Everything about Sariska Tiger Reserve [Map]

Sariska national park and Tiger reserve

Sariska Tiger Reserve that stretches across the world’s oldest mountain range, the Aravallis. It is a resilient ecosystem with a high prey density, and it is the only place in the world where the Tiger has been successfully reintroduced after local extinction.

Because of its proximity to the National Capital, Sariska was one of the most well-known Tiger Reserves. However, tigers became locally extinct in the recent past due to poaching and other factors. Sariska is on her way back into shape. Wild tigers from Ranthambhore have been relocated to Sariska in order to repopulate it. This is the world’s first effort of its kind. The reintroduction of tigers is guided by a scientific recovery plan developed in collaboration with the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Institute of India.

Sariska has all three protected areas in it:

• Sariska Tiger reserve, 
• Sariska National park, 
• Sariska wildlife sanctuary.
• The Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary covers approximately 800 square kilometres, while the Sariska National Park covers 273 square kilometres. The Sariska Tiger Reserve covers an area of 1203.34 square kilometres.

Establishment of the Sariska Tiger Reserve

The Sariska Tiger Reserve was initially declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1955. Later, in 1982, it was declared a national park, with a total area of about 273.8 km² (105.7 sq mi). The reserve was also designated as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger in 1978.

The core area of the Sariska Tiger Reserve spans 881.11 sq.km (217,727 acres), while the buffer zone covers an additional 322.23 sq.km. (79,624 acres). Its area was increased from 881 square kilometres to 1213.31 kilometres after the addition of a buffer area with some part of Jamwa Ramgarh Sanctuary in the district of Jaipur.

Location

The Sariska Tiger Reserve is situated in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, India, within the Aravalli Hills. The reserve’s location near the northeastern boundary, surrounded by Siliserh Lake, makes it easily accessible by road from major cities such as Jaipur (110 km or 68 mi), Delhi (180 km or 112 mi), Agra (250 km or 155 mi), Jodhpur (444 km or 276 mi), and Udaipur (504 km or 313 mi).

Geography of the Sariska Tiger Reserve

The terrain is undulating to hilly in nature, with numerous large to narrow valleys (Sariska-Kalighati and Umri, for example), two large plateaus (Kiraska and Kankwari), and two large lakes, Mansarovar and Somasagar. Sariska’s elevation ranges from 240 to 777 metres.

• As seen on the map, Sariska is located in the Aravalli Ranges, rich in minerals resources, especially Cooper.
• Though the Supreme Court of India has banned mining activities in this area, marble mining is still rampant in this zone of the Aravalli Ranges.

Mountains

As Sariska National park is located in the Aravalli Ranges, denuded over centuries, it consists of small hills and a rocky landscape. The Aravalli mountain ranges are the oldest mountain ranges in India. The reserve’s landscape is characterized by rocky hills, semi-arid forests, grasslands, and dry deciduous forests. The elevation within the Sariska National Park varies, with the highest points being the rocky hills and the lowest points in the wide valleys. This diverse terrain provides a range of habitats for various species, enabling them to thrive in their natural environment.

The goal of the Sariska Tiger Reserve is to protect, restore, manage, and maintain representative biodiversity of Aravalli ranges, as well as ecological processes and gene pool conservation with a focus on Tiger and to accommodate a viable population of Tiger.

Sariska Tiger reserve Fauna.

• Sariska is famous for its Bengal tigers, but there was a time when the tiger population became zero in the park around 2005. So efforts were made to reintroduce Tigers in the park; one male Tiger and two female tigresses were relocated to Sariska National park from Ranthambore National park in Rajasthan.
• The Government of Rajasthan, Government of India and Wildlife Institute of India and tracking support from ISRO made the relocation project a success. 
• Now there are plenty of tigers in the Sariska National park.
• Other important species found in Sariska are- leopard, sambar deer, chital, hyena, jackal etc.
• The vegetation found in Sariska is mainly dry deciduous forest and scrub thorn forest. 

The Sariska Tiger Reserve is home to a wide range of wild mammals. The Tiger, as the name suggests, is the main predator. There are also a number of large carnivores, such as leopards and hyenas. Caracal, Jungle cat, Ratel, and other carnivores are examples of smaller carnivores.

The park’s main herbivores are Nilgai, Sambar deer, Spotted deer, Four-horned antelope, and Wild pig. The density of nilgai and sambar deer is very high throughout the Sariska Tiger Reserve. Nilgai is commonly seen in open habitats near human habitation, whereas sambar deer prefers plateaus to woodland and grassland. Spotted deer is most commonly seen in large herds, feeding on fallen Zizyphus fruits alongside common langur, the most common primate, followed by the Rhesus macaque. Both are present in large groups near the temple complexes within the park. Small Indian civet, Rufous-tailed hare, Common Mongoose, Ruddy Mongoose, Palm Civet, Pangolin, Porcupine, and other smaller mammals are also present.

Sariska is also home to a variety of bird species, including some winter migrants. It has a high density of peafowl as well as grey francolin. Sariska is home to a variety of birds, including the white-rumped vulture, painted spurfowl, Aravalli red spurfowl, Indian Cuckoo, common sand grouse, Indian pitta, great horned owl, and others.

Sariska Tiger reserve Flora

The Aravalli region’s forest falls under the umbrella category of Tropical Dry Forests. It is located in the semi-arid region of Rajasthan, in the Aravalli hill range.

Sariska’s vegetation is similar to that of Northern tropical dry deciduous forests and Northern tropical thorn forests. The forest is scattered and sparse over a large area on various geological and soil formations, and its composition varies greatly. Anogeissus pendula (Dhok) is the dominant species in undulating and hilly regions. Boswellia serrata (Salar) and Lannea coromandelica (Garjan) grow on steep rocky areas.

• The vegetation of Sariska corresponds to Northern tropical dry deciduous forests and Northern Tropical Thorn forest.
• धाओ / धोक (Anogeissus pendula) is the dominant tree species covering over 40 per cent area of the forest. 
• Indian frankincense (Boswellia serreta) and the Indian ash tree(Lannea coromandelica) grow in rocky patches. 
• Black cutch (Acacia catechu) and bamboo are common in the valleys.

Other Protected Areas in Rajasthan

There are five national parks in Rajasthan – Desert National Park, Ranthambore National Park, Mukundara hills national park, Keoladeo National Park and Sariska national park – which are some of the most popular National Parks in India. Each National Park has its own unique wildlife and natural attractions that make it an unforgettable experience for visitors.

^FAQ

In conclusion, the Sariska Tiger Reserve is a beautiful and important place that is worth preserving. It is the only place in the world where the Tiger has been successfully reintroduced after extinction, and it is home to a variety of other wildlife as well. The reserve is under threat from poaching and development, so it is important that we all do our part to help protect it.