Category

Details

Location

Near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, in the Thar Desert.

Climate

Extremely hot and dry with very low rainfall (<100 mm).

Topography

Vast, sandy, undulating terrain.

Rocky cliffs and compact Salt Lake bottoms.

20% of the park consists of sand dunes.

Three main lakes: Rajbaugh Lake, Malik Talao Lake, and Padam Talao.

Presence of Jurassic period fossils.

Vegetation

Sparse vegetation: thorn forest, open grassland, thorn scrub, plantations, and dunes.
Vegetation mainly falls under the thorn forest type (Champion and Seth 1968).

Flora

Dhok, ronj, salai, and palm.

Khejri (Prosopis cineraria), a revered species protected by local communities, especially the 'Bishnois'.

Fauna

Wildlife includes chinkara, desert fox, bengal fox, Indian wolf, desert cat, hare, etc.
Endangered Great Bustard found in decent numbers.

Abundant reptiles like spiny lizard, monitor lizard, saw viper, Russell's viper, and Karit.

Name

Location

Key Features

Ranthambore National Park

Sawai Madhopur

Famous for its tiger population, ruins of Ranthambore Fort, and diverse flora and fauna.

Sariska Tiger Reserve

Alwar

Known for Bengal tigers, dry deciduous forests, and historical structures within the sanctuary.

Keoladeo National Park

Bharatpur

UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned bird sanctuary, especially for migratory birds like cranes.

Desert National Park

Jaisalmer & Barmer

Unique desert ecosystem, great Indian bustard, and sand dunes.

Mukundra Hills National Park

Kota

Known for its hilly terrain and efforts in tiger reintroduction.

Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary

Mount Abu

Rich in biodiversity, rare species like Indian leopard, and endemic flora.

Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary

Rajsamand

Encircles the Kumbhalgarh Fort, habitat for leopards, wolves, and sloth bears.

Darrah Wildlife Sanctuary

Kota

Now part of Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve, known for leopards, deer, and bird species.

Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary

Udaipur

Surrounds Jaisamand Lake, home to crocodiles, turtles, and migratory birds.

Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary

Pratapgarh

Rich deciduous forests, flying squirrel, and other rare species.

Tal Chhapar Sanctuary

Churu

Famous for blackbucks and migratory birds like demoiselle cranes.

Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary

Chittorgarh

Habitat for panthers, wild boars, and chinkaras, located near Bassi Dam.

Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary

Bundi

Declared as a tiger reserve, habitat for tigers, leopards, and sloth bears.

Phulwari ki Nal Sanctuary

Udaipur

Known for its tribal communities and biodiversity, including various bird species.

Sundha Mata Conservation Reserve

Jalore

Conservation area for Indian gazelles and leopards.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Consider the following National Parks and the states they are located in:

1. Kaziranga National Park – Assam
2. Sariska Tiger Reserve– Gujarat
3. Sundarbans National Park – West Bengal
4. Silent Valley National Park – Kerala

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 2 and 3 only

C) 1, 3, and 4 only

D) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Answer: C

Explanation:

Kaziranga National Park is located in Assam, famous for its population of one-horned rhinoceroses.

Gir National Park is located in Gujarat, known for being the last refuge of the Asiatic lion.

Sariska Tiger Reserve is a tiger reserve in Alwar district, Rajasthan, India. 

Sundarbans National Park is located in West Bengal, famous for its mangrove forests and Bengal tigers.

Silent Valley National Park is located in Kerala, known for its pristine tropical rainforests and rich biodiversity.