Black Buck National Park is located at Velavadar in the Bhavnagar district of the Indian state of Gujarat. It was created in 1976 in the Bhal region of Saurashtra and is around 72 km from Bhavnagar airport. It spreads over a 34 square km area and offers a grassland ecosystem suitable to the conservation of animals like Black Bucks, Wolves and Bustards.

The Gulf of Khambhat lies to the south of the park. You can see agricultural fields and wastelands on the other sides. The Black Buck Sanctuary grasslands were once privately owned and specially reserved for the Maharaja.

The beauty of the park is accentuated by the graceful movements of the nilgais (blue bulls) and blackbucks. The blackbuck is well known for its habit of nimbly jumping over the grass levels. This exotic view can be seen from far away since the park is mainly covered by grasses. Hordes of tourists are attracted to the region due to the beauty of the park. The bungalow provided by the Government Forest Department is a comfortable accommodation option.

At the Black Buck Wildlife Sanctuary you’ll get to see the largest black buck population as compared to any other place in India. The black buck is probably the most graceful and beautiful animal species. Originally, this animal could be seen on the plains all around the state. At present, you need to enter the boundaries of the national park to get a glimpse of this beautiful animal. The decreasing population of black bucks might well be attributed to its natural beauty and striking appearance.

The upper part of a blackbuck’s body is black and the lower part is white. Its eyes have white rings around them. The horns of a blackbuck are probably the most striking part of its appearance. These ringed horns are about 70 cm long and are spirally twisted. The female of the species does not have horns and is generally brown in colour.

Geography

The protected area of the park initially measured 17.88 square km when the park was created in July 1976. Later in 1980, an additional 16.22 square km was included resulting in the current park area of 34.08 square km.

A certain portion of the park which lies to the south adjoining the Gulf of Khambhat, comes in the high tide area and gets immersed in water. This creates suitable habitats for some of the resident animal species.

As per a study of data related to habitat types, the area of the park is of the following categories:

• 7.57 square km consists of dense grassland while 9.91 square km is sparse grassland
• 5.05 square km comprises of Prosopis shrubland
• About 5.13 square km is covered by saline lands
• 5.08 square km is covered by high tidal mudflats

Wildlife

There are various other species at the sanctuary other than the blackbuck. You’ll get to see herds of Antelopes wandering around the park. Carnivorous animals such as Wolves, Bustards, Jackals, Foxes and Jungle Cats can be seen. Other species include Hares, Rodents and Wild Pigs typically found in thorny scrubs and grasslands of the savannah type. You can also see a fair number of Sandgrouse and Larks. It has been said that the Harrier Roost species seen at the Black Buck National Park is probably the largest as compared to the rest of the world.

How to Reach

By Road

Valabhaipur is the nearest town, about 32 km away. The city of Ahmedabad is at a distance of 145 km. If you’re planning to use a private vehicle, you can enter the Black Buck National Park from Valabhaipur which comes on the old highway or from Adhelai positioned on the main Bhavnagar-Ahmedabad highway. You could also access the park by boarding a bus from Bhavnagar which is 72 km away. There are two buses which ply daily between the park and Bhavnagar. They take off from the city between 2 and 3:30 pm and return the next morning, around 6:30 am. If you want to go for a day trip, hiring your own vehicle is the best option. You can hire a cab from Bhavnagar at Rs. 700-1000 for a day.

By Rail

The nearest railway station is at Bhavnagar which is connected by many trains from Mumbai. Dhala is another railway station which is 55 km away. You may face some problems in getting hold of public transport from here to the park.

By Air

The nearest airport is Bhavnagar. There are a few Mumbai-Bhavnagar flights, but they are not very frequent. Make sure you do your bookings well in advance.

Best Time to Visit

The Blackbuck National Park is closed to the public from June to October. The summer temperatures in Bhavnagar sometimes go up to 45 degrees centigrade. It is advisable to visit from December to March when temperatures are cooler. The winter season also offers the pleasure of viewing a large number of migratory birds.