TRAVEL SPECIAL ....INTERNATIONAL TIGER DAY Tiger on the Prowl

INTERNATIONAL TIGER DAY

Tiger on the Prowl

With International Tiger Day falling on July 29, here’s looking at some sanctuaries around the nation where you can spot the majestic wild cat

RANTHAMBORE NATIONAL PARK

Spread over an area of 392 sq km, the park includes nearby sanctuaries like - the Mansingh Sanctuary and the Kaila Devi Sanctuary too. The park is majorly famous for its tigers and is one of the best locations in India to see the majestic predators in its natural habitat. Ranthambore National Park is spread over an area of 392 sq km along with its nearby sanctuaries - the Mansingh Sanctuary and the Kaila Devi Sanctuary. The park is majorly famous for its tigers and is one of the best locations in India to see the majestic predators in its natural habitat. The tigers can be easily spotted even during the day time busy at their ordinary quest- hunting and taking proper care of their young ones. Ranthambore is also counted as the famous heritage site because of the pictorial ruins that dot the wildlife park.

SARISKA TIGER RESERVE

Sprawling across the Aravali Hills in the Alwar District of Rajasthan, the reserve covers an area of 800 sq km. Dry deciduous forests, sheer cliffs, grassland and rocky terrain make up its landscape. The massive cover of Dhok Trees serves as refugee to wild animals like the leopard, sambhar, chital, nilgai, four-horned antelope, wild boar, rhesus macaque, langur, hyena and jungle cats apart from the tiger. Besides, the park is also home to India’s largest population of peafowl, and harbours quail, sand grouse, golden- backed woodpeckers and crested serpent eagles, among other species. Also the Siliserh Lake on the edge of the park has a large number of crocodiles.

NAGARHOLE NATIONAL PARK

Adorned with rich forest cover at the west of the Kabini River, the Nagarhole National Park is an enchanting 247 square-mile long reserve located in Kodagu and Mysore district of Karnataka. Counted as one of the well-kept national parks of India, Nagarhole is a delight for those looking to spot tigers and the Asiatic Elephants. Dotted with captivating flora and fauna, this park has numerous varieties of wildlife. You can also bear witness to a large variety of amphibians and birds here.

KANHA NATIONAL PARK

Flourishes with important predators and carnivores to bring the most wildering effects on the wildlife lovers. The national park, along with Pench National Park served as an inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s popular Jungle Book. One of India’s largest tiger reserves, Kanha National Park covers nearly 1,000 square kilometres of pristine ecology. Among the first nine tiger reserves in the country, Kanha is today one of the finest protected areas in the world. It is an invaluable treasure trove of India’s wildlife, where the majestic royal Bengal tigers are found in good numbers. A heightened attraction within the Park is Bamni Dadar, popularly known as Sunset Point that offers the most awe-inspiring backdrop of the sunset against grazing Sambhars and Gaurs.

Compiled by Shireen Kanchwala

Shireen.Kanchwala@timesgroup.com