Keoladeo Ghana Sanctuary
Just outside of Bharatapur
lies the Keoladeo Ghana Sanctuary, one of the world's
outstanding bird sanctuaries. Located on a major migratory
pathway, this relatively small area (12 square miles) is
home to an astounding variety of species. Interestingly, the
swamps that make up a large portion of the sanctuary are
man-made. It was 
constructed by the maharaja of
Bharatapur by diverting water from a nearby canal and
creating a series of dykes and dams. The result is a soupy
marshland that now serves as a stopping point to over 370
species of birds, of which more than 115 are from Central
Asia. The stew-thick marshlands (the "Ghana" in the name
means dense) take their primary name from the Keoladeo
Temple of Lord Shiva, located within the grounds. It is a
complex ecosystem, with grassy savannah intermixed with
swamp. The grasslands are home not only to birds, but also
to a variety of wildlife. Just past the entrance to the
sanctuary lies Python Hill (photo to the left) where the
reptiles may be seen sunning themselves, even on temperate
January afternoons. Lurking in the same underbrush are
mammals such as the Nilgai (Blue Bull) antelope, the largest
of all Asian antelope, shown hiding in the trees in the
photo to the right. Ironically, the creation of this
wonderful ecosystem arose for a reason antithetical to
conservation--to provide the maharaja a local spot for
duck-shoots, a major event in the Indian sporting regimen.
This activity reached its 
peak
in November 1938, when British Viceroy Lord Linlithgow and
his party downed 4,237 ducks in a day, an act that
required assistants to cool his gun
barrels with water between reloadings. Maharajas used Rolls
Royces with the roofs removed for their shoots.
Nowadays tourists transit a small causeway between the
marshlands on foot or via small cycle-rickshaws. (photo to
the left). The highlight of the park is perhaps the yearly
migrations of the storks and cranes. The most famous of all
is the Siberian crane that flies in from that region every
year. It stands up to 4 1/2 feet tall and has a wing
span of over 6 feet. Unfortunately, we were there too late
in the year to see the Siberian Cranes, but storks abounded.
In the photo to the right, painted storks rest near the
water's edge. Among the other types of birds who stop at
Keoladeo are ibis, kingfishers, herons, peregrine falcons,
geese, ducks, pelicans, and many more. It was a bit
difficult to photograph many of the birds using a digital
camera with limited zoom. However, below is a video from
City Explorio that offers a slideshow of the birds found
here, as well as a tour of the park
