Ranthambore

Ranthambore National Park lies in Rajasthan near Sawai Madhopur, bounded by the Banas River to the north and the Chambal River to the south. The wider reserve covers 1,334 km², of which the core area is about 275 km²^[1]. It is best known for its Bengal tigers, set among dry deciduous forest, open grassy meadows, lakes and the ruins of Ranthambore Fort.

The park is known for its Bengal tiger population, which fell to about 15 in the early 2000s because of poaching and other pressures and stood at 69 in 2022. Other mammals include leopard, sloth bear, striped hyena, caracal, sambar, chital, nilgai, blackbuck, chinkara and langurs. More than 270 bird species have been recorded, and mugger crocodiles, Indian rock pythons and monitor lizards are among the reptiles^[1].

Dry deciduous forest and open grassy meadows cover the park, with more than 300 tree species recorded, over 100 of them of medicinal importance. The dhonk (Anogeissus pendula) is the characteristic tree; it is dry and brown in summer, and a few drops of rain turn it green^[1].

The park sits at roughly 215 to 505 m above sea level, with ridges and plains between the Banas and Chambal rivers. Ranthambore Fort stands on a rise about 210 m above the surrounding plain^[1].

The seasonal swing shows in the forest: the dry deciduous trees turn brown and dry in summer and green again with the first rains^[1].

Ranthambore Fort, built in the 10th century, stands inside the park and gives it its name^[1]. The lakes, forest and fort ruins make up the historic landscape that visitors see alongside the wildlife.

The area began as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955, covering 282 km². It became a Project Tiger reserve in 1974 and a national park in 1980. The park now includes the Kailadevi Wildlife Sanctuary and Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary^[1].

Ranthambore Fort is the park's landmark. Padam Talao is the largest of its many lakes and has a historic rest house on its edge. Tigers are the main draw^[1].

The nearest city is Sawai Madhopur, about 11 km from the park.

Ranthambore is an IUCN Category II area managed under the Environment Ministry and Project Tiger. A genomic study suggested its tigers may be inbred, though it found no visible inbreeding depression. Cheetahs occasionally wander in from Kuno National Park^[1].