Purna Wildlife Sanctuary -Dangs

About:

Purna Wildlife Sanctuary is one of Gujarat's lush green and dense forest reserves, located in the Western Ghats' foothills. Known for its rich biodiversity, the sanctuary is home to various flora and fauna, making it a popular destination for nature lovers, wildlife enthusiasts, and trekkers. With its diverse landscapes, including dense forests, rivers, and waterfalls, Purna offers an ideal retreat for those seeking a close connection with nature.  

Purna is a Sanctuary, where luxuriant dense forests with thick bamboo brakes enchant visitors. People get surprised to see such pristine forests in the area, which happens to be an extension of the Western Ghats. For an eco-tourist wanting to enjoy birds of moist deciduous forest mixed with bamboo, this is the best place to visit. The Sanctuary is a part of forests in northern part of the Dangs district in South Gujarat. The area covering 160.8 sq. km is a reserved forest, which has been notified as Sanctuary in July 1990.

Location info:

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History:

The Purna Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1990 and is named after the Purna River, which flows through the forest. It forms part of the Dangs Forest area, one of the last remaining patches of thick, moist deciduous forests in Gujarat and is part of the Western Ghats' northern extension. 

species new for the reserves and eleven other noteworthy species. We identify eight species that may be locally extinct and 14 other species.that may be susceptible to forest loss and degradation owing to their rarity, habitat specificity, foraging guild, body size, endemism, and or edge-of-range distribution. Hunting and biotic homogenisation may also be contributing to local avifaunal impoverishment

Interesting things to do:

• Make sure to visit the orientation centre first before you start exploring the campsite as that would give a good picture of what you are about to experience during your stay.
• Most of these Eco Campsites use electricity which is generated by using solar energy, hence please use it responsibly.
• No smoking whatsoever (cigarette butts cause many forest fires.)
• No flash or intrusive photography (for example, don’t pluck leaves to clear a better view; reposition the camera instead.)
• Do not carry any music system or sound making device along with you and remember to keep them switched off if you are driving around.

Interesting things to Visit:

Purna River:
The river runs through the sanctuary, providing picturesque views and opportunities for spotting animals quenching their thirst.

Important birds : Common grey hornbill, grey jungle fowls, barbets, woodpeckers, shrikes, cloropsis, bee-eaters, flycatchers and many raptors.

Flora:
About 700 identified plants species with dominance of grass and plants with broad leaves in high density and diversity are found in the sanctuary. Major/important tree species are: teak, khair, sadad, dudhalo, kalam, bamboo, haldu, karanj, tanach, chopadi bondara etc.

Mobile range info:

How to reach?

Nearest Visiting places:

Saputara (50 km):
Gujarat’s only hill station, known for its beautiful landscape, boating in Saputara Lake, and tribal culture. 

In summer, walk carefree on the expanse of the Governor’s hill and see the sun dip into the Saputara lake as the sky begins to shimmer with stars.As your bus chugs uphill, crisscrossing over the Ambika river, you leave all the congestion of towns and cities far below you and enter the spirit world of tribal people. Nestled in the Sahyadri range, at an altitude of about 1000 m, this Dangi enclave derives its name from the Snake god revered by the tribals and translates as ‘the abode of serpents’, Saputara.In spite of being the only hill station of Gujarat, it is minimally commercialized, still unspoiled.

Girmal Waterfall (30 km):
The highest waterfall in Gujarat, surrounded by dense forests.

Nearest Petrol Pump:

The nearest petrol pumps are available in Vyara and Waghai, both approximately 20-30 km from the sanctuary.  

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:

Manoranjan Hotel:Gandevi,Navsari,Gujarat,India,ph:02634 262812

Shakti Hotel:Gandevi,Navsari,Gujarat,India

Hotels in Saputara: For a wider range of accommodations, you can stay in Saputara, which offers various budget to mid-range hotels. 

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