Rajasthan is home to 5 tiger reserve that contribute to the conservation of the Bengal tiger.
Contents
1. Sariska Tiger Reserve
- The Sariska Tiger Reserve is located in the Alwar district of the state of Rajasthan, India.
- Sariska Tiger Reserve is famous for ancient temples, ruins, and forts, including the Kankwari Fort.
- It was originally a hunting ground for the royal family of Alwar.
- In 1955, the area was declared a wildlife sanctuary.
- In 1978, Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary was designated as a tiger reserve.
- In 1979, Sariska wildlife sanctuary became a National Park.
- Area: The Sariska Tiger Reserve has a total area of 1,203.34 square kilometers (464.70 square miles).
- Core/critical tiger habitat : 881.11 sq.km.
- Buffer/peripheral area : 322.23 sq.km.
- Total : 1203.34 sq.km.
- Hills: The reserve is situated in the Aravalli Range.
- Aravalli Range
- River: Ruparel River flow through the tiger reserve.
- Ruparel River
- Flora: Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests (Dhok, Khair, Tendu etc.), Northern Tropical Thorn Forests (Babul, Khejri etc.)
- Dhok (Anogeissus pendula) covers over 40 percent of the forested area of Sariska Tiger Reserve.
- Fauna: Royal Bengal Tiger, Leopards, Hyenas, Caracal, Sambar Deer, Spotted Deer, Rufous Tailed Hare, Grey Francolin, White rumped Vulture, Indian Python, Monitor Lizard, Indian Star Tortoise etc.
2. Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
- Ranthambore Tiger Reserve is located in Karauli and Sawai Madhopur districts of Rajasthan, India.
- In 1955, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve was established as Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary.
- In 1973, Ranthambore was designated as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger.
- In 1980, Ranthambore was declared a national park.
- In 1991, the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve was expanded to include the adjacent Keladevi Sanctuary in the north and Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary in the south, as well as other forests.
- Area: Ranthambore Tiger Reserve area of land. The reserve comprises both the core/critical tiger habitat and the buffer/peripheral area. Here is the approximate area breakdown of Ranthambore Tiger Reserv:
- Core/critical tiger habitat : 1113.36 sq.km.
- Buffer/peripheral area : 297.92 sq.km.
- Total : 1411.28 sq. km
- Hills: Ranthambore Tiger Reserve is situated at the junction (great boundary fault) of the Aravali and Vindhya hill ranges.
- Aravalli Hill Range
- Vindhya Hill Range
- River: Ranthambore Tiger Reserve is bounded by rivers on its northern and southern sides.
- Chambal River (southern side)
- Banas River (northern side)
- Lake: Some notable lakes within Ranthambore Tiger Reserve include:
- Padam Talao Lake
- Malik Talao
- Rajbagh Talao Lake
- Flora: Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests (dhok, khair, and kulu), Dry Deciduous Scrub, Dry Grasslands etc.
- Fauna: Bengal Tiger, Leopard, Caracal, Sambar, Chital, Chinkara, Sloth Bear, Blacknaped Hare, Crested Serpent Eagle, Indian Grey Hornbill, Desert Monitor Lizard, Gangetic Soft Shelled Turtle, Fresh Water Crocodile, North Indian flap-shelled Turtle etc.
- Ranthambore tigers are world famous with their local pet names, including Machali (T-16), Dollar (T-25), Sitara (T-28), Bina One, Bina Two, Sundari, Dollor.
3. Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve (52nd Tiger Reserve in India)
- Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve is located in Bundi district of Rajasthan, India.
- It lies in the southeastern part of Rajasthan with representation of both Vindhyan and Aaravalli elements.
- In 1982, Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary was established as a protected area under the Rajasthan Wildlife and Bird Protection Act, 1951.
- In 2022, Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary declared tiger reserve.
- It is the 52nd Tiger Reserve in India and 4th tiger reserve of Rajasthan.
- Area: The Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve covers an approximate area of 1501.88 sq.kmn.
- Core : 481.9 sq.km.
- Buffer : 1019.98 sq.km.
- Total : 1501.88 sq.km.
- River: The Mez River flows through the tiger reserve.
- Mez River
- Flora: Dhok, Khair, Ronj, Amaltas, Gurjan, Saler, India Ghost Tree, Tendu etc.
- Fauna: Tigers, Leopards, Sloth Bears, Hyaena, Crested Porcupine, Caracal, Chital, Sambar, Indian Vulture, Indian Eagle-owl, Indian Rock Python, Indian Star Tortoise, Crocodiles etc.
4. Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve
- Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve is located in Kota district of Rajasthan in India.
- It is situated in a valley formed by two parallel mountains viz. Mukundra and Gargola.
- Mukundra Hills was originally a hunting preserve belonging to the Maharaja of Kota.
- In 1955, the area was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary.
- In 2004, Mukundra Hills was declared a national park known as Mukundra Hills (Darrah) National Park.
- In 2013, Mukundra Hills was notified as a Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger. The Tiger Reserve encompasses Mukandra National Park, Dara Sanctuary, Jawahar Sagar Sanctuary, and a part of Chambal Sanctuary (from Garadia Mahadev to Jawahar Sagar Dam).
- Area: The Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve covers a total area of 759.99462 square kilometers.
- Core : 417.17188 sq. km.
- Buffer : 342.82274 sq. km.
- Total : 759.99462 sq. km.
- Hills: The tiger reserve is named after the prominent Mukundra Hills that surround the region.
- Mukundra Hills
- River: Ramzan River flows through the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve.
- Ramzan River
- Flora: Khair, Ber, Kakan, Raunj, Tendu, Gurjan, Karaya, Jhinjha, Kalam, Gutha bor, Bel, Salar, Uum, Shisham etc.
- Fauna: Tiger, Leopards, Sloth Bear, Chinkara, Spotted Deer, Small Indian Civet,Toddy Cat, Hyena,Painted Partridge,Grey Hornbill,Blackbird, Red Sandboa, Russell’s Sandboa, Gharial, Turtles etc.
5. Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve
- It is located in the state of Rajasthan.
- Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve is India’s 54th Tiger Reserve.
- It is the fifth tiger reserve of Rajasthan.
- In 2023, the Karauli-Sarmathura-Dholpur sanctuary in Rajasthan has been officially designated areas as Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve (DTR).
- Area: The new tiger reserve will span 1,058 sq km, including 368 sq km of core area and 690 sq km of buffer area.