National Parks in Rajasthan – At present, there are a total of 106 national parks in India, out of which a total of 5 national parks are situated in Rajasthan state. In this article, we will read about all 5 National Parks in Rajasthan State with Map. If you are preparing for any exam like UPSC, IAS, SSC MTS, SSC GD, SSC CHSL, SSC CGL, SSC CPO, NDA, CDS, Bank PO, or IBPS then must read this article thoroughly.
Rajasthan Map
Rajasthan is a state located in the northwest of India. Rajasthan is the largest state of India in terms of area and 7th largest state of India in terms of population. The state of Rajasthan shares borders with Punjab in the north, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in the northeast, Madhya Pradesh in the southeast, and Gujarat in the southwest. Pakistan is situated in the west of Rajasthan and Rajasthan shares a border with Pakistan’s Punjab state in the north-west and Sindh state in the west.
Important facts related to Rajasthan
- Established – 30 March 1949
- Capital – Jaipur
- Total districts – 50
- High Court – Jodhpur
- Legislative Assembly – 200 seats
- Lok Sabha – 25 seats
- Rajya Sabha – 10 seats
- Official Language – Hindi and English
List of National Parks in Rajasthan
There are 6 national parks in Rajasthan and their names, year of declaration, and total area are given in the following table.
S.N. | National Park | District | Year | Area (km2) |
1. | Sariska National Park | Alwar | 1982 | 273.80 |
2. | Ranthambore National Park | Sawai Madhopur | 1980 | 282 |
3. | Mukundara Hills National Park | Kota | 2006 | 200.54 |
4. | Desert National Park | Barmer | 1992 | 3162 |
5. | Keoladev National Park | Bharatpur | 1981 | 28.73 |
All 6 National Parks of Rajasthan State are marked in the map given below.
Now we will discuss in detail all the national parks in Rajasthan.
Ranthambore National Park
- Ranthambore National Park is situated at the junction of Aravalli and Vindhya hills in Sawaimadhopur district of Rajasthan state.
- This forest area was established as Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955.
- Project Tiger was started here in the year 1973.
- Ranthambore National Park was officially established on 1 November 1980.
- In the year 1992, Keladevi Sanctuary and Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary were merged into Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.
- This national park is spread over a total area of 274 km2.
- The Ranthambore Fort is located within this protected area.
- Banas River flows in the north and the Chambal River in the south of this national park.
Keoladeo National Park
- Keoladeo National Park or Keoladeo Ghana National Park is a protected area located in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan state.
- In the year 1971, it was declared a protected area, and in 1976 as a bird sanctuary and named Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary.
- It was given the status of a national park on March 10, 1982.
- Keoladeo National Park is spread over a total area of 28.7 km2.
- In ancient times, this area used to be the hunting ground of the Raja of Bharatpur and every year a bird hunt was organized in honor of the British Viceroy.
- It was declared a Ramsar site in the year 1981 under the Ramsar Convention of 1971 and is a man-made wetland.
- Keoladeo National Park was included in the list of World Heritage Sites of India by UNESCO in the year 1985.
- This bird sanctuary is the world’s most important breeding area for birds and the Siberian crane bird migrates here in winter.
Sariska National Park
- Sariska National Park is located in the Alwar district of Rajasthan state.
- This forest area located in Alwar district was given the status of Wildlife Sanctuary in 1958 and National Park in the year 1982 and this national park is spread over an area of 273 km2.
- Sariska National Park was included under Project Tiger in the year 1978 and after the year 2005, it became the first reserve in the world with successfully translocated tigers.
- Sariska National Park is situated in the Aravalli mountain range and an abundance of copper metal is found here.
Desert National Park
- Desert National Park is a protected area located in the Jaisalmer and Barmer districts of the state of Rajasthan.
- It is the largest national park in Rajasthan, with a total area of 3162 km2.
- The desert national park was officially declared in the year 1981.
- The desert national park is part of the Thar desert and dunes will be visible in most of the area.
- Rajasthan’s state bird Godawan [Great Indian Bustard], state tree Khejdi, state flower Rohida, and state animal Chinkara are found in the Desert National Park.
- Various species of snakes are found in the Thar Desert and 11% of India’s 456 reptile species are found in this national park.
Mukundara Hills National Park
- Mukundara Hills National Park or Darrah National Park is a protected area located in the Kota district of Rajasthan state and has a total area of 200 km².
- Mukundra Hills National Park was established in the year 2004 by merging 3 wildlife sanctuaries – Darrah Wildlife Sanctuary, National Chambal Sanctuary, and Jawahar Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
- This national park serves as a pass between Mukundara and Gagrola hills, hence it is also known as Darrah National Park.
- Project Tiger was started here in the year 2013 and it became the third Tiger Reserve of Rajasthan.
- The Chambal River is located on the western and Kalisindh River eastern border of Mukundra Wildlife Sanctuary.
National Parks in Rajasthan GK Questions
Question – How many national parks are there in Rajasthan?
Answer – There are a total of 5 national parks in Rajasthan and their names are
- Ranthambore National Park
- Keoladeo Ghana National Park
- Sariska National Park
- Desert National Park
- Mukundara Hills National Park
Question – Which is the largest national park in Rajasthan?
Answer – Desert National Park is the largest national park in Rajasthan with a total area of 3162 km2.
Question – Which is the smallest national park in Rajasthan?
Answer – Keoladeo Ghana National Park is the smallest national park in Rajasthan with a total area of 28.73 km2.
Question – What is Keoladeo National Park famous for?
Answer – Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan is an important wintering habitat for Palaearctic migratory birds and is well-known for its significant concentration of non-migratory resident breeding waterfowl. A green wildlife oasis inside a densely populated human-dominated terrain, this mix of grasslands, forests, wooded swamps, and wetlands of just 2,873 hectares has been home to 375 bird species and a wide array of other living forms.
Question – Are Bharatpur and Keoladeo National Parks are same?
Answer – Yes, Keoladeo National Park was formerly known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary.
Question – Why is Desert National Park famous?
Answer – The DNP features an unusually attractive terrain, rich flora and fauna indicative of desert ecosystems, a low human population, and traditional land use.
Question – What is Ranthambore National Park famous for?
Answer – Ranthambore is well-known for its tiger population. Machali, nicknamed T-16, might be recognized as Ranthambore’s most renowned tigress, who enjoyed posing for tourists. Her rising popularity among visitors and animal lovers led to her inclusion in the film “The World’s Most Famous Tiger,” which received a National Award.
Question – How many tiger reserves are there in Rajasthan?
Answer – As of August 2023, there are a total of 4 tiger reserves in Rajasthan and their names are
- Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
- Sariska Tiger Reserve
- Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve
- Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve
So in this way, we have covered all the important facts about all 5 National Parks of Rajasthan State from various exam points of view. I hope you liked this article.
To Learn about more state-wise National Parks Visit National Parks.