Ranthambore National Park

The Ranthambore National Park is one of the largest and most important national parks in the country. It is one of the most popular wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan. It is situated in the Sawai Madhopur district in Rajasthan.

The Ranthambore National Park was originally established as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955 by the Indian Government and was brought under the Project Tiger scheme in 1973. It was declared as a National Park in 1980.

The adjacent forests of the sanctuary were declared as the Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary and Keladevi Sanctuary. In 1991, the Tiger Reserve was expanded by merging the nearby sanctuaries, and thus the Ranthambore National Park was formed.

The Ranthambore National Park is best known for its tiger population. The tigers can be easily spotted in the park. The best time to visit the park is in November and May as the foliage gives way to good sighting opportunities of these majestic animals in their natural habitat.

The park is situated on a plateau and is bound by the rivers Chambal and Banas on either side. The majestic Ranthambore Fort is also situated within the limits of the Ranthambore National Park. The national park abounds in wildlife and is home to a large number of species including chitals, sloth bears, hyenas, sambars, wild boars, nilgai, leopards, and tigers.

The national park is also known for the persistent efforts taken by the authorities to revive the tiger population in the park. In 2005, there were as many as 26 tigers in the sanctuary.

The number increased to 34 in 2008. To secure the region, the authorities are giving incentives to the villagers to keep it off-limits. Surveillance cameras have also been installed in the park to monitor the animals.