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The Bharatpur National Park is a bird sanctuary located at a distance of about 2 km from the Bharatpur Railway Station. The nearest airport is at Agra which is 50 km away. It is also referred to as the Kaladeo Ghana National Park. It has been so named because Kaladeo, an old Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is there in the midst of this park and Ghana meaning dense refers to the nature of the forests.
The Bharatpur National Park occupying an area of about 29 sq km was declared a National Park in the year 1982. In the tear 1985 it became a world heritage site. Marshes occupy about 11 sq km of the total area and the rest is scrubland and grassland.
The park is home to about 415 species of birds. What is interesting is that 117 kinds of bird migrate from as far as Siberia and China. They vary in size and can be as small as the Siberian dusky leaf warbler or as large as the Dalmatian pelican. The Siberian crane is the most popular visitor for it traverses nearly half the globe to reach here. Some of the other birds that can be found here are the heron, egret, stork, and spoonbill.
Many mammals and reptiles like Sambar, Cheetal, Nilgai, Leopard and Pythons are also found here.
This place is truly an ornithologist�s paradise and a must see for all bird lovers. It remains open throughout the year but the best time to visit it is the winter season when it is flocked by a large number of birds.
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