Barda Hills Wildlife Sanctuary
Barda Wildlife Sanctuary is located about 15 km from Porbandar, which faces the Arabian Sea. Barda was a private forest of the ex-princely State of Ranavav (Porbandar) and Jamnagar and, therefore, it is still popularly known as Rana Barda and Jam Barda.
The entire area is the reserve forest and had been notified as a Sanctuary in the year 1979. The settlement of the area has been completed, but the final notification is yet to be issued. The Sanctuary is distributed in two districts i.e. Porbandar and Jamnagar.
The hilly terrain with patches of flat plains at places, the crisscrossing of numerous rivulets and streams, and existing dams impart a divine look to the forest. One may hardly abstain from thinking that here is the place, where the saints in ancient times must have attained 'moksha', the ultimate liberation. The Sanctuary area is a green oasis, surrounded by agricultural fields, wastelands, and forest.
The Sanctuary exhibits a great variety of fauna including a variety of butterflies, Lion, Chinkara, Sambar, crocodile and chameleon, ratel, leopard, wolf, Spotted Eagle, and Crested Hawks. Of the four common venomous snakes, three are found here.
It is still called Rana Barda and Jam Barda by local people as the sanctuary was a private property of the princely states of Ranavav (Porbandar) and Jamnagar. You can also enjoy trekking in the Barda hills. The best time to visit the sanctuary is from November to March.
