Ranthambhore National Park

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Ranthambhor National Park, before a princely game conserve is the scene where the celebrated Indian Tiger is best seen. Ranthambhor Tiger Reserve lies on the junction of Aravali & Vindhyas just 14 Kms from Sawai Madhopur in Eastern Rajasthan. It sprawls over a varying & undulating Landscape.

The scenery changes dramatically from gentle & steep slopes of the Vindhyas & sharp & conical hills of the Aravali. A tenth century fort also blends amicably with the background.

Pure sands of Dhok (Anogeissus pendula) interspersed with grasslands at the plateaus, meadows in valleys & luxuriant foliage around the canals make the jungle. Three big lakes – Padam Talab (meaning Lake), Malik Talab & Raj Bagh – are similar turquoises studded in the vast forest that abounds with aquatic vegetation including duckweeds, lilies & lotus.

A significant geological feature with in the park is the 'Great Boundary Fault' where the Vindhaya plateau meets the Aravali range. The Rivers Chambal in the South & the Banas in the North bound the National Park.

The park is dotted with steep rocky hills & the dominating architecture of Ranthambhor Fort (built in the 10th century), adds to its Landscape. The rugged park terrain alternates between dry deciduous forest, open grassy meadow, dotted by several lakes & rivers that are only made passable by rough roads built & maintained by the Forest Service.

The tiger is not the only attraction at Ranthambhor; although it is the one park resident that people come to see. A variety of birds including Owlets, the ubiquitous Langur (monkey), Leopard, Caracal, Hyena, Jackal, Jungle Cat, marsh Crocodiles, Wild Boar, Bears & various species of Deer are the other attractions.

Ranthambhor is plagued by the typical problems encountered by all game reserves in India - people living in & around the parks & grazing by livestock! Between 1976-1979, 12 villages with in Ranthambhor National Park were resettled outside the designated park area with only a few people now residing in scattered hamlets with in the park.

Of course poachers continue their activities with increasing deMand from China for Tiger parts. There are no accurate figures on how many tigers & poachers kill other species, but on occasion evidence appears in the form of large numbers of skins & other body parts found on couriers.

The park is well staffed & the folk who man the centres & the Mandatory guides - one for every vehicle, are knowledgeable of the terrain & some even know the Latin names of most species.

The tiger is not the only attraction at Ranthambhor; although it is the one park resident people come to see. We were lucky to see several varieties of birds including these owlets peering through their burrow pictured here on the right & of course the ubiquitous langur monkey. Other animals in the reserve include leopard, caracal, hyena, jackal, jungle cat, marsh crocodiles, wild boar, bears & various species of deer.

The main food source for the tiger is the swamp deer like Barasinsga & on occasion the wild buffalo & also wild boar etc. If you wish to stay near the park, the facilities on offer are superb. The park gates open a half hour before sunrise & close half hour after sunset. The timings are vigorously imposed & no exceptions are made to this rule.

Save Tiger
Like oil lamps flickering in the wind, the world's tiger population is unhurriedly being snuffed out. Several books & literature have been produced to describe the most intriguing, the most powerful & the most majestic of all animals. The Hindu tradition & culture have a place of honor & worship for tiger.

In India people had added Singh, Sher & Nahar on their names to upgrade their class. Yet people have been incredibly scant to the cause of the tiger. This web site aims in graphics, pictures & prose to advance the level of wakefulness & concern for this mythical & secretive striped beauty that placidly roams the jungles.

There is enormous pressure on the habitat of the tigers, the Ranthambhore Foundations hopes to strike an ecological balance& complete harmony between man & the beast.

Tiger Moments
Tiger Burning Bright in rare & relaxed moments exhibits it lovable beauty. It is in these moments that the sheer beauty & power of this animal comes out so mesmerizing. It is an experience that no one should fail to spot. If your grand mother has told you that cat the maternal aunt of the tiger did not teach a tiger to climb trees so he can’t climb trees then she was probably not wholly right. A commendable photographs shows that tigers can scale trees like other cats but only upto 16 months of age of after which they too heavy to do so.

These pictures depict the world around the tiger & are expected to arouse passion for the tiger. The tiger is waging a lonely battle for survival – you must stand for restoring the eco-balance.

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