It’s difficult to imagine wildlife in the heart of a desert, but Desert National Park is a spectacular representative of the desert ecosystem with exceptional beauty. An endless expanse of sand, broken rock formations and an interesting array of unique flora and fauna make the national park a must visit if you are around Jaisalmer. Spanning over an area of 3162 sq km, it is one of the largest national parks in the country. The main attraction is the Indian bustard, which is an endangered species. This tall and graceful ground-dwelling bird can be spotted near the Sudashri waterhole. Despite a fragile ecosystem, the region is home to a number of migratory and resident birds like harriers, falcons, buzzards, vultures and eagles. Fossils of around 180 million years old animals and plants including those of dinosaurs have been discovered here and are preserved in Wood Fossil Park at Akal, located 17 km from Jaisalmer. The best time to visit Desert National Park is between the months of November and January.