
The
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is one of the best and famous wildlife
sanctuaries in India. It is the only wildlife sanctuary in India
that is artificially made by a Maharaja. One of the finest bird
sanctuaries in the world, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is located in
Bharatpur city of Rajasthan and also known as the Keoladeo Ghana
National Park. Indigenous water birds and many migratory water birds
can be seen in this sanctuary along with larger animals such as
Sambhar, Chital, Nilgai and Boar.
The foundation of this Bharatpur wildlife sanctuary was laid in
1760 when the Maharaja of Bharatpur made an artificial lake and
the dam at this very site to store the water brought by the annual
floods in this area. Over 300 bird species are found in this 29-sq-kms-wildlife
park of divided into the stretches of marshes, scrubland and grassland.
It got its name as Keoladeo Ghana Park on account of an ancient
Hindu temple at the centre of the national park devoted to Lord
Shiva. The term 'Ghana' is derived from Hindi, which means dense
and refers to the thick forest, which covers the entire area. Bharatpur
became a national park on 10 March 1982, and was given the status
of a World Heritage Site in December 1985.
The tourists mainly visit the Bird Sanctuary, as it is the second
habitat in the world that is visited by the Siberian Cranes in
winter. When the rivers of Siberia are frozen due to the extreme
winters, the Siberian Cranes visit the sanctuary to spend their
winters in India. As soon as the winters are over in Siberia,
these huge cranes return to their breeding grounds.
The Flora in Sasangir Wildlife Sanctuary The Bharatpur
Bird Santuary has a dense forest cover, which shelters a diverse
flora. The vast flora is responsible in providing natural habitat
to these migratory birds and also haven of free natural perpetuation.
The diverse plant species found here are a real exception to the
region.
The Fauna in the Sasangir Wildlife Sanctuary The
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is also inhabited by Sambar, Chital, Nilgai
and Boar
The Avi-fauna in the Sasangir Wildlife Sanctuary
More than 300 species of birds are found in this small wildlife
park of 29 sq-km of which 11 sq-km are marshes and the rest is scrubland
and grassland. The major attractions of tourists visiting the park
are the numerous migratory birds, who come from places as far away
as Siberia and Central Asia and spend their winters in Bharatpur,
before returning to their breeding grounds. Migratory birds at Bharatpur
bird sanctuary include, several species of Cranes, Pelicans, Geese,
Ducks, Eagles, Hawks, Shanks, Stints, Wagtails, Warblers, Wheatears,
Flycatchers, Buntings, Larks and Pipits, etc.
How To Get There??
Air : The nearest airport is situated at Agra,
which is 56-kms from Bharatpur.
Rail : Regular rail services connect Bharatpur
with all the major cities of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur
and Agra. The Bharatpur railway station is 6 km from the park.
Road : An excellent network of roadway services
links Bharatpur to all the major cities of the Rajasthan and its
neighbouring states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana.