Species

INDIAN PITTA (Pitta brachyuran)

Indian Pitta is a small bird with pale brown head, with bold black stripe through eye, contrasting with white throat. The upperbody is green in colour with buff brown lower parts and reddish pink lower abdomen. It inhabits broadleaved deciduous forests and undergrowth where it is constantly pecking for small insect. It frequents bamboo and scrub jungles. The characteristic double whistle call gives away its presence which otherwise is well camouflaged in the dense undergrowth. Its nest is large and globular generally on a forked branch in monsoon season. Indian Pitta is a monsoon migrant for Gujarat and can be sighted in the forests of Sasan Gir, Vijaynagar in north Gujarat and some areas of Central and South Gujarat Forests.

SPOTTED DEER (Axis axis)

One of the most beautiful animals of the deer family, the spotted deer is golden brown in colour with white spots all over the body. It is about 67-90 cm tall and weighs about 60 to 90 kg. The male deer has long and intricately branched horns which are shed every year. Newly grown horns have a velvety coat on them. This deer is usually seen in herds of 10 to 30 animals. These animals graze during mornings and evenings near cultivation and in and around forest areas and rest in the afternoons. They associate well with other forest animals especially monkeys. They rest at night in open plains in huge groups. This deer is the main prey for big cats like lions and leopards.

FOUR HORNED ANTELOPE (Tetracerus quadricornis)

This animal belonging to Antelope family is on the verge of extinction in Gujarat. The dorsal part of the body is reddish brown and the ventral part is white. The male is identified from the female by peculiar 4 small horns present on male and absent on female. This is the smallest and the most shy animal of the antelope family and is usually seen in groups of 4 to 5 animals. It inhabits hilly and undulating terrain as well as shrublands.

SAMBAR (Cervus unicolor)

Sambar is the largest deer of the deer family, standing almost 5 feet tall weighing about 225-320 kg. The stag is dull brown in colour with yellowish or greyish tinge. The underparts are paler. Females are much paler in colouration. The stags also have branched and long antlers which are shed every year. It inhabits light wooded country and deciduous forests. In Gujarat it is sighted in the forests of Sasan Gir, Dangs, and Shoolpaneshwar. It usually feeds from evening to morning in open cultivation and plains and rests in forest during the day time. Their food consists of grass, leaves and various kinds of wild fruits. Sambars are competent swimmers and swim with their head and antlers held high.