Ranthambore Wildlife
Sanctuary
One of the most famous tiger reserves
of India, Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan came under the
Project Tiger in 1980. Located in eastern Rajasthan, it is
surrounded by the Vindhyas and Aravallis, has many artificial
lakes and is home to many beautiful pavilions, palaces and the
Ranthambore fort, which creates a unique backdrop to the stunning
views of the barbaric nature of the wild cats here. This former
hunting preserves of the Jaipur royalty, tigers, leopards,
sambhars or Indian deers, cheetals, sloth bears, neelgais or blue
bulls, chinkaras or Indian gazelles, hyenas, jackals, oxes,
caracals, jungle cats, ratels, langurs and wild boars along with
over 300 species of birds in the park are quite used to click of
the cameras and do not really bother when they see humans trying
to sneak into their private lives. Infinite number of still
photographs and movies related to the tigers that have been shot
here bear a testimony to this fact.
Desert
National Park and Sanctuary: -
Sprawling over 3162 sq km on
the vast tracts of the sandy desert lands around Jaisalmer,
Desert National Park and Sanctuary was conceptualized in 1980 to
conserve the eco-system and the drought-resistant species of the
region. The most notable achievement of the park is saving the
Great Indian Bustard that had till recently been in the list of
endangered species. Insects and animals typical to the arid areas
such as the spiny-tailed uromastix living in underground
colonies, desert monitors, which look like miniature replicas of
dragons, sandfish that has adapted itself to 'swim' under the
sand, chameleons and snakes such as the poisonous and deadly
saw-scaled viper and Sind krait can also be found here. One can
also spot desert hares, hedgehogs, predatory Indian wolfs, desert
foxes and desert gerbils here with patience that marks a true
wildlife lover.
- Sariska National Park: -
A tiger reserve in Alwar,
Sariska National Park serves as the hunting grounds for the Alwar
royalty, was declared a sanctuary in 1958 and finally, a tiger
reserve in 1979. It houses the ruins of a fort, more than 1000
year old temples and the beautiful royal hunting lodge that has
now been converted into a luxury hotel. Being situated on the
Aravallis, Sariska's forests consist of low hills, steep
escarpments, wide valleys and hill plateaus, making it a natural
habitat for the endangered species of tigers. Being a major milk
pocket, the cattle have eroded the region and the environmental
balance of the region has been disturbed by the human
interferences, posing a major threat to its wildlife.
With a little skilful watch, one can spot leopards, tigers, wild
dogs, sambhars, neelgais or blue bulls, cheetals, four-horned
antelopes, ratels, and chinkaras here.
- Keoladeo Ghana National Park: -
Known all over the world as
one of the best water-bird sanctuaries, Keoladeo Ghana National
Park is the winter retreat of more than 400 species of our
feathered friends from all over the world including China and
Siberia, and especially the rare Siberian cranes. It has shallow,
fresh water marsh that is the first love of so many migratory
birds that made it one of the finest duck-hunting grounds for the
erstwhile Maharajas until it was declared a national park in
1983.
Painted storks, spoonbills, ibises, geese and duck, cranes,
herons and egrets, pelicans and flamingos, paradise flycatchers,
parakeets, cormorants and darters, kingfishers, blue jays,
shrikes, orioles, eagles and harriers make it a bird-watcher's
paradise. There is an artificial lake in the park in which you go
for an exotic boat ride to take a closer look of its rich fauna,
which includes sambhars, blackbucks, chitals, neelgais, fishing
cats, otters and mongooses.
|