Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, India was once a royal hunting ground and is now a protected area for various animals and historical sites. However, in 2005 it was discovered that there were no more tigers due to poaching. The reserve covers 538 square miles and has a core-buffer protection strategy, but human intrusion and disturbance remain a threat. The National Tiger Conservation Authority established Project Tiger in 1973 to conserve Bengal tigers, which are threatened by poaching and habitat invasion.
Sariska Tiger Reserve, created in 1978, is part of a larger national wildlife sanctuary in the Alwar district of the Indian state of Rajasthan which was once a favorite royal hunting ground. A tropical deciduous forest filled with hills and valleys, the reserve contains a variety of animals. In addition to its exotic fauna, the reserve is home to several sites of historical interest. In 2005, however, it was determined that there are no more tigers.
During India’s pre-independence era which ended in 1947, the area belonged to the royals who ruled over Alwar. Being their main hunting ground it was heavily protected. In 1955, the government declared the rich natural area a nature reserve and prohibited any hunting, trapping or trapping of animals within the reserve. Project Tiger, a government program dedicated to the conservation of India’s tiger population, established the Sariska Tiger Reserve in 1978, with a tentative designation of a National Park in 1982.
Sariska covers 538 square miles (866 km²) and complies with a core-buffer protection strategy. A 229-mile (369 km) buffer around Sariska Tiger Reserve contains several villages, which has created a need for roads through the reserve and endangering wildlife. Forestry, grazing, and human disturbance are prohibited within the core 309-square-mile (497 km) area. Pilgrims and tourists often visit the historic sites contained within the park, creating further intrusion.
The 17th-century Kankwadi Fort, an abandoned medieval stronghold, is located within the park. Sariska Palace, which was used as the royal hunting lodge of King Maharaja Jai Singh of Alwar, and a temple at Pandupol are located in the center of the Sariska Tiger Reserve. Pilgrims traveling to Pandupol and other temples in the area have sadly made traffic and crowding a threat to the area’s ecosystem. The use of local trees and grasses as fuel and forage has been somewhat controlled by eco-restoration in the area, along with forest education.
Animals like hyena, blue bulls, several species of small antelopes and smaller cats inhabit the dense forest of Sariska Tiger Reserve. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) established Project Tiger in 1973, recognizing the need to conserve the Bengal tiger population in India. Cats are seriously threatened by poaching and habitat invasion worldwide. Although the fur market has declined slightly, the body parts are still highly sought after in some types of Asian medicine. Reducing the breeding population results in inbreeding detrimental to the survival of animals as a species.
In early 2005, a two-month observation by the NTCA determined that no tigers remained in the Sariska Tiger Reserve. Initial reports found no direct sightings and a distinct lack of signs to indicate an active population. A 2001-2002 census recorded about 25 tigers living on the reserve. The NTCA tried to import one male and two females from Ranthambore National Park, adding a third later, but the breeding population was too small. Eventually it was determined that poaching had led to the complete extermination of the Sariska tigers.
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