WILDLIFE
WILDLIFE
Ranthambore National Park
Ranthambore National Park is located among the Aravali and Vindhya hill ranges in the state of Rajasthan. It falls under the district of Sawai Madhopur, which is also the nearest town located 14 kilometers from the park. The park covers an area of approximately 400 sq km but if combined with the neighbouring forest area of the Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary, they total up to an area of just above 500 sq km. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1957 and in 1974 it gained the protection of "Project Tiger". It got it's status of a National Park in 1981.
The
vegetation in the park is generally of a dry deciduous type. There are many
water bodies located all over the park, which provide perfect relief during the
extremely hot summer months for the forest inhabitants. A huge fort, after which
the park is named, towers over the park atop a hill. There are many ruins of
bygone eras scattered all over the jungle, which give it a unique, wonderful and
mixed flavour of nature, history and wildlife.
In 1986, the tiger count of the park stood at 40 wonderful specimens, one of
whom was the famous tiger named Genghis. This tiger became world famous for his
pioneering tactics and efforts at hunting prey in the lake waters.
Other tigers learnt these tactics from watching him and the implementation of his methods could be seen till recently in the park, even long after he has been gone. He was also famous for his fights with the lake's resident crocs over kills, which more often than not, he wrestled out of their very mouths. The tiger population then on suffered drastically due to poaching and general neglect. The numbers are said to have gone down to as low as 4 to 7 tigers.
This shook up the concerned authorities and a major effort has resulted in the steady growth of numbers once again, which now stands at around 20.
Sariska
Sariska is probably one of the most visited parks in India. The park was the hunting reserve of the royal family of Alwar. The reserve was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1958 and came under the "Project Tiger" as a tiger reserve in 1979. The park covers quite a large area of 800 square kilometers, 480 square kilometers of which form the core area of the national park. It is located among the Aravalli hill ranges in the Alwar district of Rajasthan. Due to the presence of monuments of religious importance located within the park boundaries, the park authorities are compelled to keep the park open throughout the year.
The Desert National Park is an excellent example of the ecosystem of the Thar desert and its diverse fauna. Sand dunes form around 20% of the park. The major landform consists of craggy rocks and compact salt lake bottoms intermediate areas and fixed dunes.
The black buck is another common antelope of this region. Its other notable inhabitants are the desert fox, wolf and desert cat. Bird life in this sandy habitat is vivid and spectacular. Birds such as the sandgrouse, partridges, bee-eaters larks and shrikes are commonly seen. Demoiselle crane and houbara arrive in the winter.
The birds of prey seen here are tawny and steppe eagles, long legged and honey buzzards, falcons and kestrels. The most outstanding of the fauna is the great Indian bustard. This tall heavy bird is an epitome of confidence and grace. It is common to see five or six bustards near Sudarshi water hole.
Keoladeo
Ghana National Park
Just 176 kms from Delhi is a very special wilderness - the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, one of the finest water-bird sanctuaries in the world. The park covers an area of 28.73km. The lake and wetland was artificially created by the Maharaja of Bharatpur in the 19th century. By building small dykes and dams and diverting water from an irrigation canal, he converted this low lying area into a fine wild fowl shooting preserve. In a few years, the new wetland surrounded by marginal forests was able to support thousands of water birds.
Commonly referred to as Bharatpur, the Park is a delight for bird watchers. Over 375 species of birds are found here and raised paths, camouflaged by babul trees and undergrowth make viewing easy. A quiet ride by boat in the early hours of the morning is also an unforgettable experience.
Every year Bharatpur waits with bated breath for the arrival of the Siberian cranes. There are only two wintering places for this rare species, one in Iran and the other Bharatpur. Colourful Kingfishers, graceful Pelicans and rare Siberian Cranes are amongst the 375 species of birds found in the Keoladeo National Park. The most spectacular nesting is that of the egrets, storks, herons and cormorants which make over 10,000 nests every year.
The picturesque Darrah Sanctuary, once the private hunting ground of the Maharajas of Kota, is situated 40 kms from Kota in southern Rajasthan. This area is like one long strip and nowhere is it wider than 6kms. The forest area lies between two parallel mountain ranges about 52 to 65 kms long. This sanctuary is surrounded by the rivers - Chambal, the Kalisindh, the Amjhar and the Ahu, which form its natural boundaries. The leopard, jackal, hyena, jungle cat, sambar, spotted deer and nilgai are the main attractions of this sanctuary. There are many historical monuments in the sanctuary. The famous Gagron fort near Jhalawar surrounded on three sides by the Kalisindh river, is also situated on the fringes of the sanctuary.
