Bharatpur Happenings
Bharatpur is the last known wintering ground for the central population of the Siberian Crane, with the only other known wintering ground being in Iran. To reach Bharatpur, the Siberian Cranes or Sibes as they are called, cover a distance of 6400 kms. While they have never been harmed in India, unfortunately they are considered a delicacy in some of the countries they cross to reach Bharatpur. The result has been a steady decline in the numbers reaching Bharatpur. Below are some figures showing the decline that has happened over the years.
| India Wildlife Holidays |
The International Crane Foundation is exploring the possibilities of reintroducing these cranes to Keoladeo.
The last Leopard (Panthera pardus) was exterminated in 1964. However, a leopard came into the park in September 1987 and remained till May 1988.
While the tiger became extinct in this area in 1962, a tigress took up residence in the national park in the year 2000. Where she came from was a mystery - in the summer of 2005 she passed away. For the period she was in the park she never harmed anybody.
Between 1987 and 1990, 18 Sarus Crane and 52 Ring Dove were found dead in the park. They died because of growing level of pesticides within the park water, which are suspected to have come from the surrounding fields. These pollutants are also believed to be responsible for the increasing number of piscivorous birds seen in a dazed state and unable to fly.
India is going through a crisis with its vulture population with certain species like the White-backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis) and the Long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus) having crashed by more than 90 %.This was first noticed at Keoladeo by a BNHS scientist who was based there. Between 1985-86 and 1996-97, the population of the white-back in the park had declined by 97 %, and by the year 2003 the colony had become extinct. The cause of the crash is a veterinary drug called Diclofenac, which is administered to sick cows. When a vulture feeds on the carcass of such cows, the Diclofenac enters its system and leads to renal failure and death. The Govt of India is now phasing out the drug.
Ms Belinda Wright, presently Executive Director of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, had made a movie on the Bharatpur bird sanctuary in the 1970's called ' Birds of Indian Monsoon'. At that time there was a move by the Rajasthan Government to denotify it. Ms Wright showed this movie to Mrs Indira Gandhi, the then Indian Prime Minister, who was so impressed with the movie that she asked to see it again. Within 14 days the Bharatpur bird sanctuary was declared a National Park.
The Bombay Natural History Society has been carrying out bird-ringing operations in Keoladeo for the last 40 years.
A ten-year study done by BNHS on Keoladeo's ecology has shown that the ban on cattle grazing has proved to be detrimental to the park. The cattle used to help in the control of the weed Paspalum. The ban on grazing has lead to the weed proliferating and it is now blocking the water channels in the park.
Indian Holiday offer Indian Wildlife tour packages for The Keoladeo Ghana National Park at Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. For more details or to book a tour, please fill in the query form below.
