Ranthambhore National Park

Although there are chinkara, nilgai, leopards, flying foxes, porcupines, hyenas, sambar, chital, lanurs, macaques, jackals, jungle cats, caracals, sloths, black bucks, wild boar, civets, desert cats, striped palm squirrels, false vampire bats, Bengal foxes, Indian gerbilles, mole rats, longeared hedgehogs, ratels, mongoose, civets, 272 species of bird and nearly 300 species of plants, the main attraction at the Ranthambhore National Park is the tiger reserve.

Despite having no natural predators and weighing up to 350kg the Bengal tiger is an endangered species. In 1973 the Indian government started Project Tiger which set aside nine tiger reserves in order to protect the tiger and its food sources. Ranthambhore National Park contains one of the first tiger reserves and since being established has become famous across India for its tigers.

Tigers at Ranthambhore National Park

The royal Bengal tigers (panthera tiris tigris) of Ranthambhore are native to India and Bangladesh. They can grow to in excess of three metres long, run at up to 40mph and stalk their prey in almost total silence. Since it was established Ranthambhore National Park has had several famous residents including Ghengis the swimming tiger who would regularly chase his prey through deep water, and in 2008 the park was home to an extraordinary 13 tiger cubs.

Unfortunately India's national animal is still under threat. The tiger population at Ranthambhore National Park has fallen just as many times as it has risen. The tiger is an obligate carnivore, meaning that they can only eat meat and this makes them vulnerable to changes in the habits of their prey brought about by destruction of their habitat. The tiger is also highly valued by poachers who can earn up to 10 times the region's average salary for one corpse. At the moment tiger populations are rising in line with an investment from the Indian government in Project Tiger but the threat of extinction is never far away for the tigers of Ranthambhore National Park.

Other Animals at Ranthambhore National Park

Aside from tigers the park is home to several exceptional animals of which one has a ferocious reputation to match even the tiger.

The ratel, or honey badger, is widely acclaimed as the most fearless animal alive. Resident across Africa and Asia the ratel is the same size as a European badger but with a solid grey block across its back rather than the distinctive stripes. It is rare for an adult ratel to fall prey to predators as its thick loose skin and unparalleled ferocity make it a tough kill even for big cats. The ratel gained the nickname of honey badger from a predilection for breaking into beehives. The ratel's sweet tooth combined with its fearlessness has lead to more than one honey badger being found stung to death in the wreckage of a beehive.

It may sound dangerous but when visiting the Ranthambhore National Park our guests travel either safely atop an elephant's howdah or in the back of 4x4; two modes of transport that even the honey badger won’t attack.