Tal Chhapar Sanctuary

Tal Chhapar Sanctuary covers 719 hectares in Churu district, in the Shekhawati region of north-western Rajasthan, on the edge of the Great Indian Desert. It lies on the Nokha–Sujangarh state highway, between the towns of Ratangarh and Sujangarh. The sanctuary is a flat saline depression, locally called a tal, at about 302 m, with open grassland dotted with acacia and prosopis trees that gives it the look of a savanna.

It is known for its blackbuck. The sanctuary also lies on a route used by migratory birds, which arrive in September and stay until March; among them are eastern imperial, tawny and short-toed eagles, cream-coloured coursers, black ibis and demoiselle cranes. Skylarks, crested larks and collared doves live here all year. The climate is arid, with temperatures reaching 48 °C in June and falling to 10 °C in December and January, and annual rainfall of 300–450 mm.