Wildlife Sanctuaries
Rajasthan, the land of contrasts, has everything – deserts, forts, palaces, and a tradition of lovely crafts. Another famed feature of this state is the presence of varied flora and fauna. This is surprising, since most of Rajasthan is located in the Thar Desert area.

To protect the abundant plants, animals, and birds, the government has set up wildlife sanctuaries in areas where they are most threatened. Unfortunately, many animals have already become extinct, thanks to the carelessness of former rulers, who hunted them down till not one was left. The lions on Mount Abu met this fate in the 1870s. The British officials who ruled the length and breadth of India were hardly less misguided, and in their quest for the perfect “shikar”, killed a few more of the big cats, bears, crocodiles, deer, and birds in the region.

However, thankfully, the conservation efforts of the Indian government have shown some results, and the tiger populations in Ranthambore National Park and Sariska Tiger Sanctuary have increased manifolds since the Project Tiger was drafted in 1973.

The Sariska Tiger Sanctuary is known for the presence of the tigers. Sariska was once the hunting ground of the local ruler, and is spread over 1000 square kilometers. The Keoladeo National Park is none other than the popularly termed Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. Here, the visitor can photograph around 300 species of birds, Indian as well as migratory birds escaping from the colder climes of the north. The Mount Abu Sanctuary is located at an elevation, on the only hill station in Rajasthan. This sanctuary shelters the sloth bear and many species of orchids.

The Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary is located in the vicinity of the impressive Kumbhalgarh Fort. The Jaisamand Sanctuary is located on the shores of the Jaisamand Lake. It is home to leopards, sloth bear, and crocodiles. The Bhenrodgarh and Darah sanctuaries are newer and lesser known, but still worth a visit for their diversity of wildlife.

Most of the wildlife sanctuaries of Rajasthan are located on sites of old forts, palaces, temples, and manmade reservoirs. This is why a trip to these places is never just about trees and plants and animals. You get to peek into the past, through these old hunting lodges and now-quiet ruins.

The best time to visit these sanctuaries is the winter season, when the desert heat no longer makes the animals sluggish, and the migratory birds have arrived to roost here and to escape the bitterness of the Arctic winters.