Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur

Keoladeo World Heritage (27º7'6"N - 27º 12'2"N and 77º 29'5" E - 77º 33'9"E) is a 29 sq.km. area situated on the extreme western edge of the Gangetic basin that was once confluence of Rivers Gambhir and Banganga in Bharatpur district in the State of Rajasthan. KWHS has a unique mosaic of habitats that include wetlands, woodlands, scrub forests, grasslands that supports an amazing diversity of both plant and animal species. Keoladeo WHS's flora consists of over 372 species of angiosperms of which 96 species are aquatic species.

The fauna includes more than 350 species of birds which include 42 species of raptors and 9 species of owls, 34 species of mammals, 22 species of reptiles, 8 species of amphibians, 57 species of fishes and 71 species of butterflies, more than 30 species of dragonflies and more than 30 species of spiders inhabit the park. Owing to the abundance of the birds, KNP is often referred as 'Birders Paradise'.

The Salim Ali Visitor Interpretation Centre, Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur has been conferred the Best Asian Wetland Centre Award 2010 by Wetland Links International. The award was given to Aditi and Abhishek by Chris Rostron (Director, WLI) and the Head of Malaysia Nature Society during the Wetland Link International Symposium being held in Malaysia. Participants here are from many countries including China, Japan, Philippines, Hongkong, Iran, Iraq and Malaysia, of course. The aim of the award is to identify and reward best practice wetland centres in Asia.

Largest number of birds (4273) were killed on 12th November, 1938, by Lord Linlithgow, Viceroy & Governor General of India and his party. After independence, this reserve was notified as a bird sanctuary but the former rulers of Bharatpur continued to enjoy their shooting rights over the area till 1972. The area was notified as a National Park in 1981 but made effective only in Novemeber,1982.

Conservation efforts originally started by Dr. Salim Ali received a further impetus when the area was deemed a national park in March 1982. In 1985, Bharatpur was accepted as a World Heritage Site.