Sariska Tiger Reserve

Sariska National Park lies in the Aravalli hills and is the former hunting preserve of the Maharaja of Alwar. Sariska itself is a wide valley with two large plateaus and is dotted with places of historical and religious interest, including the ruins of the Kankwari Fort, the 10th century Neelkanth temples, the Budha Hanumab Temple near Pandupol, the Bharthari Temple near the park office, and the hot and cold springs of Taalvriksh. The large Siliserh Lake is at the north-eastern corner. The forests are dry deciduous, with trees of Dhak, Acacia, Ber and Salar. The Tigers of Sariska are largely nocturnal and are not as easily seen as those of Ranthambhor. The park also has good populations of Nilgai, Sambar and Chital. In the evenings, Indian Porcupine, Striped Hyaena, Indian Palm Civet and even Leopard are sometimes seen. The forests are lush during and immediately following the monsoon, but during the dry months of February May there is a shortage of water and in consequence mammals are attracted to water holes. At this time of year visibility is good because of the sparse foliage. Sariska is excellent for birdwatching and has an unusually large population of Indian Peafowl.

Climate The Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary experiences extreme weather conditions. Summers months are from April to June when the temperature rises to a high around 38. 4°C. Winters are from October to March when the temperature drops to around 15°C. The monsoon season does not receive very heavy rainfall. The tourists should carry light cotton clothes during summers and light woolens during the winter.

Flora The forest type in the Sariska tiger reserve is Dry deciduous, represented predominantly by dhok (Anogeissus pendula), tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon) khair (Acacia catechu) and ber (Zizyphus maudrentiana). The vegetation at Sariska remains lush green during the monsoon and dry in summer.

Fauna The Sariska park is home to numerous carnivores including Leopard, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat, Hyena, Jackal, and Tiger. These feed on an abundance of prey species such as Sambar, Chitel, Nilgai, Chausingha, Wild Boar and Langur. Sariska is also well known for its large population of Rhesus Monkeys, which are found in large numbers around Talvriksh.