One of the two Great Indian Bustard sanctuaries in the state of Gujarat, it is located in the western side of Kutch. It acquired notification in the year 1992. The Sanctuary resides in the Naliya area of Kutch district. The Kutch Bustard Sanctuary was primarily built to save the Great Indian bustard from the effects of poaching and hunting.
Kutch being a region of varied vegetation and topography comprising of grasslands, deserts, wetlands, and marshy swamps, the Kutch Bustard Sanctuary is primarily a grassland area dotted with desert vegetation of thorns and dry grass here and there.
The main point of interest here is the great Indian bustard, and the graph of the sanctuary shows a steady rise in their growth. Kutch Bustard Sanctuary is home to the huge bustard, though the space seems inadequate for it to live freely.
The birds are often spotted roaming around the sanctuary. "Ghorad" to the locals, the bustard is almost as big as the ostrich but unlike them is quite a good flier. However it prefers staying on the ground. Open areas attract the bustard more than enclosures and the bustard is mostly seen in the open, roosting or breeding.
Apart from the Great Indian Bustard, the Kutch Bustard Sanctuary houses 20 other species of birds, namely, McQueen's Bustard, Lesser Florican, Stoliczkas, Bushchats, Merlins are some of the species to be spotted here.
The co-existance of jungle cats, chinkaras, harriers and desert cats with the bustards, eagles, and other migratory birds more or less make a complete picture of the Wildlife in Gujarat.
Visiting time:
Latter part of monsoon or early winter i.e the span from October to March is the ideal time to plan a Tour to Gujarat.
