RANTHAMBHORE Tiger Reserve

Ranthambhore, the home to wild cats and thousands of various other species, lies in the eastern part of Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district. It is named after the great monument of history, bravery, culture and natural beauty, the majestic Fort of Ranthambhore situated in the National Park on top of a hill. Located on the Delhi-Mumbai Railway track, the Ranthambhore is just 14 kms away from Sawai Madhopur's Railway station. It is about 132 kms away from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan and about 364 kms away from the National Capital, New Delhi.

- Hemant Singh Dy Director, Department of Information and Public Relations

Before becoming a protected habitat, Ranthambhore was one of the famous hunting grounds of the Royal family of Jaipur.

Ranthambhore was established as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955 by the government and was declared a project Tiger Reserve in 1973 and then subsequently come to known as Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve. The central part of Ranthambhore become National Park on 1st November, 1980. Administrative and management point of view the reserve is divided into 2 Forest Divisions.

1. Deputy Conservator of Forest and Deputy Field Director RTR(I)

2. Deputy Conservator of Forest and Deputy Field Director RTR (II)

GEOGRAPHY

Only 2.9% area of the state is notified under 38 Protected Areas (3 national parks, 25 wildlife sanctuaries, and 10 conservation reserves). The area covered by tiger reserves in Rajasthan is just 1.07% of the state’s geographical expanse. Tiger Watch's tiger monitoring exercises have revealed that the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve is connected with the various neighbouring forests such as the Kuno-Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) in the east, Mukundra Haills Tiger Reserve & the Ramgarh Vishdhari WL Sanctuary in the south, and the Van Vihar WL Sanctuary in the north-east. The closest tiger population is in Sariska Tiger Reserve. However nearest distinct Tiger population is 450 km away in the Panna Tiger Reserve. Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, which lies between Aravalli and Vidhyan mountain ranges, is the world's driest tiger habitat because its temperature fluctuates between 1°C in winter to 48°C in the summer. RTR is spread over an area of 1838.22 sq km. Out of this, 1113.36 sq km has been notified as Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH). The Tiger Reserve is spread in the Districts of Sawai Madhopur, Karauli, Bundi and Tonk. The reserve is home to Bengal tigers, the National Animal of India.