Some of the rarest species of animals and birds in the numerous wild-life sanctuaries and national parks of Rajasthan ironically owe their existence to the hunting pleasures of the erstwhile maharajas, who carefully nurtured forests to ensure supply of regular sport.
Their great duck shoots and tiger hunts were major events on the sporting calendar of old Imperial India, and British generals used to vie for invitations.
This wall panel in
Dungarpur speaks volumes
of the erstwhile rulers' fondness for hunting.
Click to enlarge.
Rare Birds
Every winter, one of the world's rarest and nearly-extinct birds, The Siberian Crane migrates to the marshlands of the Keoladeo Ghana Sanctuary in Bharatpur - flying an incredible 3,900 miles in its two month journey.
Arguably the world's most outstanding heronry, the Keoladeo Park houses nearly 400 varieties of birds including painted storks, spoonbills, cormorants, egrets, herons, sarus cranes, porchards, ibis and kingfishers.
Various other lakes and ponds spread over the state also offer a delightful opportunity to bird lovers. Flocks of Flamingos near the salt-water lake of Sambhar and the Demoiselle Cranes in Kheechan and Churu make a pretty picture.
