Rajasthan National Parks
Rajasthan is a state that has been abundantly blessed with a variety of ecosystems. There is the Thar Desert from which the state gets its repudiation as a dry desert zone. Since this covers about 40,000 square miles on the north western borders of India, perhaps it is not quite an unjustified reputation!
Rajasthan is a haven for a wide spectrum of wildlife. The topography of Rajasthan ranges from the barren desert, scrub-thorn arid forests, rocks and ravines to wetlands and lush, green forests. And each of these areas houses a large variety of animal and bird life. Some of them rare while some endangered.
There are many amazing verities of national parks and sanctuaries in Rajasthan. There is Ranthambhore National Park which draws a large gathering of tourists eager for a glimpse of the tiger. There is Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary, which brings bird watchers back each year. There is Sariska, which has a beautiful fort in the middle of the park. There is Tal Chappar where hundreds of blackbuck can be spotted quite close to your car or jeep. There is Desert National Park where the Great Indian Bustard makes its last stand. There is the Kumbhalgarh National Park….and so many more.
Ranthambore National Park
One of the most well-known tiger reserve of Rajasthan, Ranthambhore National Park is the home of an expansive variety of other animals in is 392 sq km area. One can spot sambhar, cheetal, wild boar, leopard, sloth bear, jackal, hyena among others. The park draws a large gathering of tourists to the state who eager for glimpse of the tiger, artificial lakes, and dense forests. This park is very impressive and interesting. Best time to visit is October to April.
Bhensrod Garh Sanctuary
Established in 1983 it is a fairly new sanctuary. This sanctuary covers a total area of 229 sq km of scrub and dry deciduous forest. Leopards, chinkara, sloth bear can be spotted here if one is lucky. The best time to visit is between October and May.
Darrah Sanctuary
Established in 1995 this sanctuary was previously the hunting ground of the Kota maharajas. This sanctuary covers an area of 266 sq km. The animals here include wolf, sloth bear, chinkara and leopard. The best time to visit is between February and May.
Desert National Park
The Desert National Park is an excellent example of the ecosystem of the Thar Desert and its fauna. The Sudashri forest is the most ideal place for observing wildlife in the Desert National Park. Sand dunes from less than 20 per cent of the park, which consists of craggy rocks, pavements and compact salt lake bottoms, intermedial areas and fixed dunes. Established in 1980, it is colossal park sprawling on 3162 sq km. This park is probably the largest park in India.
Its inhabitants include the blackbuck, chinkara, wolf, Indian fox hare and desert cat. During the winter you can also see thousands of sparrows, imperial sand grouse, bustard, falcons and eagles. Best time to visit is September to March.
Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary
This sanctuary is situated the Jaisalmer road from 32 km from Bikaner. Its inhabitants include wildfowl, hares, wild boar, desert foxes and a number of deer and antelopes including black bucks and blue bulls. The lake at Gajner attracts water birds in thousands. Imperial sand house migrate here in winter. Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary, houses the former Hunting lodge of Bikaner and has a beautiful lake surrounded by a dense forest.
Jaisamand Sanctuary
Jaisamand Sanctuary is located beside the man made lake of the same name – Jaisamand Lake. It was established in 1957. This sanctuary covers a total area of 160 squares Km. Its inhabitants include sloth bear, leopard, chital, chinkara, wild boar and a number of birds. Some crocodiles and fish can also be spotted here. Best time to visit is between November and January.
Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur
Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur was declared a National Park in 1982 and a UNESCO World heritage Site in December 1985, this park covers an area of 28.73 sq Km. Over 10,000 nests of egrets, darters, cormorants, grey herons and storks hatch nearly 20,000 to 30,000 chicks every year. There is an infinite variety of migratory birds. Mammals like the sambhar, black buck, chital, nilgai, fishing cat, otter and mongoose also roam freely here. Best time to visit is August to February.
Kumbhalgarh National Park
Kumbhalgarh National Park is dominated by the Kumbhalgarh Fort but it has lots to offer. Located in the most rugged of the Aravalli mountain ranges in Pali, Rajsamand and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan, Kumbhalgarh National Park takes its name from impressive historic fort of Kumbhalgarh, which looms over the Park. This area is also called the Vagad area of Rajasthan. It covers a total area of 578 sq km. It is home to a very large variety of wildlife, some of which are highly endangered species. The wildlife includes the wolf, the leopard, the sloth bear, the hyena, the jackal, the jungle cat, the sambhar, the nilgai, the chinkara and the hare. It is the only sanctuary where the Indian wolf is breeding successfully. There is also a wide variety in the bird life at Kumbhalgarh. Best time to visit is March to May and September to November.
Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary
The sanctuary comprises the oldest mountain ranges the Aravallis. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1960. Apart from having several sightseeing places including the great Delwara temples which have the most beautiful carvings, this sanctuary is a draw for nature lovers as it has great potential for eco-tourism. Mount Abu has a very rich floral biodiversity starting with xenomorphic subtropical thorn forest at the foothills to subtropical evergreen forests along water courses and valleys at higher altitudes.
These forests consist of 112 plant family with 449 genera and 820 species. Mount Abu is the only place in Rajasthan where one can observe a variety of orchids.
Sariska Tiger Reserve
Sariska is the other tiger land in Rajasthan which was brought under Project Tiger in 1979. Sariska is one of the great national parks, home to leopards and the imposing Kankwado Fort where Dara Shikoh was imprisoned. Other than leopard, sambhar, nilgai, wild dog, and chinkara, the ruins of 9th and 10th century temples exist here. Best time to visit is November to June.
Other sanctuaries include Sitamata, Darrah, Chambal, Tal Chapper, Jamwa Ramgarh, Kaila Devi, Van Vihar, Ramgarh, Shergarh, Todgarh-Rad and Jawahar Sagar.
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