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Ungulate simply means any hooved animal. Most of them are
herbivores. They constitute a large group of dissimilar animals whose last
toe joints are encased in hooves. The group is divided into four orders.
The odd-toed ungulates, which are found in India include such animals as
the Horse, Ass and the Rhinoceros. Even toed ungulates include the Pig and
Ruminants (animals that repeatedly chew their food after swallowing) such
as the Hippopotamus, Camel, Antelope, Deer, Cattle, Sheep and Goats. The
other orders comprise the Elephant.
Ungulates
play a very significant role in the food chain. They are important prey
species of the predators. Any decline in their numbers can seriously
affect the well being of the large predators.
The Chital is the most common Deer of Gir. One is likely to
see them quite frequently. Some people consider them the most beautiful
and graceful of all deer. Their sleek reddish brown coats are spotted with
white. Abdomen, rump, throat, insides of the legs, tail and ears are
white. A black band circles the muzzle. Their antlers, which grow about
0.9 m long, curve gracefully back from their heads.
Chitals in Gir inhabit flat to gently sloping forest areas, and are more
concentrated in the western part of the Gir forest. It prefers to inhabit
dry deciduous Teak, mixed deciduous, thorn scrub forests or riverine
forest. The large group structure of Chital helps them in maintaining
safety from predators. Chital is also the main prey species of the Lions.
Due to proper conservation measures, their population in Gir grew from
around 4,500 in 1974 to nearly 32,000 in 1995. Chital is also the most
numerous of the wild ungulates population, accounting for nearly 95 per
cent of the nearly 51,000 wild ungulates that inhabit this park.
Chital are found to associate with many animals, the most
famous case of symbiosis (living together) in Gir is its relationship with
the Langur monkeys, because both benefit mutually. One may notice that
chital tend to feed close to where the Langurs are feeding because Langurs
are known to be wasteful feeders and drop a lot of fruits and other
vegetation that the Chital get to eat. Chital also benefit from the alarm
calls of the Langurs as they have a high vantage position in the trees
allowing them a better view of a stalking predator.
The langurs benefit from this association by paying heed to the alarm
calls of the ever-vigilant deer. Thus when two species combine their
abilities to sound out a predator, the chances of survival increase
considerably. Also, Langurs may find an easy escape in the company of the
more numerous deer.
Sambar is the largest of the Indian deer and has one of the
grandest headgears by way of its majestic antlers. In Gir, they prefer to
occupy slopes and hilly terrain. They also inhabit forests with thick
cover and can be found in the vicinity of water. Shy by nature, they are
not commonly seen, as is the case with Chital.
Usually they are in small groups of two to five and rarely seen in large
groups. The colour of the coat ranges from grey to dark brown. Adult stags
are slightly darker than the female. Their concentration is more in
Western Gir. Sambars keep early and late hours, preferring to stay in
dense patch of forests, well hidden during the daytime from predators.
While going through the forest, remember that the Sambar is a shy deer
that tries to avoid the human presence, so make no noise and look
carefully, and one might get the sight of the largest deer of this
country!
NILGAI OR BLUEBULL
Largest of the Indian Antelopes, Nilgai inhabits comparatively open
grassy and hilly mixed deciduous areas of Eastern Gir and thorn scrub
forests in Western Gir. Females and young of Nilgai are tawny to light
brown. Adult males have dark grey to blue black coats. Both sexes have two
white markings on cheeks and white rings around the feet, lip, chin, ears
and tail. Both the male and female have short bristly mane.
Male Nilgai have cone shaped horns of 0.15 to 0.2m in length. Usually
they have been observed in smaller groups of five to nine in Gir. They are
commonly seen in deciduous or thorn scrub areas and less in Savannah areas
of Eastern Gir. Nilgai both graze and browse. They feed on leaves,
branches, fruits and at times even eat the coarse leaves of teak and
Khakhro. Nilgai can go without water for long durations even in summer and
derive moisture out of the food they eat.
CHOWSINGHA OR FOUR HORNED ANTELOPE
Smallest of the Antelopes in Asia, the Chowsingha is also the only
Antelope in the world with two pairs of horns! The females do not posses
horns. In Gir, they show marked preference for hilly and undulating
terrain. In flatter areas, they often mix with the herd of chital for
safety. Usually they feed on the lower branches of shrubs and herbs during
morning or early evening hours.
Unlike other Antelopes, the Chowsingha are much more dependent on water
and seldom live far from it. Chowsingha do not gather in large herds and
are almost always sighted in pairs and rarely with the young. The colour
of its coat is a dull brown on the top with a white abdomen. There is also
a dark stripe down the front of each leg. Another distinctive feature of
this Antelope is a pair of glands between the false hooves of the hind
legs.
BLACKBUCK OR KALIYAR
This elegant, graceful and exclusively Indian Antelope is perhaps the
most beautiful of its kind. They have ringed horns that have a moderate
spiral twist of three to four turns and are up to 0.6 to 0.7 m (1'-11' to
2'-3' approx.) long. Fastest of the Indian Antelopes, they move off in a
series of light leaps and bounds, and then break into a gallop. The
leadership of the herd is usually vested in an old and vigilant female.
Seen only in small pockets, mainly near Dhari Blackbucks are not found
commonly in Gir, mainly because they are animals of the grasslands.
CHINKARA OR INDIAN GAZELLE
Chinkara
are most to be found in eastern Gir and westernmost portion of Devaliya
block. They occupy hilly undulating thorn scrub and savannah areas. Its
colour is light chestnut dorsally, darkening slightly where it joins the
whitish underside. White streak is present down each side of the face and
a dusky black patch above the nose. Horns of the male are usually 0.3 to
0.38 m (12" to 15" approx.) long. Solitary and shy by nature
sometimes they are seen in pairs. They feed on low, selected herbaceous
growth and grasses
INDIAN WILD BOAR
Ancestor of the domestic Pig, the Wild Boar is an omnivore. Adult males
have prominent tusks derived from the canine teeth. Wild boars display
great intelligence and show immense courage and pluck in the face of
danger. However, left to themselves they are quite inoffensive.
Wild boars have great love for their young and defend them gallantly.
They think of nothing of charging even large predators. Farmers abhor them
as they inflict great damage to their crops in search of tubers. However,
in protected areas, such activities help turn the soil for better plant
growth.