Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is a
must-visit tourist destination if you are planning to travel to Rajasthan.
The Keoladeo Ghana National Park or - as many people prefer to call it - the
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary lies between two of India's most historic cities,
Agra and Jaipur. This north Indian sanctuary is situated in the country's
northwestern state of Rajasthan is a must-visit during Rajasthan travel.
This spectacular bird sanctuary is historical in its own way. The Maharaja
of Bharatpur is credited for its creation in 1890, though conservation was
the last thing on his mind. The government banned the indiscriminate
shooting of birds in 1965. Conservation efforts originally started by Dr.
Salim Ali received a further impetus when the area was deemed a national
park in March 1982. In 1985, Bharatpur was accepted as a World Heritage
Site.
Bharatpur hosts a variety of bird species from across the
globe. Close to 380 species of birds are found in this 29 sq km stretch,
approximately 10 sq km of which comprises of marshes and bogs. Rest of the
area comprises of scrublands, grasslands and more than 44,000 trees that are
used for nesting by birds each year.
Bharatpur -
Ornithologists Delight Veteran ornithologist H. G. Alexander spent
a full day at the park compiling a list of over a hundred species of bird at
Bharatpur. This is an indication of the enjoyment that the sanctuary can
provide. Some 377 species have been spotted at Bharatpur Sanctuary, making
it one of the most inviting destinations in the world for ornithologists,
amateurs and nature lovers. Various species of indigenous water birds,
waterside birds, migratory water birds, land migratory birds, and domestic
land species are found here. There are approximately 56 different families
of birds, of which the Passeriformes (156 species) and Charadriformes (56
species) dominate. One-third of birds at Bharatpur are migrants, many of
whom spend their winters before returning to their breeding grounds in the
Arctic and Central Asia.
The bird most popular among tourists and
ornithologists is the Siberian crane. According to field experts, this bird
is known to travel distances of up to 6,500 km migrating from the Ob River
basin region (Aral mountains, Siberia). Conservationists are working hard to
protect the Siberian crane species as they are on the verge of extinction.
Apart from Feredunkenar in Iran, Bharatpur Sanctuary is the only place where
the Siberian crane migrates. The cranes arrive in December and stay until
early March. According to ornithologists, unlike its Indian counterpart the
Siberian crane feeds on Cypress Rotents grass (an underground aquatic root).
The intriguing fact is that Siberian cranes have a mixed diet of vegetation,
fish and other small creatures back home, but they adopt a vegetarian diet
during their stay in India. Other guests at Bharatpur include huge birds
like Dalmatian pelicans, which are two meters in length, and minute ones
like the Siberian leaf warbler, which is merely the size of our index
finger! Several other species of cranes. corcomorants, egrets, darters,
herons, storks, geese, ducks, eagles, hawks, shanks, stints, wagtails,
wheatears, flycatchers, buntings, larks, spoonbills, kingfishers, owls and
pipits. also make Bharatpur their temporary abode.
Bharatpur
heronry is one of its kind and bustles with zealous activity. The production
of chicks during the breeding season is put at about 30,000. This avian
kingdom also hosts mammalian species like nilgai, sambhar, chital, black
bucks, jungle cat and the wild boar. The large rock python (which is spotted
at Python Point beyond Keoladeo temple) as well as its nemesis, the
mongoose, are found in appreciable numbers. However, spotting a duel between
the two is purely a matter of chance.
The mode of transport for
getting around the sanctuary is a bicycle. Cycle-rickshaws may also be
hired. Boats are available for hire from the ticket checkpoint. Boating is
an excellent idea for getting around the Keoladeo Lake and observing the
birds at close quarters.
Reaching there
Bharatpur is on the Agra-Jaipur highway, just a two-hour journey by
bus from Agra (55 km) and an hour from Fatehpur Sikri. The nearest rail
junction is Bharatpur, which is well connected to Delhi, Bombay, Ahmedabad,
Jaipur and many other parts of India. Private as well as state transport
buses link Bharatpur with other parts of Rajasthan.
Bharatpur - Travel Tips Light cotton clothing for summers and
woolens for the winters would be suitable. Vehicles are prohibited within
park confines. The best way of traveling inside the park is by Cycle
Ricksaws or on foot.
Accommodation Most
tourists plan their travel to Bharatpur only for a short stay. However,
there is good accommodation available at the Bharatpur Forest Lodge, Forest
Guesthouse and Saras Tourist Bungalow. All the three have multi-cuisine
restaurants. Accommodation is also available for tourists on Bharatpur
travels at the Circuit House, Hotel Golbagh Palace, Shanti Kutir and the
Tourist Lodge near the sanctuary's Mathura gate
