Gir Santuary reopens - Tourist Season 2008-09

Gir National park is the only natural ebode left for Asiatic Lions. It is situated in a western-most state of India - Gujarat & is just 65 kms away in south-east of the district headquarters - Junagadh. Gir has achieved first position among National Parks & Sanctuaries all over India this year. It gets most of the tourist flow from foreign countries, being on top priorities on anyone's list who visit India.

Every year Gir National Park gets closed for tourists during four month long monsoon period, being it the breeding period for the very few left of the Asiatic Lions. Thus, this gives optimum time for the wildlife to flourish during monsoon & thus, tourists can savour the beauty of the only habitat of Asiatic Lions all over the world, as its gates are reopened.

This year Gir National Park (incl. Devalia Park for Safari) getting opened as per schedule on 16th October 2008, Thursday. However, the issues with roads affected by heavy showers lately this monsoon season is also been under consideration by authorities. Though, these areas are not on the main routes for Safari or forest trips, but still, authorities assured the issues would be settled before the tourist season for year 2008-09 takes pace. They are also aware of the rise in number of tourists right after the festival of Mount Girnar Parikrama (a sacred trek of 35 kms around the mountain) & thus, taking the event as their deadline.

Similar reading : http://girasiaticlion.blogspot.com/2008/10/gir-reopens-for-tourists.html

For more on Asiatic Lions, pl visit : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiatic_Lions

For more on Gir Sanctuary, pl visit : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gir_Forest_National_Park

For more on these in local language, pl read : http://www.sandesh.com/sandesh_article.aspx?newsid=20261

Educational Tourism at Junagadh : JAU

Junagadh Agricultural University (formerly, Agriculture college under GAU - Gujarat Agricultural University) was set up in the year 1972, at Junagadh in the state of Gujarat, India.

JAU is known to offer knowledge, instructions and education in the field of agriculture and allied sciences viz. agriculture, agricultural engineering and fisheries. The Institute recognized by the University Grants Commission, and the courses conducted are also UGC funded.

Teaching infrastructure of the University comprises of four faculties - Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Fisheries and Post Graduate Studies.

Other Info:- Graduate programs of JAU enroll 75 students in agriculture, 50 in agricultural engineering and 30 in fisheries faculty. Post Graduate courses in agriculture science, agricultural engineering & now even in fisheries, are also conducted by the University. There are 5 Research and 11 Testing Centers within the University for the Development of new varieties/hybrids of crops, vegetables, fruits & marine products like pearl-culture.

JAU motto :- “Education, Research, Extension”

Educational Programs :- The Junagadh Agricultural University has three colleges under it - Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and Fisheries. Each of these colleges offers graduate and post graduate programs in concerned discipline. The Institute offers B.Sc and M.Sc in Agriculture, B.Tech and M.Tech in Agriculture Engineering and Fisheries.

Facilities : The University has a central library serving the students of agriculture with textbooks, referrals and documentation facilities. The library is connected to the campus LAN for networking, internet browsing and e-mail facilities.

The ideal location of Junagadh in terms of high-quality production of groundnut & Kesar mango helps students to do further research.

Also, the the presence of National level institute like NRCG (National Research Centre for Groundnut) (ICAR) & CBF (Cattle Breeding Farm) gives much more practical exposure & hands-on then any other place.

The University has got its own Research station around Saurashtra peninsula, active for marine project with various research interest from pearl-culture to bio-diversity studies.

The University also has Fisheries college at one of the most active fishing harbors of India, Veraval; which has recently commenced Master's course also.

Kind of University :– State University.

Contact Details: Address : Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh - 362001, Gujarat, India. Web Site : http://www.jau.in Phone Number : +91-285-2671018