In Which State is Desert National Park Located?

India has many beautiful national parks that protect animals, birds and nature. Some parks are in forests, some are in mountains and some even in deserts. One special national park is located in a dry and sandy area, where you can see sand dunes, rare birds and desert animals. It is also one of the largest national parks in the country and attracts many tourists.

Location of the Desert National Park

Desert National Park is in western part of Rajasthan, near the India-Pakistan border. It covers an area of 3,162 square kilometers. Most of the park lies in Jaisalmer district (1,900 sq. km), and the rest is in Barmer district (1,262 sq. km).

What is the Land Like of the Desert National Park?

The land in the park is very dry and sandy. About 44% of the park is covered with sand dunes. The park also has rocky areas, salty lake bottoms and grassy plains. You can see both shifting and fixed sand dunes in the park.

Fauna in the Desert National Park

Even though the desert is dry, the park has many animals and birds. Some important animals in the park are:

• Chinkara
• Desert Fox
• Bengal Fox
• Desert Cat
• Wolf
• Hedgehog

There are also reptiles like the spiny-tailed lizard, monitor lizard, saw-scaled viper and Russell’s viper.

Bird Life in the Park

The Desert National Park is a great place for bird lovers. You can see many birds like:

• Great Indian Bustard
• Sandgrouse
• Partridges
• Bee-eaters
• Larks
• Shrikes

In the winter, birds like the demoiselle crane and MacQueen’s bustard also visit the park. You can also see birds of prey like tawny eagle, steppe eagle and falcons.

Flora of the Desert National Park

The park has about 168 types of plants. The vegetation is sparse, meaning plants are not very dense. Some common plants are:

• Sewan grass
• Aak shrub
• Tecomella undulata
• Moringa concanensis

The park includes open grasslands, thorny bushes and areas with sand dunes.

Fossils Found in the Desert National Park

The Desert National Park is also famous for old fossils. Fossils of animals and plants from 180 million years ago were found here. Some dinosaur fossils that are 60 million years old have also been discovered.