WILDLIFE AT SOLAPUR
Due to the rapid
concretisation of the lands and urbanisation, the shelter places of the
animals, birds etc. are getting diminished and these creatures are finding it
very difficult to survive and some species are becoming extinct.
Looking at this
grave situation, the local Governments have swung into action and taken steps
to declare some of the Wldlife and Bird Sanctuaries all over the country to
preserve the rare species of Animals and Birds.
The Great Indian
Bustard (Maldhok) is one of such rarest birds of Indian Sub continent.
The Bird is found only in some parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan,
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh States. The respective State
Governments have declared the sancturies for the Great Indian Bustard.
The Government of
Maharashtra declared Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in 1979 with the sole
objective of conserving the rarest species of Great Indian Bustard which are
endangered with extinction. The sanctuary consists of the area of North
Solapur, Madha, Mohol and Karmala Talukas of Solapur District and Karjat,
Shrigonda, Newasa Talukas of Ahmednagar District covering a total area of
8496.44 sq.kms.This bird has been included in the Schedule-1 of Wildlife Act
1972 and accordingly due protection has been given to this bird. The
headquarters of the sanctuary are Nannaj of Solapur District and Rehekuri of
Ahmednagar District.
The other salient
features of the Sanctuary are as below: .
- Location - Madha, Mohal, Karmala, North Solapur
Talukas of Solapur District and Karjat, Srigonda, Newasa Talukas of
Ahmednagar District.
- Name of the Sanctuary - The Great Indian
Bustard (Maldhok) Sanctuary.
- Sanctuary Headquarters - 1. Nannaj Tq.North
Solapur, Dist.Solapur 2. Rehekuri, Tq. Karjat, Dist.Ahmednagar.
- Geographical Area - 8496.44 sq.kms.
- Sanctuary Notification No. - 1.
W.LP/1078/72634/F.A dtd.,27.09.1979 2.W.LP/1085/CR-588/F-5
dtd.19.09.1985.
- Temperature : Min. 16 degrees celcius,
Max. 43 degrees celcius.
- Average Rainfall - 450 to 600 mms.
- Approach - By Road - Nannaj :
Solapur-Barshi Road, 22 kms. from Solapur, Rehekuri : Karjat-Valvad Road,
8 kms. from Karjat.
- Forest Type - Southern Tropical Thorn forest.
- Biogeographic Zone - 6 B (Deccan Peninsula -
Central Plateau)
- Major Floral Species - Neem, Sissoo, Babul, Bor,
Tarwad, Henkal, Dongri, Kusali Pavanya, Sheda, Marvel etc.
- Major Faunal Species : The Great Indian Bustard,
Blackbuck, Wolf, Indian Fox, Jackal etc.
- Accommodation - Forest Rest Houses at Solapur,
Nannaj, Karmala, Madha, Rehekuri, Karjat, Srigonda, Newasa.
- Best time to visit - July to December.
A brief
description of the Great Indian Bustard (Maldhok)
The Great Indian
Bustard (Choriotis Nigriceps (Vigors) ) is one of the rarest birds
of Indian subcontinent. It is a large ground dwelling bird with a long neck and
long bare legs and some what similar to a young Ostrich. Its standing height is
more than a meter, wing span is 2.5 mts. and weighs about 18 kg. It is
inhabitant of the open country having thorny bushes and tall grass interpassed
with cultivation. It is omnivorous in diet mainly relying on grass, small shrubs,
insects, rats, chana, groundnut, bajri etc. depending on the season..
The male is deep
sandy buff coloured. The crown of the head is black and crested. In the female
which is smaller than the male, the head and neck are not pure white and the
breast band is either rudimentary or absent. The male is polygamous. The female
lays only single egg once in a year and incubates it for about two days.
Since these birds do not live in nests, the eggs are at risk of
destruction from other animals. Due to this, the increase in the numbers of
these birds is at a very slow rate which is evident from the following table.
|
Sl.No |
Name of Animals |
1994-95 |
1995-96 |
1996-97 |
|
1 |
Great Indian Bustard |
15 |
27 |
35 |
|
2 |
Blackbuck |
2000 |
1700 |
1200 |
|
3 |
Wolf |
12 |
20 |
28 |
|
4 |
Khokad |
8 |
12 |
20 |
