October 2, 2023

Monday, 10:50 PM

Sariska Tiger Reserve

Alwar, Rajasthan

Finally, we are on the road for Project ATR and have reached our first Tiger Reserve destination — Sariska Tiger Reserve, Alwar, Rajasthan. 

The day started with our scheduled flag-off from Atrio by Devam, and my mother (Monika Khurana) did the honours of flagging us off to the road. And since she is traveling with us, she did not just flag us off and stay back, but instead, after flagging off, jumped right into the vehicle she had flagged off for the trip. So that’s how the day began. 

On the way to Sariska, we got a few excellent drone shots of the travel as well as the beautiful sunset. And as we rolled into the Reserve, we found a small tea stall that served us excellent tea in the earthen kulhad (tea in Rajasthan is generally good, so that was no surprise). 

After warming our tummies with excellent kulhad chai, we checked into the Sariska Safari Lodge, which is a fine property by all means and also interesting in its own way. 

What’s unique about Sariska Tiger Reserve is that it’s the only Tiger Reserve in India (and perhaps in the world, if I am not mistaken) that has its entire tiger population spawning from successfully relocated tigers, which is no mean feat, considering how massive, arduous and delicate a task big cat relocation is. There was a time when tiger sighting was abysmally low in Sarika, which was when the relocation project for Sariska was undertaken in 2008 with the first male tiger, called ST1, airlifted by Indian Air Force MI 17 from Ranthambore and translocated to Sariska on June 28, 2008. ST1 was soon joined by ST2, the tigress companion of ST1, and the tiger population has been on the rise since, touching 20 in 2020. Last reported tiger population in Sariska stands at 27 as of March 2023, including two newborn tiger cubs.   

The decimation of tiger population in Sarika Tiger Reserve in 2003-2004, owing to large-scale poaching, was among the greatest setback to Project Tiger, forcing the Government of Rajasthan to issue red alert against poaching and declaring the situation a “Wildlife Emergency”. And that was for good reason, for a healthy population of 16 tigers in Sariska was reduced to zero due to poaching, after which tigers were reintroduced by a determined Government of Rajasthan, duly supported by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). 

It is heartening to note that the population of tigers in Sariska Tiger Reserve is now large enough for the tigers to be sighted routinely even though a lot of people keep complaining that the tiger sighting is low, which is not really the case. However, tiger sighting is a matter of chance even in the Reserves that have a much larger population of tigers than Sariska. So it’s unrealistic to expect sighting tigers on each safari, which is also because tigers are territorial and a handful of tigers claim large tracts of land.  

The Reserve was closed for the monsoon and reopened for safaris since yesterday (October 1, 2023) only, and there have been two reported tiger sightings already, which belies the claims of scant sightings. But yes, one has to be realistic in this respect. 

We are now cooling our heels at the Lodge, safaris begin tomorrow.