Photographs of Keoladeo Park, India. Once a royal hunting ground, Keoladeo has persisted as a bird sanctuary, flooded to varying degrees to sustain fluctuating numbers of migratory and resident birds, as well as antelope, giant turtles, macaque monkeys, and even the occasional tiger that wanders in. It’s situated right near the urban center of Bharatpur, a gritty, overcrowded Rajasthani city, and like most wetlands is under tremendous pressures. Water levels are controlled, and usually woefully inadequate, and the park is overrun by cows, which are always terrible for wetlands. Despite being very illegal, nothing is done to rid the park of cows. Keoladeo is touted as one of the most important bird sanctuaries in India, which it is, but much more needs to be done to make it viable for the long term.
