Little Rann of Kutch
The Little Rann is one of its own kind of landscapes in the entire world with an area of over 5000 sq. km. It is a vast unbroken bare flat land, encrusted with salts which transforms into a spectacular coastal wetland after the monsoon. This region is hence very famous for its unique salt-pans where salt is harvested by local tribes known as “Agariyas”.”Agar” in local language means salt.
The little rann of kutch is home to world’s only remaining population of Khur – Asiatic Wild Ass. Apart from the UNESCO Heritage (Tentative List) and world’s only Wild Ass Sanctuary, the little rann is also a natural breeding place for Indian Flamingos and many other local, Asiatic and migratory species. Here the sea water (tidal water) from the Gulf of Kutch mixes with the freshwater discharged from streams and rivers during monsoon, making it an important spawning ground for prawns.
Kutch has survived all kinds of disasters, such that the world has never seen. Whether it was the mighty earthquake, or the mud merging with the Sea. It has survived it all. Historically, scientists believe that all research points to the fact that the Mud Desert was once a part of the Arabian Sea a few centuries ago. Even today, you can see destroyed ports, parts of a light hours, docking ship points and more in villages like Jinjhwada, Khod and Tikar. Come and stay at Bhavna Resort & Farm to experience all of these and more in little rann of kutch.
The Wild Ass Sanctuary
The Wild Ass Sanctuary located in the Little Rann of Kutch covers an area of over 4954 km². It is also one of the largest wild life sanctuaries in India. This stretch of land in the Rann is the sole home of the Wild Ass in the entire world. This species hails from the horse family and has similar strength and grace. The Wild Ass that looks like a cross breed between Horse and Donkey can run at an average speed of 50 Kms per hour for long distance!!!
Apart from the Wild Ass, the Wild Ass Sanctuary is habitat to 100s of other species. The other major animals found here are Blue Bulls (Neelgai), Chinkara and the Black Buck. You will also find carnivores such as the Indian Wolf, Jackals, Foxes, Desert Cats and different species of snakes and lizards.
The Sanctuary, due to its very strategic geographical bird migration route location and its connection to the Gulf of Kutch, provides an important feeding, breeding and roosting habitat for a large number of birds species. According to an estimate about 70,000-75,000 birds nests in an area spread over 250 acres in Little Rann of Kutch.
Water resources inside the Little Rann
In this land of salty water and mud desert, there is only once source of potable drinking water at Vechrajji Bet inside the Rann. This is the one source of drinking water for all flora and fauna in the region.
Migrating Bird Safari & Flamingo Breeding Home
The Wild Ass Sanctuary is a bird watcher’s paradise in the winter. As the monsoon finishes in this Indian Sub Continent, the land turns into a large mudflat and wetland giving migratory birds, especially the Flamingos a perfect place to breed. During monsoon, most of this land gets inundated by flood waters and innumerable seasonal streams and rivers. It turns into a vast marshland and becomes home to thousands of Greater Flamingos, Pelicans, Cranes and other water species. This is one of the rare areas where there are Flamingo Cities, where Flamingo breed.
According to an estimate about 70,000-75,000 bird’s nests are present in an area over 250 acres consisting of Flamingoes, the Houbara bustard, sand-grouses, desert chats, desert wheatears, nine lark species, quills, gray fancolins, etc. A memorable experience is to go wading knee-deep into the warm water of a salt marsh with thousands of Flamingoes around.
Other tourist Attractions near Little Rann of Kutch
The Killa of Zinjwada and the Jhilkeswar Temple Sculptures from the ancient and great Mor dynasty are some of the unique sights in the area. The Killa, is a rare monument that holds the representation of Hindu thoughts and ideas without any sort of other influence or reference. Other than that there are many other famous sites like Modhera Sun Temple, Shankheshwar Parshwanath Jain Temple and many more that are located within a very short distance.