Ranthambore National Park: Flora and Fauna

Flora in Ranthambore National Park

According to estimates, there are around 300 plant species in the Ranthambore National Park. Due to its proximity to the Thar, the region receives very scanty rainfalls and so the vegetation in the park mainly comprises the dry deciduous type. The Reserve comprises shallow perennial lakes, steep hills, gentle slopes, plateaus, narrow valleys, etc. and as such a variety of plant communities or associations are found.

The most noticeable tree in the Ranthambore National Park is the ‘Dhok’ (Anogeissus pendula). Being the dominant species, it constitutes about 80% of the vegetation cover found on hill slopes and valleys and maintains luxuriant growth due to better soil formation and water-holding capacity. The leaves of the Dhok trees form a favourite diet for the Deer, Nilgai and Antelope. Its height is approximately 10-15 meters. The growth of Anogeissus pendula is generally stunted on plateaus where the residual soil is poor and shallow.

Other most prominent trees in the park are the Banyan (Ficus bengalensis) and Pipal (Ficus religiosa). Both are worshipped and also have medicinal uses. The second largest Banyan tree in India stands just behind the Jogi Mahal, the hunting lodge in Ranthambore National Park. The Neem (Azadirachta Indica) tree, which is universally known for its medicinal properties, grows abundantly in the Ranthambore National Park.

Among the fruit trees found in the Ranthambore, the most prominent include the Mango (Magnifera indica), Jamun (Syzygium cumini) also known as the Indian blackberry, Ber (Zizyphus Mauritania), and Tamarind (Tamarindicus indica- popularly called Imli) known for its pulpy fruit used in the preparation of pickles. In addition, there are many trees such as Chhila (Butea monosperma, the flame of the forest), which sets the forest alight with the bright orange-red colour, offering a spectacular sight to park’s visitors.

Other important flora in the Ranthambore include the Babul (Accasia nilotica), Gurjan (Lannea coromandel), Gum (Sterculia urens), Kadam (Autocephalous cadamba), Khajur (Phoenix sylvestris), Khair (Accacia catechu) This is one of the most common trees in Ranthambore and is regarded across north India as a very valuable tree since extracts from its bark are the mixture that makes the paste katha for paans. The bark is frequently chewed by porcupines who seem to have an addiction to this tree in Ranthambore. Kakera (Flacourtia indica), Karel (Capparis decidua), Khimi (Manilkara hexandra), Kikar (Acacia nilotica), Mahua (Madhuca indica), Kulu (Sterculia urens), Ronj (Acacia leucophloea), Salar (Boswellia serrata) and Tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon) are some of the other trees found here. The leaves of the Tendu tree are much in demand for making bidis (hand-rolled cigarettes), the timber is also valuable. Tendu trees are found in large numbers near Sultanpur-ki-kui and beyond. A favourite fruit of sloth bears.  Khus grass (Vetivaria zizznioides) has roots that yield an aromatic oil known as vetiveria oil, a large quantity of which is exported from India. The roots are woven into curtains, and when moistened they cool and scent the air at the same time. The edges of the lakes in Ranthambore are full of Khus grass. This is the grass that is used to make boxes and containers that are available in the old part of Sawai Madhopur town. The aquatic flora in the Ranthambore National Park includes a variety of lovely flowers such as lotus and water lilies

Fauna in Ranthambore

 Ranthambore’s unique climatic and vegetation features have given rise to forests that are dry and open with little and stunted ground cover. This makes wildlife viewing relatively easier on the safari. Ranthambore is virtually an island rich in fauna. The Tiger, at the apex of the food chain, is the lord of the kingdom subtly. Solitary by nature, it operates in stealth. Therefore, tiger sightings, frequent as they are, are always a matter of chance. However, even evidence of the tiger’s activities is very exciting. Other kinds of cats found in Ranthambore National Park are Leopard, Caracal, Leopard cat, Fishing cat and Jungle cat. The other large predators include Sloth Bear, Striped Hyena, Jackal, Desert fox, Palm civet, common mongoose, crocodile, python etc. There are two species of antlers the spotted deer (chital), and Sambhar deer and two kinds of antelopes namely the Indian Gazelle (chinkara) and the Bluebell (Nilgai).

Besides the tiger, there are many other animals to observe, understand and enjoy. Elegant and graceful spotted deer, huge sambhar deer, crocodiles basking around the lakes, vultures soaring in the sky, Serpent eagles scanning the ground from their perch or the kaleidoscope of waterfowl at the pools are all the interest for a visitor with sensitivity. Ranthambore provides an amazing wildlife experience, and a jungle safari can enhance it even more.  Ranthambore is also rich in bird life with around 300 species of birds. For a keen bird watcher Ranthambore and the surrounding area are a paradise. Some interesting resident species of birds are large Cormorant, Painted Spurfowl, Grey Heron, Lapwings, Stone Curlew, Bronzed Winged Jacana, Sandpiper, Common Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Stork Billed Kingfisher, Nightjar, Painted Sandgrouse, Crested Serpent Eagle, Osprey, King vulture and Long Billed Vulture, Spotted Owlett, Brown Fish Owl, Indian Scops Owl, Great horned owl and many more summer and winter migrants like  Indian pitta, Paradise Flycatcher, Golden Oriole which come to Ranthambore and surrounding areas.

Habitat-wise distribution of wildlife of Ranthambore National Park

Dangs: These are flat tabletop plateaus, surrounded by bold vertical cliffs. The soil depth is very shallow and there is hardly any water except in shallow constructed ponds and some moisture in depressions. In the summer season, the dangs look deserted due to dry leafless pendula (Dhok) trees and lack of water. The main animals of the area are Chinkara, Nilgai, Hare, Fox, Jackal and Hyena. Avifauna is represented by Seed-eating birds, Larks, Francolins, Quails, Sand grouse and Thickness etc. During the rainy season, Dangs are lush green with small water pools everywhere and the ungulates like Chital, Sambar and Wild boar visit the areas to feed on the profuse green fodder. Carnivores like Leopards, Smaller cats and Tigers follow them.

Khohs: These are deep rocky nallahs (seasonal streams) cut up in the dangs. They are characterized by steep rocky slopes and cliffs, flat bottoms with deep and fertile soil. Several water pools are found in the bottom and small perennial springs on slopes, even during the very hot and dry summers. Khohs are cool, moist and alive throughout the year. The khohs are the main wildlife areas of the reserve, especially outside the national park. Nearly all the species of mammals are found in these, khohs. The avifauna is represented by Peafowl, Minivets, Flycatcher, Tits, Orioles and various other birds. All the species visit the upper plateau or dang area during the night in search of food and especially during monsoons when khohs are wet and full of tormenting insects.

Streams: These are areas where water flows and remains for a longer period than other areas. These constitute the drainage of watersheds and are found in the folds of hills. Most of these finally join Banas and /or Chambal. In these areas, even in the hot summer when other areas are dry and hardly have any natural water, some small pools exist. The area around the pools is characterized by a belt of green trees in the summer. These networks of streams are the lifeline of wildlife in this dry deciduous area. Such areas are home to all species of wildlife, except Chinkara, which is essentially an animal of dry land. All animals are found within the riparian area, except during the rainy season when streams are fast flowing. From February till the onset of monsoon the riparian areas are extensively used by all the wildlife.

Valleys: The terrain of the reserve is hilly and there are large numbers of valleys in the area. These areas lie between two hills with flat bottoms and rich soil and as a result, the vegetation is good. Some water remains in the nallahs in small water pools and provides sustenance to wildlife during hot dry summers. Valleys are rich in wildlife and almost all the species are found here. Tigers, Sambhar, Chital, Wild boar, smaller cats, Caracal, Chinkara, Nilgai etc. are present throughout the year. In the valleys, some good grasslands are also available which provide ideal cover for tigers and other smaller cats, along with ground birds. The avifauna is represented by Peacock, Partridges, Green Pigeons, Parakeets, Sparrows, Prinias, Warblers etc

Ravines: Both banks of the river Chambal and Banas are cut up by these ravines due to the sandy and easily erodible soil of these areas. These ravines are up to 50 meters deep with precipitous narrow gullies. A major portion of the ravine areas have been levelled and ploughed by the villagers, but some areas are still wild. There are a few water holes in the ravines but since the rivers are close by this is not a major limiting factor for the wildlife. Since the area is flooded during monsoon and remains dry during summer with water available only in the river, the animal density of the area is generally lower. The main species are Chinkara, Nilgai, Wild boar, Hare, Hyena and many kinds of lesser mammals. The avifauna is represented by Peacocks, River birds, Francolins, Sand grouse etc

Wetlands: There are a few areas, within the reserve where water remains standing throughout the year. Due to the presence of water, these areas become the centre of activity of animals both wild and domestic. These water bodies contain a variety of aquatic fauna and flora, according to the depth of the water bodies. Along with aquatic fauna which includes turtles, crocodiles, fish, water birds, frogs, crabs and other small creatures, a lot of terrestrial fauna also use wetlands. The aquatic fauna constitutes an integral and important part of this ecosystem. After monsoons, the area of the water body is at its maximum and during winter the water line starts receding and fresh land comes out of water. During the summer season when the surrounding areas are dry and there is no green fodder or grass the newly sprouted green grass in the area is available due to the receding of water attracts Sambhar, Cheetal and Wild boar. Sambhar and Wild boar also feed on aquatic vegetation. Invariably, the large predators follow them and these areas become the main centre of activity of tigers.

Sighting at Ranthambhore

Ranthambore is a dry-deciduous forest, which means that there is little undergrowth and most of the trees shed their leave in the dry season. Out of all the tiger reserves in India, Ranthambore gets the least amount of rainfall and as a result, there are very few patches with tall grasses. Besides, this Project Tiger Reserve has an excellent network of forest tracks (that are motorable in the dry season).

All the above-mentioned factors contribute to some great wildlife viewing, during safaris. Since there is little undergrowth and very few patches with a tall and thick cover of grasses, the visibility is fantastic. The excellent network of forest tracks allows for much better tracking of animals from vehicles. Besides, most of the safari tracks in Ranthambore, are heavily used animal tracks that have been widened to enable safari vehicles to drive on them. As a result, a lot of mega-fauna can be seen on or very near the forest tracks.

This is particularly true for tigers. Tigers have very soft pads under their feet, which enables them to move silently – a very important adaptation for hunting. Due to this, they prefer to walk on the safari tracks, which have soft sand covering, very little thorns, rocks and dried leaves. Not only is it more comfortable for them when they are walking on the tracks but the soft sand and the relative absence of twigs and leaves enables them to walk silently, without alerting their prey.

Sighting tigers in the wild is a matter of chance but these chances can be improved considerably. Before going in for the safari it is important to have some knowledge of the movement of tigers in the park in the last few days. Most local guides and drivers (who are excellent at finding tigers) have this information. They mostly get this information from their observations in the last few days and from the observation of other guides and drivers. Once you know the movement patterns of tigers in the last few days then it is possible to predict the areas where the chances of finding tigers are better. For instance, if you know that a particular tiger has made a kill in a particular place, then the chances are that the tiger will be in the same area for the next 2 to 3 days. To know more about the movements of tigers, refer to the daily sightings update

Climate

Ranthambore has three very well-defined seasons – summers, winters and monsoons. October and March are the times when the weather changes from monsoons to winters and from winters to summers, respectively.

Summers start at the end of March and last through April, May and June. During this season the days are very hot and dry. During May and June, the maximum day temperature crosses 40 degrees Centigrade and the minimum night temperature still hovers around 30 degrees Centigrade. During the day, hot and dry winds. Most of the ungulates and the large predators spend the summer months in the valleys. The maximum day temperature often crosses 45 degrees C in May and June, when the relative humidity is at its lowest.  The monsoons or the rainy season lasts from July to September.

The winter season lasts from November to February. The night temperature stays below 10 degrees Centigrade, while the day temperature hovers around the 20-degree Centigrade mark. There is often some rain and fog during the mid-winters. During December and January, the lowest nighttime temperature goes down to 2 degrees C.

Safari:

Safaris are conducted twice a day across 10 designated tourism zones in the park by the forest department. One can pre-book a 6-seater jeep or 20-seater open bus (cantor) for safari both use the same safari tracks on the designated route. Zones 1-6 are considered premium zones and are much in demand, a maximum of 50 vehicles are allowed in these zones. At any point in time, a maximum of 8 vehicles i.e. 3 gypsy and 5 cantors are allotted the same route.

Under the new facility provided by the forest department, one can prebook the safari route at the time of booking else get the same changed at the time of releasing the vehicle by paying an additional fee, subject to availability. Vehicles and guides are allocated on a roaster system. In case you wish to do safaris in the same vehicle and use the same guide you need to pay an additional fee of 6800/- and 1600/-per safari.

A normal safari shift lasts 3.30 hours and the time varies with change in season. Normally a safari begins half an hour post sunset & ends half an hour before sunset.

If the advance quota for jungle safari is already full in Ranthambore, one can opt for the Tatkal safari by paying an additional premium. The Tatkal quota is available for zones 1-6 and can only be booked 7 days prior. The cost of the Tatkal safari is 11000 per safari, which is for the entire vehicle and is over and above the normal safari costs.

Ranthambore Jungle Safari Timings

Ranthambore Fort is one of the six forts included in the World Heritage Site from Rajasthan. Situated within Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, the fort is known for the glory and valour of Hammir Dev of the Chauhan dynasty. Its earlier name was Ranastambh or Ranastambhapur.

The fortress of Ranthambore founded in 944 is considered the second largest fort in Rajasthan after Chittorgarh. Raja Sajraj Veer Singh Nagil (880 to 935 AD) was the first ruler of Ranthambore who developed and raised infrastructure to make this area suitable for defence. After the defeat of the Chauhan king Prithviraj Chauhan by Muhammad of Ghori in 1192, Ranthambore, led by Govinda Raja, son of Prithviraj, became the centre of Chauhan's resistance to the expanding Sultanate of Delhi. The fortress passed to the Kachwaha Maharajas of Jaipur in the 17th century, and it remained part of Jaipur state until Indian Independence.

Inside Ranthambore Fort, there are three Hindu temples dedicated to Ganesh, Shiva and Ramlala ji constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries from red Karauli stone. There is also a Jain temple of Lord Sumatinath (5th Jain Tirthankar) and Lord Sambhavnath

The famous Trinetra(three-eyed) Ganesh temple is believed to be the protector of Ranthambore forest & supposedly protects humans from wild animals. Every year more than 5 million people visit this temple out of which approximately 1 million visit the temple during Ganesh Mela celebrated around August-September every year.

Visitors are allowed to visit the fort between sunrise & sunset every day. If carrying own vehicle to the fort entry gate, one needs to have a valid PUC certificate. From the entry gate at Jogi Mahal, an easy walk of approximately 1.5 km would take you to the top of Ranthambore Fort.