Desert National Park

Desert National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
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Nearest city	Jaisalmer, Barmer
Coordinates	26°00′N 70°30′E / 26°N 70.5°E / 26; 70.5
Area	3,162 km2 (1,221 sq mi)
Established	1981

Desert National Park is a national park in the Indian state of Rajasthan, near the towns of Jaisalmer and Barmer. It is one of the largest national parks, covering an area of 3,162 km² (1,221 sq mi) in the Thar Desert. Sand dunes form around 44% of the park. The major landform consists of craggy rocks and compact salt lake bottoms, intermedial areas and fixed dunes. It was gazetted in 1980.

Despite a fragile ecosystem, it harbours an abundance of birdlife, both migratory and resident birds, including short-toed eagle, tawny eagle, spotted eagle, laggar falcon, kestrel, sand grouse and great Indian bustard. Desert National Park has a collection of fossils of animals and plants which are 180 million years old. Some fossils of dinosaurs which are 60 million years old were found in the area.^[1]