Ranthambore National Park

2026-06-30T11:02:25Z

Ranthamboresafaribooking:

{{short description|National park in Rajasthan, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Ranthambore National Park
| image = Ranthambore National Park.JPG
| image_caption =
| map = India Rajasthan#India
| map_caption = Location in Rajasthan
| relief = 1
| mapframe = Yes
| label =
| label_position = right
| iucn_category = II
| mapframe-zoom = 10
| location = [[Sawai Madhopur]], [[Rajasthan]], India
| nearest_city = [[Sawai Madhopur]]
| coordinates = {{coord|26.01733|N|76.50257|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| area_km2 = 1334
| established = {{ubl|1974 (as Tiger Reserve)|1980 (as National Park)}}
| website =
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = [[Ministry of Environment and Forests]], [[Project Tiger]]
}}

'''Ranthambore National Park''' is a [[national park]] in the [[India]]n state of [[Rajasthan]]. It covers a total area of {{cvt|1,334|km2}}. It is bounded to the north by the [[Banas River]] and to the south by the [[Chambal River]]. It is named after the historic [[Ranthambore Fort]], which lies within its boundaries in [[Sawai Madhopur district]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ranthambore National Park |url=https://www.rajasthan.gov.in/content/raj/rajsthan/department/forest-department/en/wildlife/ranthambore-national-park.html
|publisher=Government of Rajasthan |access-date=}}</ref>

== History ==
Ranthambore National Park was established as the ''Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary'' in 1955, initially covering an area of {{cvt|282|km²}}. It was declared one of the [[Project Tiger]] reserves in 1974.<ref name=Riley2005/> It was declared a national park in 1980.{{cn|date=October 2025}}

== Geography==
[[File:Jungle Landscape.jpg|thumb|Landscape of Ranthambore National Park]]
Ranthambore National Park covers a total area of {{cvt|1334|km2}} including the [[Kailadevi Wildlife Sanctuary]] and Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary. The core area spans approximately {{cvt|275|km2}}. It harbours dry [[deciduous]] forests and open grassy meadows at an elevation range of about {{cvt|215-505|m}}.<ref>{{cite book |date=2003 |last=Derr |first=P. G. |title=Case studies in environmental ethics |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |location=Maryland, USA |page=17 |isbn= 0742531376}}</ref>

[[Ranthambore Fort]] was built in the 10th century by [[Chahamanas of Ranastambhapura]] at {{cvt|700|ft|order=flip}} above the surrounding plain. Inside the fort are three red-stone temples devoted to [[Ganesh]], [[Shiva]] and Ramlalaji. There is a Digamber [[Jain temple]] of [[Sumatinatha]] and [[Sambhavanatha]]. The temples were constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries. Padam Talao is the largest of the many lakes in the park. A red sandstone Jogi Mahal is on the edge of the lake.<ref name=BusinessInsider2021>{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/article/ranthambore-national-park-features-an-excellent-variety-of-wildlife-amidst-dry-scrublands-and-fortress-ruins/articleshow/82015167.cms|title=Ranthambore National Park features an excellent variety of wildlife amidst dry scrublands and fortress ruins|work=[[Business Insider]]|date=2021|access-date=15 January 2025}}</ref>

==Flora==
Ranthambore National Park harbours over 300 tree species , including more than 100 of medicinal importance.<ref name=Riley2005/>
The land features dense tropical dry forest, open bushland, and rocky terrain, interspersed with lakes and streams. The ecoregion includes the [[Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests]].<ref name=IM0206>{{WWF ecoregion |id=im0206 |name=Kathiarbar-Gir Dry Deciduous Forests |access-date=2017-02-14}}</ref>

== Fauna ==
[[File:Get Together.jpg|thumb|A group of gray langurs at Ranthambore fort]]
[[File:Spotted deer in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve.jpg|thumb|Spotted deer herd in Ranthambore National Park]]
Ranthambore National Park hosts many wild animals, including [[chital]], [[Sambar deer|sambar]], [[blackbuck]], [[chinkara]], [[nilgai]], [[langur]]s, [[rhesus macaque]], [[golden jackal]], [[striped hyena]], [[jungle cat]], [[caracal]], [[leopard]], [[tiger]] and [[sloth bear]].<ref name="BusinessInsider2021"/><ref name="TimesofIndia2024">{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/things-to-do/7-wildlife-species-you-should-look-out-for-when-in-ranthambore-national-park/articleshow/113421809.cms|title=7 wildlife species you should look out for when in Ranthambore National Park|work=[[Times of India]]|date=17 September 2024|access-date=15 January 2025}}</ref> The park hosts over 270 species of birds, including [[peafowl]], [[crested serpent eagle]], [[painted francolin]], and [[Indian paradise flycatcher]].<ref name="TimesofIndia2024"/><ref name=Riley2005>{{cite book |date=2005 |last=Riley |first=L. |title=Nature's strongholds : the world's greatest wildlife reserves |publisher=Princeton University Press |location=Princeton, USA |page=225 |isbn=9780691122199}}</ref>

=== Tigers ===
[[File:Tiger from Ranthanbore Sawai Madhopur Rajasthan India 12.10.2014.jpg|thumb|Tiger in Ranthambore National Park]]
Ranthambore is known for its [[Bengal tiger]] population. During the past few years, there has been a decline in numbers due to poaching and other reasons.<ref name="Sadhu et al., 2017">{{Cite journal |last1=Sadhu |first1=A. |last2=Jayam |first2=P. P. C. |last3=Qureshi |first3=Q. |last4=Shekhawat |first4=R. S. |last5=Sharma |first5=S. |author6-link=Yadvendradev Vikramsinh Jhala |last6=Jhala |first6=Y. V. |title=Demography of a small, isolated tiger (''Panthera tigris tigris'') population in a semi-arid region of western India |journal=BMC Zoology |volume=2 |article-number=16 |doi=10.1186/s40850-017-0025-y |date=2017 |doi-access=free}}</ref> The number of tigers was 25 in 2005 and 48 in 2013.<ref>{{cite news |title=Two more cubs spotted in Ranthambore |date=2014 |work=The Times of India |access-date=7 July 2014 |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Two-more-cubs-spotted-in-Ranthambore/articleshow/35694718.cms}}</ref> As of 2022, there were 69 tigers in the national park.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patil |first=N. |date=2024 |title=Conservation not enough for the highly inbred Ranthambore tigers — they require genetic rescue |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/wildlife-biodiversity/conservation-not-enough-for-the-highly-inbred-ranthambore-tigers-they-require-genetic-rescue-95077 |access-date=2025-10-24 |work=Down To Earth}}</ref>As per latest monthly tiger tracking report of 2026 number of tigers and details are published here: [https://ranthambhorenationalparks.com/ranthambore-monthly-tiger-tracking-report Ranthambore Tiger tracking report]

== Ecosystem valuation ==
Economic valuation of the tiger reserve estimated that its flow benefits are worth 8.3 billion rupees (0.56 lakh/hectare) annually. Gene-pool protection services (7.11 billion), provisioning of water to the neighbouring region (115 million) and provisioning of habitat and refuge for wildlife (182 million) were some of the important services that emanated from the tiger reserve. Other services included [[nutrient cycling]] (34 million) and [[carbon sequestration|sequestration of carbon]] (69 million).<ref>{{cite web| title=Economic Valuation of Tiger Reservers in India – A value+ approach |url=http://www.iifm.ac.in/sites/default/files/Newspdf/IIFM-NTCA-REPORT.compressed-min.pdf |access-date=14 August 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826050803/http://www.iifm.ac.in/sites/default/files/Newspdf/IIFM-NTCA-REPORT.compressed-min.pdf| archive-date=26 August 2016}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education]]
* [[Rajiv Gandhi Regional Museum of Natural History]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
*Singh, V.; Shrivastava, A. 2007. Biodiversity of Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan. Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur. {{ISBN|81-7233-492-3}}.

== External links ==

{{National Parks of India}}
{{Tiger Reserves Of India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests]]
[[Category:National parks in Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1980]]
[[Category:Tiger reserves of India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Sawai Madhopur district]]
[[Category:1980 establishments in Rajasthan]]

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Ranthambore National Park