The Desert National Park is an excellent example
of the ecosystem of the Thar desert and its diverse
fauna. Sand dunes form around 20% of the Park. The
major landform consists of craggy rocks and compact
salt lake bottoms, inter medial areas and fixed
dunes which are quite suitable for the chinkara to
move at high speed. The black buck is another common
antelope of this region. Its other notable
inhabitants are the desert fox, Bengal fox, wolf and
desert cat.
Sudashri forest post is the ideal place for
observing the wildlife of Desert National Park and
is the most suitable in the entire 3162 sq. kms. of
this park for watching and photographing the
activities of the animals from behind cover.
Birdlife in this sandy habitat is vivid and
spectacular. Birds such as the sandgrouse,
partridges, bee-eaters, larks and shrikes are
commonly seen. Demoiselle crane and Hobard arrive in
the winter. The birds of prey seen here are tawny
and steppe eagles, long legged and honey buzzards,
falcons and kestrels. But the most outstanding of
the avifauna is the great Indian bustard. This tall,
heavy bird is an epitome of confidence and grace. It
is good to see five or six bustards near Sudashri
water hole.
Since the sandy desert has only a few grasses and
shrubs, and a low scattering of indigenous trees,
the leaf cover is limited. This environment supports
the spiny-tail lizard that lives in underground
colonies, desert monitors that look like miniature
replicas of dragons, sandfish that 'swim' under the
sand, chameleons, and of course, snakes that include
the deadly saw-scaled viper
and Sind krait. Other faunal species here include
the desert hare, hedgehog, the predatory Indian
wolf, desert fox, and desert gerbil. The Desert National Park, unlike most preserves
throughout the world, does not overwhelm with a
profusion of either vegetation or wildlife, but it
is precisely because of this that its preservation
has ensured that a vital link in the eco-system has
not been destroyed. Visitors to the park will need
patience and persecerance to establish the sighting
of wildlife, and though they may miss the 'glamour'
of tiger sightings, a view of the long-legged
bustard cresting a sand-dune is every bit as
rewarding.
the Thar desert and its diverse
fauna. Sand dunes form around 20% of the Park. The
major landform consists of craggy rocks and compact
salt lake bottoms, inter medial areas and fixed
dunes which are quite suitable for the chinkara to
move at high speed. The black buck is another common
antelope of this region. Its other notable
inhabitants are the desert fox, Bengal fox, wolf and
desert cat.
Sudashri forest post is the ideal place for
observing the wildlife of Desert National Park and
is the most suitable in the entire 3162 sq. kms. of
this park for watching and photographing the
activities of the animals from behind cover.
spiny-tail lizard that lives in underground
colonies, desert monitors that look like miniature
replicas of dragons, sandfish that 'swim' under the
sand, chameleons, and of course, snakes that include
the deadly saw-scaled viper
and Sind krait. Other faunal species here include
the desert hare, hedgehog, the predatory Indian
wolf, desert fox, and desert gerbil. The Desert National Park, unlike most preserves
throughout the world, does not overwhelm with a
profusion of either vegetation or wildlife, but it
is precisely because of this that its preservation
has ensured that a vital link in the eco-system has
not been destroyed. Visitors to the park will need
patience and persecerance to establish the sighting
of wildlife, and though they may miss the 'glamour'
of tiger sightings, a view of the long-legged
bustard cresting a sand-dune is every bit as
rewarding.