sindh to Bengal and southward to the Narmada basin. In 1884, the species was finally wiped out from everywhere save the Gir forest. We checked into our well-appointed safari tents in the Lion Safari Camp in time for our afternoon jeep safari to the park. The highlight was sighting three leopards very close to the road. Other mammals included chital, sambar, wild boar and langur monkeys. We traveled in two jeeps. On this safari Mayette was traveling with Sir Giles and Fifi. She was having such a good time that she leapt from their vehicle at the “three leopards site” and joined the rest of us in the other jeep. 9th February 2007 Up at 0530 and off into the park at first light. Our guide was of Ugandan heritage and although we had stunning views of an adult male leopard. Before and after lunch we had some free time to wander along the river at the front of the tented camp and into some extensive adjacent forest. There were good numbers of birds. The afternoon safari produced yet another male leopard. It turned and stared at us before loping off. Inexplicably Sir Giles missed seeing it. The safari was getting long in the tooth when we passed a park staff outpost. Our guide asked them if they had seen any lions and they agreed that there were two just metres from the outpost’s fence. These clowns did not volunteer this information – we had to ask. Anyway we were happy. We had our Asiatic lions – a mother and a two year old cub - so we could relax a little. The lions didn’t have much on at the time, with one or the other raising its head at intervals before nodding off. We had also set the park record for consecutive leopard sightings (three). A pair of painted sandgrouse just metres away from the road proved there were still new things for us to see. I stole away to the Jimmy Boys’ tent for a de-briefing. Oh, and a whisky too, from memory. 10th February 2007 Our next destination was Bhavnagar. Our first pair of jackals were seen at the edge of the park along with better views of chinkara and then a large covey of jungle bush-quail sunning themselves on the side of the road. We arrived at Bhavnagar a little before 1300. Bhavnagar is a coastal city but we never quite made it to the coast. It is an incredibly grotty place, in stark contrast to our accommodation, the Nilambag Palace. Built in 1859 it was the local maharajah’s palace until 1984. Our bedroom (once the maharajah’s) was 24 feet by 20 feet in area + monster bathroom and balconies. Mayette couldn’t believe her eyes. The room contained original furniture and artwork, but with rather too many tiger and leopard heads for my taste. I became better friends with the bathroom as the day progressed. Oh well, I lasted seven days, that’s something. Only Max to go. I skipped dinner.
A Wildlife, Culture An Lifestyle Experience Trip
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