Keoladeo National Park

Renowned as a “birdwatcher’s paradise,” Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan is increasingly becoming a refuge for turtles as well. The park now provides a habitat for eight of the ten turtle species found in the state.

Overview of Keoladeo National Park

Keoladeo National Park, also known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is situated in Bharatpur, Rajasthan. Originally established in the late 1800s as a royal hunting reserve by Maharaja Suraj Mal of the former Bharatpur princely state, the area was declared a bird sanctuary in 1956. It gained national park status in 1981 and was named after the ancient Keoladeo Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located within the park.

Spanning 29 square kilometers, the park features a diverse landscape of woodlands, marshes, and wet meadows. It is recognized both as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance and as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Strategically positioned along the Central Asian Flyway, the park serves as a crucial stopover for migratory birds.

Keoladeo hosts over 360 species of resident and migratory birds. Between October and March, it becomes a hub for birds migrating from distant regions such as Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Siberia. Notable winter visitors include gadwalls, shovellers, common teals, tufted ducks, pintails, white spoonbills, Asian open-billed storks, Oriental ibises, and the endangered Siberian crane.

Flora and Fauna

The park’s vegetation consists mainly of dry deciduous forest, with medium-height trees and shrubs. Commonly found trees include kadam, jamun, babul, kandi, ber, kair, and piloo.
In addition to its avian population, Keoladeo is home to a wide variety of mammals and reptiles, including pythons, other snake species, deer, sambars, blackbucks, jackals, monitor lizards, and the elusive fishing cat.