Day 13 - Wetlands - Keoladeo

Great ideas today for the Mead Botanical Garden wetlands restoration.  Keoladeo began in the mid -1700s when a  maharaja first ordered a dam be built to hold water from two rivers.  His object was to preserve monsoon waters and make an area for duck hunting. During the British period, about 1900, a British Viceroy, Lord Curzal, began the restoration and improvement of the 27 square mile wetlands.  Now called a bird sanitary, it was a bird shooting area until 'freedom' in 1948. 

This is also on the UNESCO World Heritage list due to the hundreds of bird species (400) who live or pass through here.  The water level is managed carefully to allow for dry periods, grow healthy trees on the mini islands throughout, and keep water for the big mammals as well as the little birds.  We first boated through the channels of the man made wetland in a small boat, then road in the bike rickshaw through the trails.  Our guide, Vijay, grew up in this area and came to the park often as a child.  Now he's a well known naturalist and we've certainly benefited from his great knowledge.  I have 8 pages of notes and names of the birds we saw. Glad we brought the big binoculars. They make every feather show and add greatly to the experience... just weigh a lot.   We saw more birds here in one day than anywhere in the world - including MBG.  Another thrilling day.

man made wetlands started mid 1700s.  Restoration started about 1900.

27 square kilometers of preserve

lens envy

we sneak up on wildlife - long pole to push us quietly

Tiny plants make a carpet that coots walk un

after the boat, we load up in rickshaws

solar panels run pumps that keep water level within certain range

Largest Antelope in Asia

Heron doing yoga

baby stork has outgrown nest.  Two weeks ago there were hundreds of these here

5 line squirrel (looks like a chipmunk to us)

list of the shooting history since 1901 - largest catch over 4,500 birds shot by Viceroy and his gang

right in middle, can you see the deer?