Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur, a World Heritage Site for its wintering waterbirds

Background

Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985 under criterion (x). It covers 2,873 hectares and is a major wintering area for aquatic birds from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China and Siberia, and 364 bird species recorded there include the rare Siberian crane. It began as a duck-hunting reserve of the maharajas in the late 19th century and became a national park in 1982. Dykes and sluices regulate water depths, and a 2-metre boundary wall encloses the park.