Up at 4:45 am for a quick breakfast and then off to the first of two safaris today. Today is the start of the regular season at the park so many safari vehicles were lined up waiting to enter.
Park Information from our Guide:
- Ranthambore National Park is a national park in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It covers a total area of 1,334 km2 (515 sq mi). 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.
- The park was established as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955, initially covering an area of 282 km2 (109 sq mi). It was declared one of the Project Tiger reserves in 1974. It was declared a national park in 1980.
- The core area spans approximately 275 km2 (106 sq mi). It harbours dry deciduous forests and open grassy meadows at an elevation range of about 215–505 m (700-1,700 ft).
- It is home to roughly 70 to 75 tigers, including cubs and sub-adults. Within the 10 designated tourism zones (Zones 1 through 10), about 55 to 60 tigers are regularly tracked and sighted by safari vehicles.
“Regularly tracked and sighted” – not so much for our group! But we did see many deer (~10,000 in the park), a couple mongoose, monkeys, owls, and other various birds. Here are some photos:
Sambar deer (above) are native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, where they serve as a primary prey species for tigers and leopards. Adult males are known for their large, rugged antlers that typically feature exactly three tines on each side.
Cormorants spread their wings to dry their feathers after diving, as their plumage lacks the water-repellent oils found on many other aquatic birds. This “wettable” feather structure reduces buoyancy, allowing them to dive deeper and swim more efficiently underwater.
Kingfisher is also the name of a very good Indian lager beer. And the bottle label includes a picture of a Kingfisher.
Our 2nd Hunt for a Bengal Tiger
In the early afternoon, some of us headed out for an additional safari. This time we were in 6-passenger jeeps instead of the larger 22-passenger Canter truck, as we headed to different zone in the park than we visited in the morning.
And no, we didn’t spot a Bengal tiger. Not unusual since there are only about 75 (plus cubs) in the 500 square mile park. But…we did get to see a lot more wildlife in this zone than the morning. Birds galore, monitor lizards, a big turtle, two types of antelope, two types of deer, many mongoose, wild boars, a sloth bear, and a leopard! And this zone of the park was much more scenic, as well. So pretty successful. Here are some of the photos:
We watched it a long time as he/she (I didn’t check) ate bugs, scratched it’s back on a tree, stared down a wild boar who came close, and came within 15-20 feet of our jeep. And never paid us any attention at all!
Cat Whisperer Kari saw it crossing the gravel road about 50 yards in front of our jeep. The driver quickly closed the gap and we were able to watch it wander away, and even got a short video. Amazing to see!
A long bus ride to Agra tomorrow. Fortunately, our vehicle has AC. I guess the one below has a form of AC, too.
A short & witty ending…
Remember: The best souvenir is a story that sounds slightly exaggerated, but is actually 100% true.
