Keoladeo National Park

The Keoladeo National Park is also popularly known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park was previously called Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is in Bharatpur, the Indian state of Rajasthan. This avifauna sanctuary is a home to thousands of birds during the months of winter. Almost over 230 species of birds have made this national sanctuary their homes. This place is one of the major attraction to the tourists and especially during the hibernal  season for the ornithologists.In the year 1971, this area was declared as the protected area, this national sanctuary was also declared as World Heritage Site.

Keoladeo National Park

 

 

Keoladeo Ghana National Park is one of the national park in India, which is both man made and man managed wetland. Bharatpur has been protected by this national park from those frequent flood, it also provides a good grazing ground for the cattle and moreover this national park was previously was used as waterfowl hunting ground. Ghana, the 29 km reserve has got a wetland, dry grassland, woodland, swamps. This national park is a home to 379 floral species, 366 bird species, 13 species of snakes, 50 species of fishes, 5 species of lizards and 7 species of amphibians and turtles. It is said that this sanctuary is the world's largest and richest bird sanctuary. This sanctuary also provides nesting for its residing birds and also for other migratory birds which includes water birds too. Siberian Cranes used to be seen here during the months of winter, but they have become extinct now. it is said that this sanctuary is considered as the world's best bird area.

 

How to Reach there

Jaipur is the nearest airport, daily flights are available from Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi, Lucknow. Delhi is also another nearest airport. Bharatpur Junction is the nearest railway station. Bharapur is also well connected by roads. one can also avail daily bus service which leaves from Delhi, Mathura Jaipur and Alwar. if anyone wishes to travel though his own vehicle, can also avail that. Trains leaving from New Delhi like (New Delhi-Mumbai and Agra-Jaipur roe) also stops at Bharatpur. One can easily avail taxis which is employed from Agra or Delhi). From the bus and taxi stand, the Park gate is quite close.

Climate

The climate in Bharatpur is said to be quite extreme, like it is quite chilled in winter and quite hot during summers. Like every year, it rains for almost 36 days.

 

Flora

 This park is of semi arid biotype, is the only area which has got some vegetation, thus the word "Ghana" means thicket. This park consists of mixed vegetation like tropical dry deciduous forest to dry grassland where some part of forest has been degraded, here are some artificial marshes, along with it some medium sized trees and shrubs are also found.
In the northeast part of the park is the forests where one will find kadam (Mitryagyna parvifolia), jamun (Syzgium cumini), babul( Acacia nilotica) along  with kandi (Prosopis cineraria) and ber (Zizyphus).
Ber and Kair are found in Scrub lands, soil found there are alluvial, due to periodic inundation some amount of clays are also found.
Babul, with few Ber and Kair are found in open woodland. Pillo (Salvadora oleoides) is the only wood plant found in the areas of saline soil. for the waterfowls, the aquatic vegetation provide valuable food.

 

Fauna

Here macro invertebrates like worms,  insects, mollusks are found, they are major source of food for fishes and birds and hence form a good food chain. Land insects have become abundance now, which has given a positive effect on  land birds.
this national park is popularly known as " bird's paradise, it is reported that around 370 species of birds are found here. Another notable thing is during the months of winter, Critically Endangered Siberian Cranes are found in these area.

Waterfowls

Since the park is located in the Gangetic Plains, thus it makes a good breeding place for cormorants, herons, strokes, during winters, it is a good place for some migrants ducks. The common waterfowls which are found here are common teal, cotton teal, tuft duck, comb duck, great cormorant, little cormorant, little shag, oriental ibis, darter, green sandpiper, Asian open-billed stroke, common sandpiper, and many more. Here you will find Sarus crane, who is famous for its courtship dance.

Tuft Duck

 

 

Landbirds

Rich assortments ares found among the land birds which includes babblers, bee-eaters, warblers, bulbuls, chats, quails, patridges. One will also find Grey horn-bills and Marshall's iora. Preying birds such as spotted eagle, imperial eagle, tony eagle are also found. A new recorder breeding species in India, is a Great Spotted eagle has been spotted breeding here.

Grey Horn-bill

 

 

Mammals

One will find 27 identifies species in Keoladeo National Park which includes Blue bull, spotted dear, cambar, white boar, Indian mongoose, fishing cat, jungle cat are also found.

Fishing Cats

 

This place is considered as one of the best bird watching place in Asian, almost 1,00,000 visitors visits here every year. Among them 45,000 are foreigners. The entry fee is Rs.200 for the foreigners and Rs.25 for the Indian. Vehicles are permitted up to Shanti Kutir, which is 1.7 kilometers inside where Rs. 50 is per vehicle. After that you can choose to walk, or take a bicycle or rikshaw.
As a whole, it will make one of your memorable holidays..