Gurugram and its Wildlife

A flock of Bar-headed Geese spotted at the Najafgarh Lake

Gurugram, or Gurgaon as it used to be called, is a conundrum! It is also known as a fast-developing city on the very doorstep of New Delhi. It used to be a very quiet and rather sleepy town with lush-green pockets of forests, wetlands and even streams before development started. Now it is home to tall skyscrapers, flyovers and expressways with vehicles hurtling on them. However, in spite of all the development taking place, Gurgaon is a place waiting to be discovered! Very few of the people settled in the city are aware of the rich abundance of wildlife that is waiting to be discovered. A short drive to the Sultanpur National Park on the Gurgaon-Jajjhar highway will present the visitor with a pleasing variety of birds and animals one wouldn't even have dreamt was present in the vicinity.

A flock of Bar-headed Geese spotted at the Basai Wetland

The Basai Wetland, also close to the Gurgaon-Jajjhar highway, although being steadily exploited for its land to build buildings on, is home to a large number of migratory birds such as Bar-headed Geese, Greylag Geese, Northern Shovellers and pintails. Just adjacent to the Sultanpur National park is an even more massive wetland formed out of the flooding of the Najafgarh drain into the surrounding area. I was able to spot the largest flock of Bar-headed Geese right there. When an acquaintance of mine exhorted me to visit the Bharatpur National Park, I replied, telling her that I did not see any reason why I should travel all that distance when I could spot and photograph a large number of wild animals and birds too.

A solitary Greylag Goose spotted at the Basai Wetland

It is simply amazing how much wildlife one can spot in and around Gurugram in spite of all that development taking place in the city. One can spot Jackals, Asian Antelopes and even a variety of wildcats in the outskirts of the city! How remarkable, it is indeed that wildlife continues to survive even when they are deprived of their rightful place in the city. The Sultanpur National Park is one spot where I have spotted all the three wild animals, though I was not able to photograph the wildcats because they had cut across me too quickly!

An Asian Antelope feeds its calves even as the father stands guard

An Asian Golden Jackal stares at me even as its pack member confronts me

A dead Monitor Lizard Spotted at the Basai Wetland