Birding and Much More at Bharatpur

Rajasthan, apart from being loaded with rich heritage and colorful culture, is also home to a variety of birds. The famous Keoladeo National Park is one such place that is home to many bird species and also plays host to thousands of rare and exotic birds during different time of the year. Bharatpur is a great place to have the true birding experience. Here are some interesting things to know about if one is planning to visit Keoladeo National Park.

1. Keoladeo Ghana National Park became a protected area in 1971 and was enlisted as a national park in 1982. It falls under the Criteria X Natural type of UNESCO World Heritage Site.

2. Keoladeo National Park is located in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan and thus was (and sometimes even now) called the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. 

3. This park is also known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park and is named after a temple of Lord Shiva (Keoladeo) that is located inside Ghana (meaning dense) forest.

4. Keoladeo Ghana is famous for its bird population as 366 different species of birds can be found in the park. Out of this, 250 species are resident.

5. It is said to be the best place in Asia for bird-watching. The rich environment of Keoladeo Ghana also offers great opportunities for wildlife photography.

6. Besides tourists, one can find a large number of naturalists, wildlife photographers, bird watchers and ornithologists exploring different parts of the park.

7. Keoladeo Ghana is a man-made wetland and serves many other purposes like grazing land for cattle for nearby villages, controlling floods and breeding grounds for migrating birds.

8. The wetlands of Keoladeo Ghana were previously used as hunting grounds by the Maharajas of Bharatpur.

9. Blue bull, cattle, spotted deer, sambar and wild boar are some of the mammalian animals that can be spotted inside the park.

10. One can visit Keoladeo during any time of the year. Visit the following link to know more details like climate and best time to visit Keoladeo Ghana National Park:
http://www.wildlife-travel-india.com/wildlife-national-parks/bharatpur-bird-sanctuary.html