Desert
National Park The vast tracts of sands around Jaisalmer, with their
wood fossils have been designated the Desert National Park. There may be
little about the desert that calls for protection, leave alone support
wildlife but the desert has a fragile eco-system that has a unique variety
of species. These include the Great Indian Bustard, recently saved from
extinction.
Since the sandy desert has only a few grasses and shrubs, and a low
scattering of trees, the leaf cover is sparse. This environment supports the
spiny-tail lizard that lives in colonies beneath the ground, desert
monitors, sandfish that `swim' under the sands, chameleons and snakes-most
notably the deadly Saw-scaled Viper and the Sind Krait. Other species
include the desert here, hedgehog, the predatory Indian wolf, desert fox and
desert gerbil.
However, it is with the great Indian bustard that
the park is famously associated; especially since its conservation efforts
have borne fruit. A bird that lives in small flocks, the bustard has strong
legs meant for walking and feeds on everything from cereals and berries to
grasshoppers, locusts and even snakes. Other birds in the park include
sandgrouse, gray partridge, quails, peafowl and insect-eaters like
bee-eaters, shrikes, orioles, warblers and babblers nesting in the khair
bushes. Special mention must be made of the houbara. A lesser bustard which
was saved from extinction and the desert courser which is said to breed in
the Thar Desert in its long migratory journey through the desert.
Note: Foreigners may require special permission to visit some areas
close to the international border. Your travel agent can be of help.
Bhensrodgarh53
km from Kota, it consists of scrub and dry, deciduous forests housing the
leopard, sloth bear and chinkara.
Darrah
Once the hunting preserve of Kota's royal family, this sanctuary is 50 km
from Kota and is home to wolf, chinkara, leopard and sloth bear.
Jaisamand
Located on the fringes of the vast man-made lake, the forests of these small
sanctuary house leopards, wild boar, and a variety of deer. Meanwhile, the
lake is known for its with fish and crocodiles.
Kumbhalgarh
A large sanctuary occupying the hilly area, this sanctuary is 120 km from
Udaipur. It has a variety of wildlife- leopards, sloth bear, deer, antelopes
and the flying squirrel, among others.
Mount Abu
Located on the fringes of the town, its thick forests are home to a
variety of vegetation. The topography includes picturesque slopes. Wildlife
includes leopards, sambhar, sloth bear, chinkara and wild boar.
Chambal
Just beyond Kota along the banks of the Chambal river (all the way to its
confluence with the Yamuna) are the waters rich with gharials (crocodiles)
that breed in these waters. Other wildlife in the vicinity includes caracal,
wolf, blackbuck and chinkara.
SitamataThese
dry deciduous forests with bamboo shrubs 108 km from Udaipur provide
foraging pastures for a variety of deer including the chowsingha (4 horned
deer). Other animals like caracal, wild boar, pangolin and leopard are also
found here.
TalchapparThe flat dry lands
of Shekhawati, 210 km from Jaipur house herds of blackbuck, a particularly
beautiful sight when observed on a jeep safari. Desert fox and desert cat
can also be spotted, as can be partridge and sandgrouse, birds of the
desert.
