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Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary, Alwar Overview
The Sariska Tiger Reserve, also known as Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary, is situated in the Aravali Range near the city of Alwar. The sanctuary stretches over an area of about 800 sq. km and includes a huge chunk of deciduous forest, grasslands, cliffs, and rocky terrain. It also forms a part of Kathiawar Gir forest which is abundant with dry deciduous trees.
The national reserve is home to the rarest breed of tiger, the Royal Bengal Tigers and is one of the first tiger reserves in the country to successfully relocate tigers from Ranthambore. The area is also rich in minerals like copper and a few nearby regions are used for mining purposes as well. In the past, this region used to be a hunting ground for the Maharaja of Alwar. If you are a wildlife enthusiast, this reserve is a perfect place for you to explore the rich biodiversity of Rajasthan.
In addition to the rich natural heritage, the region is also famous for forts and ancient temples of Garh-Rajor that was built during the 10th and 11th century. Here, you can also get a panoramic view from the top of Kankwari castle. Other major attractions situated in the vicinity of the reserve are Pandopil, where Pandavas spent a few days during their exile, and the Nilkanth temple built by Bargujars.
More on Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary
Flora and Fauna at Sariska National Park
Flora: The reserve is a part of both the Aravali Range and Kaithwar Gir deciduous forest. Henceforth, the rocky terrain of the sanctuary is populated with deciduous trees such as Khair (Acacia catechu), Ber (Zizyphus maudrentiana), Dhok (Anogeissus pendula), and Khair Tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon). During the monsoons, you will be greeted with dense and lush greenery around the national park. However, in summers, the hot sun dries up most of the vegetation here.
Fauna: Although the reserve is known for Royal Bengal Tigers, there are several other forms of wildlife found in the area. Many species of wildlife such as a Jungle Cat, Four-Horned Antelope, Chital, Nilgai, Chinkara, Rhesus Monkeys Chausingha, Sambar, Hanuman Langur, and Wild Dog are spotted quite frequently in the forest.
At Sariska Sanctuary you can also enjoy bird watching. A lot of bird species such as Bush Quail, White-throated Kingfisher, woodpeckers, Treepie, Crested Serpent Eagle Grey Partridge, golden-backed sand grouse, The Indian Eagle-Owl, and Indian peafowl are found in the reserve.
A lake named Siliserh Lake, situated adjacent to the Sariska Reserve, is home to a large population of crocodiles. The carnivores’ animals living in Sariska such as Tiger, Leopard, Hyena, Jackal Jungle Cat, and Wild Dog feed on other animals like Nilgai, Chausingha Chital, Langur, Wild Boar, and Sambhar.
Tigers and Relocation Efforts at Sariska National Park
Sariska Sanctuary was infested with illegal activities such as hunting and poaching, thereby, endangering its wildlife. Soon there was a need to protect the area and in 1955 it was declared as a Wildlife Reserve. Later in 1978, it was designated as a Tiger Reserve. The Project Tiger Scheme of the Government has proved to be beneficial in protecting the tigers present in this reserve.
Under this scheme, tigers were relocated to this sanctuary from Ranthambore. Since then, there has been a decent growth in the population of tigers. A male tiger named Dara was the first tiger to be aerially relocated to this place from Ranthambore on 28th June 2008. This scheme has been successful due to the combined effort of the Government of Rajasthan, Government of India, and Wildlife Institute of India.
Best Time To Visit Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary
The ideal time to visit Sariska Tiger Reserve is during the months between October and May. Unlike the scorching heat of summers, the cool and pleasant weather during these months will ensure a relaxing trip without getting sunburned or tanned.
However, a suitable time to spot tigers in Sariska Tiger Reserve is during the summer months. At this time of the year, the entire vegetation dries out and it becomes easy to spot tigers loitering around in the forest in search of water. The park remains closed between 1st July and 30th September and also on major national holidays.
Tips for Visiting Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary
1. Do not wear clothes that are bright in color or have bold prints.
2. Follow the instructions of the guide carefully and do not tease or feed the animals.
3. To avoid the rush, try to reach the exit gate half an hour prior to the closing time
4. Avoid carrying sharp objects like scissors or blades.
5. Carry necessary items like sanitizer, water bottle, hand towel, power bank, torch, medicines and mosquito repellant.
6. Do not make loud noises or litter the park with garbage
How to Reach Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary
Sariska Tiger Reserve is well connected with bus services from all the major neighboring cities. The reserve is situated 107 km from Jaipur, 106 km from Hindaun, and 200 km from Delhi. The tiger reserve lies on the Delhi-Alwar-Jaipur Highway.
The buses from Alwar to Sariska are available regularly. The nearest railway station is the Alwar railway station located at a distance of about 37 km. The nearest airport is Jaipur which is about 107 km away from the national park.
