The thorny open country of the Karera Sanctuary houses the haughty Great Indian Bustard and the equally snooty blackbuck. But blackbucks and bustards are not the only wildlife that roams Karera.
Fast facts:
Area: 202 sq Km
State: Madhya Pradesh
Languages: English, Hindi
Best Time to visit: November- March
Karera Wildlife Sanctuary:
The thorny open country of the Karera Sanctuary houses the haughty Great Indian Bustard and the equally snooty blackbuck. But blackbucks and bustards are not the only wildlife that roams Karera. There are many other varieties of birds and animals that have made it their habitat. The Dihaila Jheel here plays host to many migratory birds.The status of the Karera is that of the Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary and it was notified in 1981 as a sanctuary. The vegetation is reverie and swamp with mixed deciduous forests. Ber bushes and other wild plants are found in abundance. There are no trees except acacia throughout this forest.
Location:
The Karera Bird Sanctuary is located in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The sanctuary is a distance of around 55 km from Shivpuri (latitude 25°40' N to longitude 77°44"E) on the Jhansi-Shivpuri main road. There is a good road network that connects the sanctuary to Shivpuri and other places in the region.
Climate:
The climate of this region is tropical as in the other places in the Indian plains. April to mid July are the hottest months. Monsoon reaches this region in July and remains in force till mid September. Winter months are November to February. The best season to visit this region is winter.
Attractions:
Avifauna: There are many migratory birds that settle here in the season. In fact, experts have recorded a total of 245 bird species in Karera. There are pintails, teals, and gadwalls snoozing in the sun or squatting meditatively in the mud. There are resident water birds too like the black-bellied river terns, egrets, and spoonbills. Other birds found here are herons, Indian robins, as also insects like dragonflies, damselflies, and butterflies. Karera is one of the last refuges of the great Indian bustard. As per expert studies, one can find three types of bustards thrive here, the Indian bustard, bearded bustard, and coloured bustard.
Wildlife: The blackbuck and Indian gazelle are the prominent habitants of this open country. Here, out in the thorny open country, the blackbucks seem terribly vulnerable. Due to problems of grazing and subsequent crop loss, the locals started killing the blackbucks, but after rigorous protection measures by the sanctuary guards and efforts of environmental friendly organizations, the number of blackbucks here has been consistently increasing. Now, the blackbuck population in the sanctuary numbers at around 2000, a considerable increase from the lowly 100 in 1981.
How To Reach:
Gwalior is the nearest airport to reach Karera Bird Sanctuary. Gwalior is about 150 kilometres away. Jhansi, 44 kilometres away is the nearest railhead. Karera is well connected by road with Shivpuri and Jhansi.
There are lodges and rest houses in the vicinity of the park. You can also stay at Shivpuri or Jhani, where you can find good accommodation options.
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