Tal Chhapar Sanctuary, Wildlife refuge in Churu district, India.
Tal Chhapar is a wildlife refuge in Churu district within the Thar Desert region, spreading across flat saline depressions with broad grasslands. Blackbuck herds roam these open plains throughout the year, and raptors such as steppe eagles and desert buzzards glide above the expanse.
The Maharaja of Bikaner used the area as his private hunting ground for the royal family and their guests until 1947. After Indian independence the land came under state protection and was formally declared a wildlife refuge in 1966.
The name of the reserve comes from a local term for a shallow salt pan that collects water during monsoon and then turns into dry grassland. Shepherds from nearby villages bring their goats here to graze, sharing the space with the wild herds and following centuries-old patterns of land use.
The area sits roughly 85 kilometers (53 miles) from Churu town and is best visited between September and March when temperatures are cooler and wildlife sightings become more frequent. Early morning hours offer the best chances to spot antelopes and raptors before midday heat sweeps across the plain.
A rare grass species called Mothiya grows only here and in a few other regions, recognized by its pearl-shaped seeds that birds scatter across the plain. Local communities collect these seeds for grinding into flour and as a supplement to animal feed during dry spells.
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