Context:
Gujarat High Court recently sought a report from the state government on the licenses and permissions it has granted for mining activities within Wild Ass Sanctuary in the Little Rann of Kutch.
Relevance:
GS III: Environment and Ecology
Dimensions of the Article:
- About Wild Ass Sanctuary in Gujarat, India
- About Indian Wild Ass:
About Wild Ass Sanctuary in Gujarat, India
Location:
- The sanctuary is located in the Little Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, India.
- It is the only place where the Indian wild ass, known as Khacchar locally, can be found.
- The sanctuary is also home to a sizeable population of Rabari and Bharwad tribes.
Topology:
- The sanctuary can be considered a large ecotone, a transitional area between marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
- It is a continuum of a dry area of dark silt with salt encrustation.
- It is dotted with about 74 elevated plateaus or islands, locally called ‘bets’.
- During the monsoon, large parts are flooded to depths of up to 2 meters.
Flora:
- The sanctuary is full of dry thorny scrub, and there are no large trees except on the fringes and bets.
- Some of the plants and trees found in this sanctuary are Morad, Unt morad, Theg, Dolari, Khijdo, Kerdo, Mithi jar, Kheri pilu, Akado, etc.
Fauna:
- Besides Indian Wild Ass, the other mammals found here include Blackbuck, Nilgai, Bluebull, Hare, Wolf, Foxes, Desert Cat, Indian fox, Jackal, Hyena, Wild boar, etc.
- There is rich birdlife, including the Houbara bustard, Sandgrouse, Pale harrier, Black-shouldered kite, Pelican, etc.
About Indian Wild Ass:
Distribution and Habitat:
- The Indian Wild Ass, a sub-species of the Asian Wild Ass, is found only in the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, India.
- Its habitat includes desert and grassland ecosystems.
Characteristics:
- The Indian Wild Ass is characterized by distinctive white markings on the anterior part of the rump and on the posterior part of the shoulder and a stripe down the back that is bordered by white.
- Scientific name: Equus hemionus khur.
Conservation Status:
- The Indian Wild Ass is listed as “Near Threatened” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
- It is listed under Appendix II of CITES.
- In India, the Indian Wild Ass is protected under Schedule-I of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972).
Source: Indian Express
