State

Rajasthan

History

Altitude (above M.S.L.)

300 - 722 m

Sariska was part of the erstwhile Princely State of Alwar. As favourite hunting ground, it received strict protection. It was notified as a sanctuary in 1955. In 1982, the primary notification was issued to declare part of the core as a National Park was issued. The Tiger Reserve was created in 1978.

Area

Total

866 km²

Core

497 km²

Buffer

369 km²

Flora and Fauna

The forest at Sariska is typical dry deciduous, changing dramatically with the seasons. The terrain consists of plateaus and wide valleys. The last tiger census of 2001-2002 stated the occurrence of 24-26 tigers. However, following a CBI investigation report, followed by the most recent census of February 2005, it was confirmed that the tiger population has been completely decimated. As such, there are no tigers left in Sariska Tiger Reserve.

Temperature

0°C - 41.5°C

Rainfall (per annum)

650 mm

Seasons

Winter

Dec - Feb

Summer

Mar - Jun

Monsoon

Jul - Sep

Fauna

Tiger (extinct 2004-05), leopard, caracal, rusty spotted cat, jungle cat, four-horned antilope, sambar, spotted deer, wild boar, blue bull, jackal, hyena, etc.

Forest Types

Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest,
Tropical thorn Forest

Funds

Insufficient & delayed

Management Objectives

Staff

Understaffed

Protection, water and soil conservation as well as minimising biotic pressure, are priorities. Dams are being constructed and large tracts of land have been enclosed to raise trees and grasses in the buffer zone to meet the need of fuel wood and fodder.

Problems

Cattle rearing is the main profession of villagers living inside and around the reserve. Consequently the area is heavily grazed and. Foot and Mouth disease from cattle is a threat to the wild animals. Sariska also has to cope with summer fires, human encroachment and several hundred thousand pilgrims visiting temples and religious places in the reserve every year. Poaching is a major threat, having recently caused the extermination of the tiger(2004-05) from its north-westerly most range- i.e Sariska Tiger Reserve.

External Influences (1991 census)

Villages

270

Human population

254,000

Livestock numbers

178,400