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{{Short description|Indian wildlife sanctuary}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary
| alt_name = Wild Ass Nature Education Camp
| iucn_category = IV
| image = IndianWildAss (cropped).jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = [[Indian wild ass|Khur]] grazing at the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary, [[Little Rann of Kutch]].
| map = Gujarat#India
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| map_width =
| relief = 1
| mapframe = Yes
| label =
| label_position =
| mark =
| marker_size =
| mapframe-zoom = 8
| location = [[Kutchh]], [[Gujarat]], [[India]]
| nearest_city = [[Ahmedabad]]
| coordinates ={{coord|23.152739|71.395678}}
| coords_ref =
| region =
| area = 4954 km<sup>2</sup>
| designation =
| authorized =
| created =
| established = 1972
| designated =
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| visitation_ref =
| governing_body =
| administrator =
| operator =
| owner =
| world_heritage_site = [https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/2105/ UNESCO Tentative List]
| website = [http://www.gujarattourism.com/destination/details/12/80 GujaratTourism]
| url =
| child =
| embeded =
}}

The '''Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary''', or '''Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary''', is located in the [[Little Rann of Kutch]] in the state of [[Gujarat]], [[India]], spread over an area of 4954 km².<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wiienvis.nic.in/Database/wls_8230.aspx|title=Wildlife Sanctuaries|website=wiienvis.nic.in|access-date=2017-04-24|archive-date=2017-02-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223175631/http://wiienvis.nic.in/Database/wls_8230.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[Image:Map GujDist Kuchchh.png|thumb|right|Map of [[Gujarat]] showing the Little Rann of Kutch and [[Greater Rann of Kutch]]]]

The Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary was established under the [[Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972|Wildlife Protection Act]] of 1972 as one of the last bastions for the endangered [[Indian Wild Ass|Indian wild ass]] (''Equus hemionus khur'')—called ''khur'' or ''godhkhur'' in the [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] language—, a southern [[subspecies]] of ''E. hemionus'', the [[Onager|Asiatic wild ass]] (or ''onager'').

==Geography==
The [[Rann of Kutch]] is a sealine desert. During [[monsoon]], the Rann ([[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] for [[desert]]) gets flooded for a period of about one month and is dotted with about 74 elevated plateaus or islands, locally called 'bets'. These ''bets'' are covered with grass and feed the population of around 2100 animals.<ref>{{cite news
|work=The Hindu
|title=Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary
|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/02/27/stories/2006022700320300.htm
|accessdate=2006-09-13
|location=Chennai, India
|date=27 February 2006
|archive-date=2007-01-22
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070122141623/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/02/27/stories/2006022700320300.htm
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

==Species found==
The sanctuary is also a habitat for many other endemic species of animals and migratory birds. According to data submitted to the [[UNESCO]] World Heritage Centre,<ref>{{cite web
|publisher = UNESCO World Heritage Centre
|title = Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch
|url = https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/2105/
|accessdate = 2006-09-13
|archive-date = 2022-05-16
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220516234433/http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/2105/
|url-status = live
}}</ref> the sanctuary's rich biodiversity includes

* nine [[mammal]]ian [[Order (taxonomy)|orders]], representing over 30 species and subspecies;

* at least 70,000 individual bird nests and pairs;

* at least 30 species of [[reptile]], with two [[turtle]]s, 14 [[lizard]]s and 12 [[snake]] species, as well as the [[mugger crocodile]];

* four species of [[amphibian]];

* and about 90 species of [[invertebrate]]s—25 species of [[zooplankton]], one [[annelid]], four [[crustacean]]s (including ''[[Metapenaeus]] kutchensis'', a type of [[prawn]]), 24 [[insect]]s, 12 [[mollusc]]s and 27 [[arachnids]].

[[File:Variable Wheatear, Little Rann of Kutch, India.jpg|thumb|[[Pied bush chat]] at LRK]]

==Threats==

The main threat faced by the sanctuary is the illegal [[salt panning]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20091124183835/http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20091116-180178.html The salt-panners of the little Rann]; kuensel online; Nov 16, 2009; asiaone news; Singapore Press Holdings</ref> activity in the area. 25% of India's salt supply comes from panning activity in the area.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sanctuaryasia.com/takeaction/detailcampaign.php?cid=54|title=Rann of Kutchh Wild Ass Sanctuary, Kutchh|accessdate=2006-09-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061017155315/http://www.sanctuaryasia.com/takeaction/detailcampaign.php?cid=54|archive-date=2006-10-17|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Biosphere Reserve — World Heritage Site==
The reserve was nominated by the Forest Department to be a [[biosphere reserve]], which are areas of terrestrial and coastal [[ecosystems]] internationally recognised within the framework of UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme. The aim of the programme is to focus on conserving [[biological diversity]], and the research, monitoring and providing of sustainable development models. The proposal was sent to and listed at [[UNESCO]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/2105/|title=Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch|first=UNESCO World Heritage|last=Centre|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|access-date=2019-12-26|archive-date=2022-05-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516234433/http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/2105/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Flora--Fauna/Kutch-gets-biosphere-reserve-status/articleshow/3261967.cms|title=Kutch gets biosphere reserve status|first=Himanshu|last=Kaushik|date=July 22, 2008|newspaper=The Economic Times|access-date=April 27, 2019|archive-date=April 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430163437/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Flora--Fauna/Kutch-gets-biosphere-reserve-status/articleshow/3261967.cms|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[http://www.indianexpress.com/news/kutchs-wild-ass-habitat-may-soon-get-herita/206928/ Kutch’s wild ass habitat may soon get heritage label] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230305083606/https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/kutchs-wild-ass-habitat-may-soon-get-heritage-label/ |date=2023-03-05 }} (2 Page article online); by DP Bhattacharya; Jul 26, 2007; Indian Express Newspaper</ref>

==Wildlife Sanctuaries and Reserves of Kutch==
From the city of [[Bhuj]] various [[ecology|ecologically]] rich and [[wildlife conservation]] areas of the Kutch / [[Kachchh district]] can be visited such as Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary, [[Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary]], [[Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary]], [[Kutch Bustard Sanctuary]], [[Banni Grasslands Reserve]] and [[Chari-Dhand Wetland Conservation Reserve]] etc..

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
Image:Wild ass group female.jpg|A group of female khur breaking into a run.
Image:Wild ass male.JPG|Alpha male of a herd.
File:Nilgai_group_at_Little_Rann_of_kutch.JPG|[[Nilgai]] herd at Wild Ass Sanctuary, LRK.
File:Little rann of kutch landscape.JPG|Landscape of Wild Ass Sanctuary.
Image:Wild ass india.jpg|Indian Wild Ass
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|India}}
*[[List of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries of Gujarat, India]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Ahmedabad/Wild-asses-population-rises-by-4/articleshow/4387029.cms Wild asses population rises by 4%]; TNN; 11 April 2009; Times of India
*[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ahmedabad/Wild-Ass-vulnerable-to-flu-/articleshow/4376858.cms Wild Ass vulnerable to flu]; by TNN; 9 April 2009; Times of India
*[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Rajkot/Wild-ass-census-to-kick-off-from-April-5/articleshow/4340952.cms Wild ass census to kick off from April 5]; TNN; 31 March 2009; Times of India
*[http://www.commodityonline.com/news/Bleak-future-for-traditional-salt-15393-3-1.html Bleak future for traditional salt]; by Anosh Malekar; February 21, 2009; Courtesy : Infochange News & Features; ComodittyOnline
*[http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/feb/15rann.htm Wild ass robs agarias' livelihood]; February 15, 2007; Rediff India Abroad
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120106184148/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/03/04/stories/2006030400320200.htm Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary]; SANCTUARY SPOTLIGHT; Mar 04, 2006; The Hindu, Online edition of India's National Newspaper. Also posted at [https://web.archive.org/web/20070122141623/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/02/27/stories/2006022700320300.htm Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary]
*[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/599049.cms Wild ass population shows upward trend]; TNN; 3 April 2004; Times of India
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130509024619/http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=67090 Japanese duo does donkey work in Rann - ‘‘The female donkeys are left by the maldhari’s on the island of Plaswa village in the Rann of Kutch for about three months during the monsoon. Here, the Wild Ass, a protected species, breed with the female donkeys leading to the birth of hybrid donkeys which are taller than their mothers and wilder than their fathers,’’ says Dr R Kimura who has been a visiting researcher at the Equine Museum of Japan for the past two decades.]; by Rupam Jain; November 3, 2003; Indian Express Newspaper. Also see [http://www.indianexpress.com/oldStory/34794/]
*[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/328732.cms Officials gear up for wild ass census]; by TNN; 28 November 2003; Times of India
*[http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19990308/ige08141.html Wild ass being robbed of its run of the Little Rann]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}; by ANAND SUNDAS; March 8, 1999; Indian Express Newspaper

==External links==
{{commons category|Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091227113948/http://gujenvfor.gswan.gov.in/wildlife/national-park/wildlife-wild-ass-sanctuary.htm Wild ASS Sanctuary] & [https://archive.today/20121218175034/http://gujaratforest.gov.in/wildlife/wild_ass1.htm Wild Life - National Parks & Wildlife Sanctuaries - Wild ASS Sanctuary]; Official website: Forests & Environment Department; State Government of Gujarat, India

[[Category:1972 establishments in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Kutch district]]
[[Category:Wildlife sanctuaries in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1972]]
[[Category:Onager]]
[[Category:World Heritage Tentative List for India]]

Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary - Revision history

Wikindia777 at 09:42, 22 February 2026