LIST OF CONTENTS:

1. Introduction
2. Research question
3. Wildlife Sanctuaries
Sariska wild life sanctuary
Kumbalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary
Chambal Gharial Wildlife sanctuary
Tal Chappar Sanctuary
Bhartpur Bird Sanctuary
Ranthambore National Park
Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary
4. Conclusion

INTRODUCTION:

Wildlife in Rajasthan

Apart from the famous monuments of Rajasthan, another

attraction of the state includes the Rajasthan Wildlife
tour. Although the territory as well as the environment of
Rajasthan is quite tough and unpleasant, still, it is home
to a wide variety of wildlife.
One of the reasons for this
are

the

variations

in

the

climate and topography of

the state, ranging from semi
green forests of Mount Abu to
dry grasslands of the desert and from the wetlands of
Bharatpur to the dry deciduous thorn forest of Aravalli.
The state of Rajasthan is most famous as the habitat of
the very much-endangered species, Tiger. Apart from
that, there is a wide variety of other animals and birds in
Rajasthan wildlife sanctuaries and parks.

RESEARCH QUESTION
Wildlife in Rajasthan?
Population of various species
Government Intervention
Tourist hotspot
Varieties of wildlife

Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary:

Location:

37 km from Alwar,
Rajasthan, India

Area covered:

765 sq. km

Main Wildlife Found:

Leopard, Wild Dog

Sariska National Park - The Forgotten

Story of The Hunt and The Hunter
Located in the lap of Aravalli Hills in the Alwar district of
Rajasthan,
Sanctuary
probably

Sariska
in
one

frequently

Wildlife

Rajasthan,
of

the

visited

is

most

parks

in

India. Everybody wants to go to

the green, serene and so close
to

the

heart,

hub

of

wild

animals. But what many happy troopers don't know is

that Sariska used to dance to a different beat not too long
ago. The beat of royal drums, to be precise, heralding the
arrival of the Maharajahs of Alwar and their hunting dogs.
Sariska was the hunting preserve of the Alwar royals, and
its palace has buried many secrets of these shoots.
Bundles of paper carry the hunting memoirs of these
princes. Cookbooks have been made on the fancy shikar
(hunting) cuisine that evolved during those years. Now,
an entirely different chapter has been added to the story
of Sariska, that of wildlife protection.

Gone are the traps in which infelicitous goats were tied to

a tree to attract tigers for the princes' shooting pleasure.
Now, fences prevent humans from further endangering
the animals. The famous Sariska tiger reserve was
declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1958 and became a tiger
reserve under ' Project Tiger' in 1979. Multiple books are
being written, and rewritten, detailing the efforts being
made to preserve the hundreds of species endangered
over the years by apathetic hunters.

The Wild And The Beautiful

Travel

to

Sariska

tiger

sanctuary

Despite not featuring among the

sanctuaries

favored

by

wildlife

enthusiasts, it is one of the best

parks to spot a number of herbivores
at close range. That's not just on account of the
diminishing tiger population but more because of the
terrain; the undulating low hills, wide valleys and hill

plateaus are hardly ideal for tiger spotting. These hills get
higher and the cliffs get sheerer as you progress further
into the park, indeed an ideal location to play hide and
seek with the jungle king. There are some excellent
grasslands with water channels criss-crossing all over
them. The forestscape is mostly of the dry deciduous type
with Dhok, Khair, Ber and Goria making up a majority of
the flora family. The park bears a completely different
look in the summer months and in the months postmonsoon. It appears awfully dry in the summers and
becomes so acutely dense and lush green after the
monsoons that it is hard to see beyond a few feet off the
track.

wild dog

Wildlife at Sariska comprises of leopard, jackal, wild dog

and hyena. Relatively easy to see are chital (spotted
deer), sambhar (the largest deer in Asia), barking deer
and langurs gamboling on the tree routes.. Wild boar may
suddenly cross the jungle road as you go by. Huge males
wander in sounders with females accompanied by striped
piglets. If startled by your presence, the group often takes
a moment or two to regroup from their foraging and make
their getaway through the undergrowth almost in single
file.
The famous Sariska national park is also a habitat for a
robust avian population. During late summer and in the
monsoon months, it is credible to see large numbers of
peacocks with their tail feathers fanned out and doing
their famous shimmering "dance". Wildlife at Sariska
Sanctuary does not end here. Birdwatchers can also spot
red jungle fowl, white breasted kingfishers, golden backed
woodpeckers, great Indian horned owls, crested serpent
eagles, parakeets, drongos, and vultures quite easily.
Trip to Sariska Wildlife sanctuary. The most enjoyable part
is the drive through the ornate green forest, where paths
dip down into the valleys, birds chirp in some unknown

corner

and

sinister shadows
cross the jungle.

Mesmerizing Proximities
As with most areas in the state of Rajasthan, Sariska too
is surrounded by numerous barren hills with forts and
ruined temples located atop them. One of these forts is
the Kankwadi Fort, located at the apex of a beautiful lush
green hill. Commissioned by Mogul emperor Aurangazeb
to confine his brother Dara Shikoh, whom he later
guillotined to gain control of Hindustan. The villages in
the amazingly vast surrounding grasslands appear to be
lost in the past eras. From the fort they look much like
drawings from a child's illustration book. You will see
different shades of green originating from the same
mixture of blue and yellow, spread over a vast arena of
landscape, like a sheet covering the silhouette of a
sleeping bambino.

Enjoy the famous Sariska Tiger reserve in these forests,

once a part of the ancient 'Matsya' kingdom, are also
supposed to have sheltered the exiled Pandavas. It is
believed that Bhima, smote the rock face of a cliff with his
cudgel at Pandu Pol and made a passage through a gorge
in the sanctuary. The sight of the huge gaping orifice with
a picturesque spring emerging from the rocks, is an aweinspiring sight.

Wildlife Safaris
To enjoy wildlife attractions of Sariska it is possible to take
private vehicles into the park, they are limited to metaled
roads only, minimizing the chances of spotting wildlife.
Devotees cluster here on Tuesdays and Saturdays to pay
offerings to the monkey god, Hanuman, temple located
within the park parameters, on these two auspicious days
of the week. Hundreds of locals with flowers, sweets and
coconuts gather at the sacred shrine, which is believed to
grant every desire, if wished by heart.

Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary

Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary is in the Rajsamand
District of Rajasthan state in western India and surrounds
the Kumbhalgarh fortress and covers an area of 578 km.
The

sanctuary

extends

across

the

Aravalli

Range,

covering parts of Rajsamand, Udaipur, and Pali districts,

ranging from 500 to 1300 meters elevation.

It takes name after

the impressive historic fort of Kumbhalgarh, which come
into view over the Park. It is 578 km in area and at an
altitude of 500 to 1,300 metres. It is home to a very large
variety of wild life, some of which are highly endangered
species. The wild life includes wolf, leopards, sloth bear,
hyena, jackal, jungle cat, smabhar, nilgai, chaisingh (the
four horned antelope), chinkara and hare.
The bird life at

Kumbhalgarh is also gratifying. The

normally shy and untrusting grey jungle fowl can be

spotted here. Peacocks and Doves can be sighted
regularly feeding on grains scattered by the jungle

guards. Bird like the red spur owls, Parakeets, golden

Oriole, grey Pigeons, Bulbul, Dove and white breasted
kingfisher can also be seen near the water holes.
Kumbhalgarhs natural beauty is attracting many tourists
and especially for its accessibility from Udaipur, which is
100 km from here. Foot tracking and horse safari
organised by local tour operators are proving to be very
popular. A typical safari route enters the sanctuary from
the Kumbhalgarh Fort and cutting across the sanctuary it
reaches Ghanerao, and then borders an old abandoned
road. On this road, one can sight Chinkaras, Neelgais,
four horned Antelope and many birds.

Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary

Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary is located in one of the
oldest mountain ranges of India, the Aravalli range. It was
declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1960.

Geography
It spreads out into a plateau which is about 19 km in
length and 6 km in breadth. In altitude, it varies from 300
meters at the foot to 1722 meters at Guru Shikhar, the
highest peak in Rajasthan.
The rocks are igneous and due to the weathering effect of
wind and water, large cavities are common in them.

Flora
It is very rich in floral bio-diversity starting from
xenomorphic sub-tropical thorn forests in the foot hills to
sub-tropical evergreen forests along water courses and
valleys at higher altitudes.

There are about 112 plant families with 449 genera and
820 species. Of these, 663 species are dicots while 157
species are monocots.
Mount Abu is the only place in Rajasthan where one can
observe a variety of orchids. The place is also rich in
bryophytes and algae.
Three species of wild roses and 16 species of feras some
of which are quite rare have also been reported from
here. The south-west part of the sanctuary is rich in
bamboo forests.
About 81 species of trees, 89 species of shrubs, 28
species of climbers and 17 species of tuberous plants of
medicinal
sanctuary.

importance

have

been

identified

in

this

Fauna

variety

of

fauna,

including

highly rare, threatened and endangered species are

found in this sanctuary. The past history of Mount Abu
indicates the presence of lion (last recorded in 1872) and
tiger (last reported in 1970). Presently the leopard is the
apex predator. Other animals found here are sambhar,
jungle cat, small Indian civet, wolf, hyena, jackal, Indian
fox, common langoor, wild boar, pangolin, common
mongoose,

Indian

hare,

porcupine

The sanctuary provides an ideal

habitat for the sloth bear too. It is unique in the sense
that more than 250 species of birds are found here, but
the specialty of the Abu sanctuary is the grey jungle fowl.

NATIONAL

CHAMBAL

GHARIAL

WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

The National Chambal (Gharial) Wildlife Sanctuary

in India was founded in 1979 and is part of a large area
co-administered by the states of Rajasthan, Madhya
Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, within an area of 5,400
square

kilometres

along

the

Chambal

River.

Approximately 400 km of the river is within the reserve,

forming the core area.

Apart

from

the

Ganges

River

Dolphin

(Platanista

gangetica), the other inhabitants of the sanctuary include

magar (crocodile) and gharial (Gavialis gangeticus).

Stretch of crystal clear water also

supports

Marsh

Crocodile,

Smooth-coated

Otters

(Lutrogale perspicillata), 6 species of Terrapins/Turtles

plus 250 species of birds. Migratory birds from Siberia
forms its rich avian fauna.One of the rare bird present
here is Indian Skimmers. Black-bellied Terns, Red-crested
Pochard and Ferruginous Pochard, Bar-headed Goose,
Sarus Crane, Great Thick-knee, Indian Courser, Pallas's
Fish Eagle, Pallid Harrier, Greater Flamingos and Lesser
Flamingos, Darters, and Brown Hawk Owl and many other
birds are part of the sanctuary's rich fauna.The sanctuary
is protected under India's Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
The sanctuary is administered by the Department of

Forest under the Project Officer with headquarter at

Morena, Madhya Pradesh. Part of the sanctuary is under
heavy illegal sand mining, which is endangering its fragile
ecosystem.

Tal Chhapar Sanctuary

Tal Chhapar Sanctuary is a sanctuary located in the
Churu

district

of

Northwestern

Rajasthan

in

the

Shekhawati region of India. It is 210 km from Jaipur and

situated on road from Ratangarh to Sujangarh. The Tal
Chappar sanctuary lies in the Sujangarh Tehsil of Churu
District. It lies on Nokha- Sujangarh state Highway and is
situated at a distance of 85 km from Churu & about
132 km from Bikaner. The nearest Railway station is
Chappar which lies on Degana Churu Rewari metre
gauge line of North Western Railways.
The nearest Airport is Sanganer (Jaipur) which is at a
distance of 215 km from Chappar. It is known for black
bucks and is also home to a variety of birds.

The Tal Chhapar sanctuary is located on the fringe of the

Great Indian Desert. Tal Chhapar nestles a unique refuge
of the most elegant Antelope encountered in India, "the
Black buck". Tal Chhaper sanctuary, with almost flat tract
and interspersed shallow low lying areas, has open
grassland with scattered Acacia and prosopis trees which
give it an appearance of a typical Savanna. The word
"Tal" means plane land. The rain water flows through
shallow low lying areas and collect in the small seasonal
water ponds.
The Geology of the zone is obscured by the wind blown
over-burden. Some small hillocks and exposed rocks of
slate and quartzite are found in the western side of the
sanctuary. Area between hillocks and the sanctuary
constitutes the watershed area of the sanctuary.
The whole sanctuary used to be flooded by water during
the heavy rains but with salt mining going on in the
watershed. Hardly any rain water falling on the hillocks
reach the Sanctuary.

BHARATPUR BIRD SANCTUARY

Location:

Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India

Area covered:

29 sq km

Main

Wildlife White Breasted Kingfisher, Migratory

Attractons :

Birds, Sambar, Chital

About Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary:

Keoladeo Ghana National Park, more popular as the
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary has one of the most prolific
avian populations in the country. Two-thirds of the Park
remains under water and the remaining one-third is
covered

in

dry

deciduous

forests

and

extensive

grasslands.
Bharatpur can be called the kingdom of Avian fauna in
India with more than 400 bird species already spotted.
The fact remains that Bharatpur is one of the only two
known wintering haunts of Siberian Crane

Wiildlife
Bird

Attractions

in

Bharatpur
Sanctuary

Over 350 species of birds find a refuge in the 29 sq-km of

shallow lakes and woodland, which make up the park. A
third of them are migrants, many of whom spend their

winters in Bharatpur, before returning to their breeding

grounds, as far away as Siberia and Central Asia.
Migratory birds at Keoladeo include, as large a bird as
Dalmatian pelican, which is slightly less than two meters,
and as small a bird as Siberian disky leaf warbler, which is
the size of a finger. Other migrants include several
species of cranes, pelicans, geese, ducks, eagles, hawks,
shanks, stints, wagtails, warblers, wheatears, flycatchers,
buntings,

larks

and

pipits,

etc.

Attracted by the influx of the water fowl, the predatory

birds - tawny eagles, spotted eagles short-toed eagles,
imperial eagles and fishing eagle also arrive. Common
Kingfisher, Colourful Kingfishers, graceful pelicans, rare
Siberian cranes and trans-continental fliers like the
migratory water-fowl are amongst the 400 species of
birds found in the Keoladeo National Park. The most
spectacular nests are those of the egrets, storks, herons
and cormorants which make over 10,000 nests every
year. They all form the apex of the biological pyramid of
the sanctuary and complete the avian food chain of the
ecosystem. There are large herds of the nilgai, chital, wild

boar and fear cows in addition to a few herds of sambar.

Some of the unique attractions of the park include....

Siberian Crane
Siberian Cranes are a highly specialised member of the
crane family in terms of habitat, morphology and
behaviour. Being omnivorous they eat a wide variety of
food items including cranberries, rodents, fish and
insects. The threat to the wintering habitats of these
species caused due to the growing human population has
put a serious questionmark on the existense of these rare
birds in India.

Waterfowl
The story of Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is incomplete
without an account of the migratory waterfowl. The most
prominent water fowl coming to this park are bareheaded
and greylag geese. Ducks also create a lot of fluttering in
the lakes. The ducks usually found here are pintail,

widgeon, common shelduck, shoveler, garganey, teal,

mallard pochard etc.

White Breasted Kingfisher

The beautiful amalgam of colors as if painted extremely

carefully by nature with a brilliant turquoise blue body, a
chocolate brown head and neck, a long red pecker and a
white front are sure to draw curious glances from on
lookers.
The main delicacies on its menu include fish, tadpoles,
grasshoppers, lizards and other small insects.

Other Attractions
Bharatpur Government Museum
The majestic Bharatpur Palace is a magnificent building
displaying an amalgam of the Mughal and Rajput forms of
architecture.

The

palace

is

adorned

with

beautiful

chandeliers and other unique furnishing.

Lohagarh Fort
The invincible Lohagarh Fort has the unique distinction of
remaining unconquered despite several attacks by the
British.

Deeg Palace
The Deeg Palace, situated just 32 km north of Bharatpur
was the summer resort for the erstwhile rulers of
Bharatpur. The massive fortress houses a number of
beautiful palaces and gardens.

RANTHAMBORE

NATIONAL

PARK
District
Region

Sawai

Madhopur

in

Dhundhar

Location : At the junction of

Aravallis and Vindhyas, SE of
Rajasthan
Famous As : Tiger Reserve
What To Look For : Indian
Gazelle, Black Buck, Elephants

Tigers resting at Ranthambhore National Park

Ranthambhore

The

Only

Place

Where The King Stays Calm

Tyger, Tyger, burning bright ,In the forest of the night,
What immortal hand or eye ,Could frame thy fearful
symmetry?
- William Blake (1757-1827)
It is hard to imagine. A
massive tiger, his muscles rippling, his teeth all bared, his
eyes with a brilliant bluish- grey tint, his body kept really
low and his roar sounding like a million thunderbolts
going off at the same time would come and greet you.
Reputed to be among of India's first rated, people have
been known to complain that the tigers at Ranthambhore
National Park are almost tame! On the flip side, sightings
are

high.

These

tigers

of

Ranthambhore

are

so

accustomed to human presence that they are known to

even hunt in broad daylight in full view of gaping tourists.

A significant geological feature within the terrain is the

'Great Boundary Fault' where the Vindhaya plateau meets
the Aravali range. The Rivers Chambal in the South and
Banas in the North hug the National Park. Tour of the
Ranthambore national park which is dotted with steep
rocky

hills

and

the

dominating

architecture

of

Ranthambhor Fort (built in the 10th century), adds to its

landscape. The rugged park scape alternates between
dry deciduous forest, open grassy meadow, dotted by
several lakes and rivers that are only made passable by
rough roads built and maintained by the Forest Service.

The Royal Den

As Ranthambore park is a major tiger reserve now, it
becomes an inevitable fact that prior to Independence,
the park was the hunting grounds of Jaipur's maharajahs,
who mounted elaborate big game shoots or shikars here.
The game was a king's favorite and the token was a
crowd pleaser. A leisure walk through the deciduous
forest augments one's level of adrenaline to acme, when
one comes to know that wind is the only harbinger for a

tiger phenomenon. The reserve is peppered with hardy

dhok trees whose leaves are used for animal fodder. In
April, when the brilliant flowers of the forest blooms, it
creates a eye-catching fiesta of fiery red across the park
precincts. The reserve with its large domain of flora and
fauna, fabricates a jungle book every time it is haunted
by a traveler. The vicious animals, though they hunt for
their hors d'oeuvre, candidly maintain a universal cult of
brotherhood amidst the green bushes;

birds chirp,

monkeys jump and deers dart across the creepers, clearly

bespeaking the propinquity of the jungle king. The scenic
landscape of Ranthambhore is also an athletic arena for
chital (spotted deer) and the sambar, India's largest deer.
The main food source for the tiger is the swamp deer and
chinkara (Indian gazelle); on occasion the wild buffalo and
also wild boar etc.

Wildlife
in

Attraction

Ranthambore

National Park
Tiger
The tiger reigns supreme in
Ranthambore. It is among the few places in the world
where this super-predator, symbol of power, strength and
magnificence, can be observed at
close quarters. There are about 25
tigers and 40 leopards in the reserve.
These

are

supported

by

large

population of healthy herbivores. On

can never have enough of tigers. You
may have seen a tiger a hundred times, yet each sighting
is greeted with the same high-pitched intensity.
Tigers can be spotted quite often in their natural habitat
even during daytime. They have been frequently seen at
the edges of three lakes-Padam Talab, Raj Bagh Talab and
Milak Talab. The park also has panthers in sizeable
numbers, though they have been spotted generally at the
outskirts of the park perhaps due to the inevitable conflict

with the tiger population, which command the superior

position amidst the predatory cats. For spotting panthers,
Kachida Valley is regarded as the ideal place.

Avian Population
Jacanas, painted stork, black stork, and white necked
stork are seen along the water bodies. Peafowl are found
in abundance and other birds include Bonelli's eagle,
crested serpent eagle, the great Indian horned owl, quail,
partridge, spur fowl and the paradise flycatcher. Besides,
Ranthambore has large numbers of sambar, chital and
nilgai. Sounders of boar and an occasional gazelle and
the chinkara can also be seen, as also the Indian hare,
mongoose and monitor lizards.
The lakes and pools at the park are the places where
deers congregate and it is easiest to see these animals.
Among other local fauna are the leopard, hyena. jackal,
jungle cats, sloth bear and marsh crocodile.

KEOLADEO GHANA NATIONAL PARK

District

Bharatpur

Region

of

Mewat

Location : In NE Rajasthan, 185 km SE of

Delhi

in

Rajasthan,

India

Famous For : Migratory Siberian Cranes

What To See : All kind of Birds

Birds at Keoladeo National Park

Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary - Flights of

Fantasy
Seasons are beautiful. Or are they made beautiful? Spring
is the time for courtship and nestling, when all the
species become lovebirds. The rains are for breeding and
rearing young, with nests across the treetops brimming
with mottled and speckled eggs of many colors. But there
is no doubt that it's in the late, deliciously cold winter that
the

quantum

of

birdsong

rises

to

ear-piercing

crescendo. Scores of migratory avians undertake a

treacherous journey over the Himalayas to make a
seasonal hub in this pasty green paradise. And their
address is rewritten as teh famous Keoladeo National
Park, south of Jaipur.
Once the hunting ground of the maharajahs of Bharatpur,
the scrubs, swamps and marshes of the 29 sq km
Keoladeo Ghana was later reassembled into a bird
sanctuary, and now it is one of the most favored
destination

of

the

bird

watchers.

Bharatpur, as a town is beautiful in itself. Because of its

easy accessibility from both Agra and Delhi, the town is
often referred to as the Eastern Gateway of Rajasthan.
Although the whole of the town reverberates with the
pulse of the bird sanctuary, you can spare some time to
visit the Bharatpur fort, a strong central citadel built by
Raja Suraj Mal in 1730.

Fly Back With The Time - Take Up a

Bird Safari
Maharajah Surajmal of Bharatpur converted a low-lying
swamp formed by the confluence of the Gambhir and
Banganga rivers into a reservoir, the Ajun Bund. Flooding
during

subsequent

surrounding

region,

monsoons
creating

soon
a

inundated

shallow

the

wetland

ecosystem, the perfect habitat for an astonishing variety

of birds. The maharajah did not have conservationist
motives, but wanted a ready supply of waterfowl,

affording fine shooting (and dining) possibilities. Indeed,

Keoladeo continued to embellish maharajahs' tables until
as late as 1965. An inscription on a pillar near the small
temple in the park bears testimony to the penchant for
hunting. On one day alone, over 5000 ducks were shot !
The almighty god listened to the luckless avians and in
1956, when ultimately Keoladeo was declared as a bird
sanctuary.

Birds at Keoladeo National Park

The

Flying

Mystery

of

Siberian
Cranes

in

Bharatpur
Wildlife

Bird

Sanctuary
Migratory birds flock here in July and August, and they
breed and feed for a month, after the monsoon, on the
wetland's rich aquatic species. The thorny babul trees,
their tops jutting out of the water, are the favorite nesting
places for different exotic birds. Indeed, the sanctuary is a
nesting ground for around 150 species of birds; it is said
to be one of the best places in the world to see nesting
herons. Keep your eyes peeled for storks spreading their
wings to shield their chicks from the hot sun. Around
October the avian population increases with the arrival of
wintering migratory birds who usually seem to stay until
the end of February. Among these birds is the highly
endangered Siberian crane, which commit a week of

perilous flight to reach the Keoladeo sanctuary. At the

beginning of April, when the waters begins to recede,
there is still a handful of birds of prey (vultures), some
kingfishers and smaller birds such as robins, wagtails and
mynas, dotting the landscape. Here there is a chance to
see 400 species of birds in one glance. During the peak of
summer, when the waters have all but disappeared, the
reserve is carpeted in dry grasslands which offer habitat
to a variety of herbivores such as chital (spotted deer),
sambhar, jackals. Jungle cats, hares, pythons, porcupines
and mongoose.

CONCLUSION:
At last to conclude, these species have reached to the
point of extinction and an urgent strict regulations are
required against their unlawful killing and poaching.
Forest department must be active enough to tackle the
situation. Even we must take concern of the wildlife and
do something for its preservation, by charity and by
avoiding products made from animal skin or products.