Bharatpur, July 26 -- The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Keoladeo National Park (KNP) in Rajasthan's Bharatpur is facing a looming water crisis after deficient monsoon rainfall and the absence of its annual water supply from the Panchana Dam, raising concerns over bird breeding, biodiversity and the park's fragile wetland ecosystem.

Park officials say the wetland requires 550 million cubic feet (MCFT) of water every year, most of which is traditionally supplied from the Panchana Dam in Karauli through the Ajan Bundh (dam). However, no water has been released from the dam so far this season.

"We have not received any water from Panchana Dam this year. Several wetland blocks have dried up, forcing us to shift fish, the primary food source f...