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SANCTUARY SPOTLIGHT
Sultanpur National Park and Bird Sanctuary
Founded by renowned ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali, this sanctuary is a haven for a variety of domestic and migratory birds.
Over the years, hundreds of species, including cranes from faraway Siberia, geese from Europe and birds from Afghanistan, have made this sanctuary their temporary home.
Upgraded
Sultanpur was declared a bird sanctuary in 1971 and upgraded to the status of National park in 1991 by the Haryana Government.
About 150-250 species of birds are known to frequent the place.
These include darters, egrets, gadwall and geese.
Teals, kingfishers, sandpipers, demoiselle cranes and water birds are also spotted.
The sanctuary has hideouts, from where you can watch the antics of birds, four watchtowers, an education and interpretation centre, a library, film slides and binoculars, guestrooms and a catering wing.
Area
Approximately 359 acres
Climate
Tropical. Hot summers and chilly winters.
The monsoon hits Sultanpur between July and mid-September.
What you see
Flora: The park supports tropical and dry deciduous vegetation.
Grasses, dhok, khair, tendu, ber, jamun, acacia and banyan form the flora.
Fauna: Besides the Siberian crane and geese, you can sight Ruddy shelduck, pelican, flamingo, bar-headed goose, grey lag, gadwall and mallard.
Local species include plover, red-wattled lapwing, heron, cormorant, white ibis, spoonbill, painted stork, common hoopoe, paddyfield pipit, purple sunbird, Eurasian thick-knee, grey and black francolin, Indian roller, cattle egret, rose ringed parakeet, dove, spotted owlet, rock pigeon, magpie robin, mynah and green bee eater.
Other wildlife: Blackbuck, nilgai, hog deer, sambar, wild dog, caracal, wild cat, hedgehog, mongoose, striped hyena, Indian porcupine, rattle/honey badger, leopard, wild pig and four-horned antelope.
When to visit
Between October and March. During winter, the chances of sighting the wildlife are more.
How to go
The Sultanpur National Park is in the state of Haryana and is 46 km from New Delhi. It is well connected by road to Delhi and Gurgaon, the district headquarters.
Drive on the Delhi-Jaipur highway. Take the Gurgaon-Farukhnagar highway.
The sanctuary is on this stretch.
The nearest railhead is Farukhnagar, three km away.
Or, alight at Gurgaon, 11 km away. The domestic airport at Palam, Delhi, is 35 km away.
Where to stay
The Haryana Tourism Corporation runs a tourist lodge inside the park with a/c and non a/c rooms.
Facilities include a restaurant, bar and cottages. Rates vary from Rs. 800 to Rs. 1,200. Or, stay in Delhi or Gurgaon and drive down to Sultanpur.
For bookings, call 011-23324910/11 or visit www.haryanatourism.com
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Pondicherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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