Rajkot: All national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across Gujarat will remain closed to tourists from June 23, with the state forest department citing wildlife conservation needs and visitor safety during the monsoon season.In a communication issued to senior forest officials on Monday, chief wildlife warden, Jaipal Singh, directed authorities to regulate and restrict public entry into all protected areas across the state.The order will affect more than two dozen protected areas in the state, including Gir National Park, Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, Wild Ass Sanctuary, Thol Bird Sanctuary, Chhari Dhand Conservation Reserve, Marine National Park and Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary.Forest officials said the annual closure is essential for both ecological preservation and public safety. The monsoon season is a critical period for wildlife, coinciding with breeding, nesting and rearing activities of several species. Unrestricted tourist movement during this phase can disturb natural behaviour, affect breeding success and compromise the ecological balance of protected habitats, officials said.State’s sanctuaries, including the popular lion-sighting routes in Gir, are usually closed to visitors from June 16 every year. However, this year’s closure has been delayed by a week, possibly due to the late onset of the monsoon.
