Desert National Park
The vast tracts of sands around Jaisalmer, with their wood fossils have been designated the Desert National Park. There may be little about the desert that calls for protection, leave alone support wildlife but the desert has a fragile eco-system that has a unique variety of species. These include the Great Indian Bustard, recently saved from extinction.


Since the sandy desert has only a few grasses and shrubs, and a low scattering of trees, the leaf cover is sparse. This environment supports the spiny-tail lizard that lives in colonies beneath the ground, desert monitors, sandfish that `swim' under the sands, chameleons and snakes-most notably the deadly Saw-scaled Viper and the Sind Krait. Other species include the desert here, hedgehog, the predatory Indian wolf, desert fox and desert gerbil.

However, it is with the great Indian bustard that the park is famously associated; especially since its conservation efforts have borne fruit. A bird that lives in small flocks, the bustard has strong legs meant for walking and feeds on everything from cereals and berries to grasshoppers, locusts and even snakes. Other birds in the park include sandgrouse, gray partridge, quails, peafowl and insect-eaters like bee-eaters, shrikes, orioles, warblers and babblers nesting in the khair bushes. Special mention must be made of the houbara. A lesser bustard which was saved from extinction and the desert courser which is said to breed in the Thar Desert in its long migratory journey through the desert.

Note: Foreigners may require special permission to visit some areas close to the international border. Your travel agent can be of help.

Bhensrodgarh
53 km from Kota, it consists of scrub and dry, deciduous forests housing the leopard, sloth bear and chinkara.

Darrah
Once the hunting preserve of Kota's royal family, this sanctuary is 50 km from Kota and is home to wolf, chinkara, leopard and sloth bear.

Jaisamand
Located on the fringes of the vast man-made lake, the forests of these small sanctuary house leopards, wild boar, and a variety of deer. Meanwhile, the lake is known for its with fish and crocodiles.

Kumbhalgarh
A large sanctuary occupying the hilly area, this sanctuary is 120 km from Udaipur. It has a variety of wildlife- leopards, sloth bear, deer, antelopes and the flying squirrel, among others.

Mount Abu
Located on the fringes of the town, its thick forests are home to a variety of vegetation. The topography includes picturesque slopes. Wildlife includes leopards, sambhar, sloth bear, chinkara and wild boar.

Chambal
Just beyond Kota along the banks of the Chambal river (all the way to its confluence with the Yamuna) are the waters rich with gharials (crocodiles) that breed in these waters. Other wildlife in the vicinity includes caracal, wolf, blackbuck and chinkara.

Sitamata
These dry deciduous forests with bamboo shrubs 108 km from Udaipur provide foraging pastures for a variety of deer including the chowsingha (4 horned deer). Other animals like caracal, wild boar, pangolin and leopard are also found here.

Talchappar
The flat dry lands of Shekhawati, 210 km from Jaipur house herds of blackbuck, a particularly beautiful sight when observed on a jeep safari. Desert fox and desert cat can also be spotted, as can be partridge and sandgrouse, birds of the desert.