About Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India :
The Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary is located about 12 km away from Jamnagar, and is a unique wetland eco-system having two fresh water lakes, with a total area of 6.05 Sq.km. Besides the marshes, mangroves and creeks of the Gulf of Kutch, saltpans are also located in the adjoining areas of Khijadiya. The Marine Sanctuary is located besides this sanctuary and therefore, the entire Khijadiya area forms an excellent and unique ecosystem found nowhere else in India.
It provides unique assemblage of fresh and saline wetlands providing a diverse microhabitat to birds. After independence, the reclamation bunds have enabled the formation of the two fresh water lakes, which were repaired and strengthened to prevent salinity ingress. On the other side of the bund, large creeks flowing from the Gulf of Kutch are located. These creeks support mangroves and other marine vegetations on the Gulf side.
On the landward side in the bird sanctuary local varieties of inland vegetation is found growing profusely. Both the fresh water lakes are separate from each other and there is no interlinking between them. Both the lakes have marked difference in depth of the water, vegetation, soil texture, water quality and salinity. This provides a number of variations in habitat, which allows for the development of a unique eco-system.
Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary is a paradise for waterfowls, waders and terrestrial birds. More than 300 species of birds have been recorded in the sanctuary and amongst them nearly 200 species seen regularly during the year.
Once the water dries out the area turns into an excellent grassland ecosystem supporting numerous insects, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and herbivores like the blue bull.
HowTo Reach:
Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary is only 12 kms from the city of Jamnagar. From the Jamnagar Railway station, it is at a distance of 18 kms. By road it is 4 kms from the Khijadiya Patiya on the Rajkot – Dwaraka State highway no.25.
Note: Permission is required from the Forest Department. The best times for visiting are the early morning and the evenings where one can see flocks of as big as thousands of birds at one time. NNC schedules the tour for this place every Week.