Wildlife Safari in India

India is a land of fascinating natural wilderness manifested in varieties of species of animals and birds found in the country. India harbours 60% of the world's tiger population, 50% of Asian elephants, 80% of the one-horned rhinoceros and the entire remaining population of Asiatic lion.

The rich and fascinating variety of India's wildlife can be seen in the 80 national parks, 440 sanctuaries and 23 tiger reserves established by the Government of India in an attempt to conserve this vital resource. More than 500 species of mammals, 1, 220 species of birds, 1, 600 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 57, 000 species of insects populate the subcontinent.

It is exciting to be in India and it is far more exciting to be in the confines of an Indian wildlife sanctuary or national park. Away from the confines of concrete jungles that covers most part of the big cities, greenery and fresh air provided by Indian wildlife sanctuaries are far cry from the usual. Wildlife heritage of India is as much or more diverse than the cultural heritage this country posses. One of the major mega diversity countries in the world, India houses a good number of wildlife species found nowhere else on this globe. India is a natural place for the wildlife enthusiasts of the world to be. The reasons are simple but exciting. India currently has 80 National Parks and 441 wildlife sanctuaries. These National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries in turn houses largest number of tigers found in the world, largest number of one-horned rhinos found in the world, now almost extinct Asiatic Lions, and a large percent of elephants. These wildlife animals are but only a part of more than 500 species of mammals who have made India their natural home. Apart from the mammals, India is also blessed with over 2000 species of birds, over 500 species of reptiles and amphibians and around 30000 species of insects including the colorful butterflies.

Wildlife watching itself is a pleasure in India. The choices are immense and compelling. Just imagine going for a wildlife safari and searching for tigers sitting on the back of a big tusker. Most of the wildlife sanctuaries in India have facilities for wildlife watching and bird watching on jeeps, special buses, elephants, cycles, and using other vehicles.
Wild Life Safari In India
For the exciting, enchanting and ultimate experience in wildlife adventure in India there are several famous wildlife safari like the Jim Corbett National Park, Ranthambore National Park and the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary.

Corbett National Park
This park in Uttar Pradesh is famous for its tigers. Other wild lives include cheetahs, deer, elephants, leopards, and sloth bears. The park has good scenery with sal and hardwood trees. There are numerous watch towers and daytime photography is allowed. Best time to visit is November to May.

Ranthambore National Park
Ranthambore or Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan is smaller in size when compared to most of the parks in India. It is famous for its lake tigers but nowadays the number has dwindled thanks to large-scale poaching in these areas. It is located on the Mumbai- Delhi rail-line and is 160 kms by road from Jaipur. Best time to visit- November to May.

Sunderbans Wildlife Sanctuary
This reserve in West Bengal is to the southeast of the city of Calcutta. It contains the mangrove forests of the Gangetic delta. It is an important haven for tigers but it also includes fishing cats and a wide variety of birds. It is accessible by a boat ride only. It can be visited around February- March.