Keoladeo Ghana
National Park, one of the most spectacular bird sanctuaries
in India, nesting indigenous water- birds as well as migratory
water birds and water side birds. It is also inhabited by sambar,
chital, nilgai and boar. More than 300 species of birds are
found in this small park of 29 sq. km. of which 11 sq. km. are
marshes and the rest scrubland and grassland. Keoladeo, the
name derives from an ancient Hindu temple, devoted to Lord Shiva,
which stands at the centre of the park. 'Ghana' means dense,
referring to the thick forest, which used to cover the area.
While many of India's parks have been developed from the hunting
preserves of princely India, Keoladeo Ghana is perhaps the only
case where the habitat has been created by a maharaja. In earlier
times, Bharatpur town used to be flooded regularly every monsoon.
Over
350 species of birds find a refuge in the 29 sq km of shallow
lakes and woodland, which makes up the park. A third of them
are migrants, many of whom spend their winters in Bharatpur,
before returning to their breeding grounds, as far away as Siberia
and Central Asia. Migratory birds at Keoladeo include, as large
a bird as Dalmatian pelican, which is slightly less than two
meters, and as small a bird as Siberian disky leaf warbler,
which is the size of a finger. Other migrants include several
species of cranes, pelicans, geese, ducks, eagles, hawks, shanks,
stints, wagtails, warblers, wheatears, flycatchers, buntings,
larks and pipits, etc. But of all the migrants, the most sought
after is the Siberian Crane or the great white crane, which
migrates to this site every year, covering a distance of more
than half the globe. These birds, numbering only a few hundred,
are on the verge of extinction. It is birds from the western
race of the species, that visit Keoladeo, migrating from the
Ob river basin region, in the Aral mountains, in Siberia via
Afghanistan and Pakistan. There are only two wintering places,
left for this extremely rare species.One is in Feredunkenar
in Iran, and the other is Keoladeo Ghana. The journey to Bharatpur
takes them 6,400 kms from their breeding grounds, in Siberia.
They arrive in December and stay till early March. Unlike Indian
cranes, the Siberian crane is entirely vegetarian. It feeds
on underground aquatic roots and tubers in loose flocks of five
or six.
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Ranthambhore
National Park
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Near the township of Sawai Madhopur, in the state of Rajasthan,
Ranthambore National Park is an outstanding example of Project
Tiger's efforts at conservationin the country. The forests around
the Ranthambore Fort were once, the private hunting grounds
of the Maharajas of Jaipur. The desire to preserve the game
in these forests for sport, was responsible for their conservation,
and subsequent rescue by Project Tiger. The Park sprawls over
an estimated area of 400 sq kms. Steep crags embracea network
of lakes and rivers, and a top one of these hills, is the impressive
Ranthambore Fort, built in the 10th century. The terrain fluctuates
between impregnable forests and open bushland. The forest is
the typically dry deciduous type, with dhok, being the most
prominent tree. The entry point to the Park, goes straight to
the foot of the fort and the forest rest house, Jogi Mahal.
The latter boasts of the second-largest banyan tree in India.
The Padam Talab, the Raj Bagh Talab and the Milak Talab are
some of the lakes in the area, that attract the tiger population
. They have been spotted at the edges of these lakes, and Jogi
Mahal itself. Old crumbling walls, ruined pavilions, wells,
and other ancient structures stand witness to the region's glorious
past.
When to visit :The best time to visit the park is between October
and April. The parkis closed during the monsoon, from June to
October.
Getting there : By air: Jaipur (165 km) is the nearest
airport.
By rail : The Park is around 12 km away from
Sawai Madhopur railway station, that lies on the Delhi to Bombay
trunk route.
By road : A good network of buses connect Sawai
Madhopur with quite a few areas around.
Where to stay : RTDC Hotel Jhoomar Baari,
RTDC Hotel Kamdhenu, Sawai Madhopur Lodge, PWD Rest House, and
Jogi Mahal which lies within the park premises, are some of
the available means of accomodation.
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Desert
National Park
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The Desert National Park is an excellent example of the ecosystem
of the Thar desert and its diverse fauna. Sand dunes form around
20% of the Park. The major landform consists of craggy rocks
and compact salt lake bottoms, intermedial areas and fixed dunes
which are quite suitable for the chinkara to move at high speed.
The blackbuck is another common antelope of this region. Its
other notable inhabitants are the desert fox, Bengal fox, wolf
and desert cat.Sudashri forest post is the ideal place for observing
the wildlife of Desert National Park and is the most suitable
in the entire 3162 sq. kms. of this park for watching and photographing
the activities of the animals from behind cover.
Birdlife
in this sandy habitat is vivid and spectacular. Birds such as
the sandgrouse, partridges, bee-eaters, larks and shrikes are
commonly seen. Demoiselle crane and houbara arrive in the winter.
The birds of prey seen here are tawny and steppe eagles, long
legged and honey buzzards, falcons and kestrels. But the most
outstanding of the avifauna is the great Indian bustard. This
tall, heavy bird is an epitome of confidence and grace. It is
good to see five or six bustards near Sudashri water hole.
This park is also very rich in reptiles. Spiny tail lizard,
monitor lizard, saw sealed viper, Russel's viper, Sind krait,
toad agama and sandfish are found in large numbers.18 kms. from
Jaisalmer is the Akal Wood Fossils Park which is about 180 million
years of age. Sea shells and massive fossilised tree trunks
in this park record the geological history of the desert.
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Sariska
National Park
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Sariska became a sanctuary in the year 1958. The sanctuary came
under the project Tiger in 1979 and became a national park in
1982. It is located at Kankwari fort, near Alwar, on the Delhi
Jaipur Highway. The terrain is predominantly hilly, as it lies
in the Aravalli range. It has total area of 788 sq. kilometres,
with a core area of approx. 47sq. kilometres.
When to visit : November to March is the best
period to visit.
