Species

STRIPED HYENA (Hyena hyena)

Striped hyena is a shy but adaptable scavenger found in forested, scrub, savanna, semi-arid and grassland habitats of entire Gujarat. Dark face, long standing years, beautiful black and white stripes on body, long mane hair like horses, fore feet tall and hind smaller gives the animal a very strange and scary look. The animal is shy and nocturnal and lives sometime in colonies in Kutch but forages solitary. They are known scavengers but reported to kill dogs and cattle also. Strong canine, powerful jaws make them the most efficient for scavenging on carrion at dumping sites in the outskirts of villages and town. They usually carry pieces of hide and bones to their dens.

RUSTY SPOTTED CAT (Felis rubiginosa)

Rusty spotted cat is one of the small and beautiful cats found in Gujarat. The number and population size of this cat is unknown but it is reported to occur in the forests of Gir, Girnar forests, central and south Gujarat. Rusty spotted cat is half the size of a house cat which weighs only 1to 2 kg and 65 cm in length. The cat wears brow to rusty colored coat, which is dotted till the end of its body. Small head with four vertical lines is typical of this cat. It is known to be nocturnal and arboreal in habit and feed on small mammals, birds and reptiles in the forest areas.

CARACAL (Caracal caracal)

One of the most graceful of all the cats, the caracal is found in Kutch and part of Little Rann in Saurashtra region in Gujarat. Rufus colored medium sized cat with long body, strong paws, long ear tufted with thick whiskers like hair and white patches, beautiful face with white patches give a graceful look to this magnificent member of the cat family. A decade ago it was thought that the cat is locally extinct from Gujarat but recent studies have shown its presence in the northwestern part of Kutch district. Local people call it "Henotaro' means looking like "chinkara". From a distance its color and tufts give it an appearance like young chinkara. It feeds on small mammals, birds and reptiles in the desert and it is also reported to kill an adult chinkara. The cat is not only known for graceful look but also for its ferocious behavior if encountered. The records say that they have been trained and used for hunting like trained cheetah in the past

GREATER FLAMINGO (Phoenicopteros rubber)

The greater flamingo is dainty long legged white bird with pink legs and beak. The primaries of the wings are scarlet and black tipped. The beak is angular and mainly pink in colour with a black tip. Morphologically the male and female birds are similar. The Flamingos inhabit shallow wetlands like lakes, ponds, coastal areas and salt pans. They are basically filter feeders feeding on algae and plantktons. Their beak is well adapted for filter feeding. The flamingos make a nest in the form of a mud mount about 12 inches tall and with a slight depression on the top for laying eggs. Flamingos nest in the Rann of Kachchh near Khadir bet and the area is known as Flamingo City .