FACTS & FIGURES

Area : 202 sq km
Altitude : 370 metres above the sea level
Annual Mean Rainfall : 824.50 mm
Maximum Temperature : 31.8°C
Minimum Temperature : 17.4°C
Languages : Hindi and English
Best Time to Visit : November to March
STD Code : 07493

INTRODUCTION
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 roam 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 riverine 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.

Other Attractions
Dihaila Jheel (lake) in the Karera Sanctuary is the only water source for its inhabitants. Entirely rainfed, the size and depth of the lake depend on the monsoons each year. Across the waters lies the Dihaila village whose inhabitants own and use the land forming the lakebed and whose crops have benefited from the guano deposits of the birds.

PLACES NEARBY
Madhav Shivpuri National Park, at a distance of 45 km from Karera, offers abundant opportunities of sighting a variety of wildlife. One of the prime reasons of this park's popularity is the tiger. Other inhabitants of the Shivpuri forests include leopards, striped hyenas, jackals, jungle cats, chitals, sambhars, nilgais, four-horned antelopes, wild boars, gazelle, sloth bears, langurs, and crocodiles. Avian inhabitants include bar-headed geese, ducks, spoonbills, demoiselle cranes, cormorants, painted storks, white ibises, falcons, purple sunbirds, paradise flycatchers and golden orioles. Apart from these, the other attractions here are the George Castle, Sakhya Lake, Madhav Vilas Palace, and Bhadaiya Kund.

The town of Shivpuri at a distance of 55 km from Karera still maintains its old world charm. Its royal past still lives in the form of its majestic palaces, hunting lodges, and exquisitely adorned chhatris (cenotaphs) built by the Scindia's.

Jhansi is known more for its connection with immortal warrior queen of 1857, Rani Laxmi Bai. Situated at a distance of around 44 km from Karera, the major attractions in the city include the Jhansi Fort and a museum.

REACHING THERE
By Air: Gwalior at a distance of 150 from Karera is the nearest airport. There are regular flights from Gwalior to Mumbai, Delhi, and Indore.

By Rail: Jhansi at a distance of around 44 km off Karera is the nearest railway station. Jhansi is a major railway hub connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai and many more cities in India by several good trains.

By Road: Karera is connected to Shivpuri and Jhansi by regular buses. It is also connected to Gwalior and other important cities in the region by a good road network.

STAYING THERE
Rest houses are available within the park area. One can also stay at Jhansi or Shivpuri where good accommodation options are available.

LINKS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD
STD/ISD facilities are available at Karera. Internet facilities are available at Jhansi.