As one drives into Bharatpur township, it is indeed rather surprising that almost within the precincts of this Rajathan township exists the heritage Keoladeo National Park, which in peak season from November onwards is an important wintering ground of Palaearctic migratory waterfowl. The sanctuary, which is a green wildlife oasis, situated within a populated human-dominated landscape, has a two-metre high wall to ensure that there are no encroachments. It has some 375 bird species and a diverse array of other life forms in this mosaic of grasslands, woodlands, woodland swamps and wetlands of just 2,873 ha.

The Park's continued existence is dependent on a regulated water supply from a reservoir outside the park boundary. The park's well-designed system of dykes and sluices provides areas of varying water depths which are used by various avifaunal species. The water bodies within the park gets water from nearby Ajana reservoir and the water flow has been regular, to keep the avian population well-fed.

"This year we have had ample water in the various water bodies inside the park and so there has been a large congregation of birds coming in," said Park Director Bijoy Joy, who makes it a point to go several times round the park daily. "Though we have no big cats but this year one leopard has come into the park, which has 10 sq km of wetland and 20 square kilometres of woodlands and grasslands. Otherwise, the park has mostly coots, bar headed geese, storks, cormorants, herons, monitor lizards, pythons, cobras and vipers."

A night drive through the park enables the visitor to see animals like the nilgai, spotted deer, jackals, hyenas and, if one is lucky, a porcupine.

History

This "Bird Paradise" was developed in a natural depression wetland that was managed as a duck-shooting reserve at the end of the 19th century. There is even a plaque near the Shiva temple inside the park, listing out the number of ducks shot by the various Englishmen, who visited the park for duck-shooting in the company of the local ruler. The killings range from a few hundreds to thousands.

The park was a hunting ground for the maharajas of Bharatpur, a tradition dating back to 1850, and later, duck shoots were organised yearly in honour of the British viceroys. In one shoot alone in 1938, over 4,273 birds such as mallards and teals were killed by Lord Linlithgow, the then Governor-General of India.

However, since the park was declared a National Park on March 10, 1982, and subsequently made a World Heritage park by UNESCO, it is now "shoot" of a different kind that takes place and many of these "hunters" travel on cycles and cycle rickshaws as also the couple of golf carts that are provided to take them around.

Due to its strategic location in the middle of Central Asian migratory flyway, it is indeed a bird lovers' paradise as one gets to see large congregations of ducks, geese, coots, pelicans, painted storks and waders during the winter season.

The park was the only known wintering site of the central population of the critically endangered Siberian Crane but, unfortunately, these Cranes have become extinct with the last one having been sighted in 2002 and have almost disappeared. Some of the best shots of these birds have been taken by politician-businessman Kamal Morarka, whose organisation M R Morarka GDC Rural Research Foundation provided buses for visitors. Now these vehicles lie in disuse. As veteran guide Bholu Abrar Khan, who has spent 38 years working in the park, said, "See, the buses given by Kamal Morarka are parked in the garages and not been in use. I think golf carts would be a good thing since the park needs more of them as they do not pollute the place."

Bholu, the guide

Popularly known as Bholu, he knows every nook and corner of the park and a visit under his guidance is indeed an education, for he shows where a particular bird specie is nesting. Carrying powerful binoculars, he gives it to the visitor to see these avians at handshaking distance.

Bholu, whose father was a chef, has been enjoying every bit of his 38 years' stay in the park and loves taking visitors explaining the intricate details of the various birds. He had worked closely with ornithologist Dr Salim Ali and proudly says he learnt from the "great Doctor" as he calls him.

Bholu, a long-term resident of the area and someone who knows every inch of the 29-sq km park, says the revival of the park to its past glory will take some more years. "It takes several breeding seasons for many of the resident and migratory birds to establish presence in terms of breeding and feeding. While we are happy to see that the presence of water is attracting birds to build nests, changes in weather patterns along the migratory path in Central Asia through Afghanistan and Pakistanare delaying the arrival of many species."

He said abundance of fish, which is the main food source for birds such as kites, eagles, cranes, storks and kingfishers, means that the birds could stay longer in the sanctuary this year. He hopes the famed Siberian Cranes, which once visited Bharatpur in large numbers but have now all but vanished, will make an appearance.

Haven of birds

The park is also the wintering area for globally threatened species such as the Greater Spotted Eagle and Imperial Eagle. During the breeding season the most spectacular heronry in the region is formed by 15 species of herons, ibis, cormorants, spoonbills and storks, where in a well-flooded year over 20,000 birds nest.

Around 115 species of birds breed in the park which includes 15 water bird species forming one of the most spectacular heronries of the region. The habitat mosaic of the property supports a large number of species in a small area, with 42 species of raptors recorded.

Notes of concern

There has been some concern expressed over possible air and water pollution effects from the adjacent city of Bharatpur, but these effects are not evident at present. Through eco-development activities in the surrounding villages, the grazing of cattle within the park has been minimised and the local communities are also engaged in participatory resource conservation, which includes removal of invasive alien species.

"One of the major problems is the water hyacinth but we are employing local people to clear them and it has been of immense help to the park as we are able to keep the water clean for the birds that are dependent on water," said Joy.

Keoladeo attracts many visitors, who are taken for bird watching in cycle rickshaws by trained local guides from surrounding villages, which provides additional livelihoods as well as reduces noise pollution. This year 338 people, including members of the Forest Department staff and rickshaw pullers, were trained in bird watching along with 82 nature guides registered with the Rajasthan Forest Department. As Joy said at a function last year, "In the park, rickshaw pullers, nature guides and organisations like WWF-India work together as a team. Each and every individual is important and we all function like parts of a car, collectively contributing to the journey."

The rickshaw drivers are well-versed in the flora and fauna as also the birds that visit the park and they take the tourists to the right spots enabling them to get a better view. "We are trained by the local forest officials and also given a guided tour of the park. It helps us in earning extra money for our household," said Charan Singh, a cycle rickshaw driver, who has been working for several years now. These rickshaw drivers are indeed a source of valuable information and they have many foreigners, who also hire them for going round the park.

Preserving the Park

A recently-started conservation programme for the 27 satellite wetlands surrounding this park has further enhanced the protection of the migratory waterfowl arriving in the Central Asian flyway to winter in Western India. The park is home to 366 bird species, 379 floral species, 50 species of fish, 13 species of snakes, five species of lizards, seven amphibian species, seven turtle species and a variety of other invertebrates.

The park requires around 500 million cubic feet of water every year. This is now ensured with regular supply of water from the Goverdhan drain. A set of pipelines from the Santruk village to the Keoladeo National Park at a distance of about 17.1 km has seen water resource augmentation within the National Park area.

The park has effective legal protection under the provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and Indian Forest Act, 1927. The site is managed by the Rajasthan Forest Department with the support of local communities and national and international conservation organisations, and a management plan has been developed for the protection and management of the property.

The boundary wall that surrounds the park virtually eliminates the threats of poaching or pollution, and there is no encroachment or habitations inside the park. Noise pollution from the adjoining Bharatpur city and National Highway are minimal.