One of Its Kind - Wild Ass Sanctuary at Zainabad, Gujarat, India

If you want to experience a one of its kind wild ass sanctuary in the desert then you can head to the Zainabad Sanctuary which is situated right in the middle of the Little Rann of Kutch. Rann means desert and in this place people also derive salt from the ground and this salt is five times saltier than sea water.

Zainabad has become one of the most preferred destinations for wildlife enthusiasts in India. From your open jeep you can see hundreds of wild asses eating grass and staying together in groups.

Accommodation is provided by the guest houses at reasonable costs. In the morning or in the evening you can hire an open jeep to take you for wild ass safari. The jeep will take you in the desert and after about 20 minutes you will be amazed to see hundreds of wild asses standing in a big group in front of you.

However the best is yet to come. The driver will drive his car after the asses and make them run for a while. It is a spectacular scene to see so many wild asses running together while the jeep gives a chase. This is something unusual but it will last in your memories forever.

Apart from seeing the wild asses you can drink black tea offered by the visitors. The sea water flows inwards in the Kutch Desert and you will find sea water below the ground at many locations. The villagers make a good business by making salt from the water and selling it.

They have installed electric pumps to draw the water out of the ground and then dry it to get salt. The best season to visit is in summer as the growth of grass is short. In the monsoon the grasses grow and hence you won't be able to see the wild asses very clearly.

The wild asses here can run an average of 25 kms when they are running casually but they can attain a top speed of 70 kms per hours if they are threatened. If you are lucky you may also see a fight between two stallions in order to win over a mare.

The stallions kick each other with their powerful hind legs and the ass that gives up soon runs away. The foal is normally born between July and September.

Apart from the wild ass you can find other animals as well such as deer, blue bull and hedge hog. And then there are the carnivores such as jungle cats as well as fox and jackal. The Kutch desert is also a home for some of the exotic species of bird such as falcons and the Houbara Bustard.

And you will find reptiles as well such as lizards and snakes. It is not safe to venture out at night though. Spending two days at the sanctuary are more than enough. And then you can also visit the Velavadar black buck sanctuary in Gujarat which is renowned for its black buck deer.

By : Kunal_A_Vahalia