A massive fire broke out in March 2002, at Sariska Tiger Reserve at Alwar in Rajasthan. The Indian Air Force helicopters were deployed to douse the fire in affected areas. The fire was caused because of dry fores fires in leaves, grass and plants. There have been several in March in various places including Similipal Wildlife Sanctuaryin Mayurbhanj district of Odisha (March 29, 2022), Perimalmalai Peak near Kodaikanal hills in Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul district (March 11, 2022) etc.It covers an area of 800 sq km in total, with a core area of approximately 500 sq km.
IMPORTANT FEATURES
- Sariska was declared a sanctuary in 1955, and it became a National Park in 1979.
- It has a good diversity of wild animals like nilgai, tigers, leopard, hyena, rhesus macaque, caracal, jungle cat, ratel, sambar deer, spotted deer, langur, four-horned antelope, wild pig, Indian civet, Rufous-tailed hare, common mongoose, ruddy mongoose, palm civet, porcupine, pangolin etc.
- The reserve comprises several varieties of bird species including migrants like peafowl, grey francolin, white-rump ,vulture, painted spurfowl, aravalli red spurfowl, Indian cuckoo, Indian pitta, great horned owl, common sand grouse, golden-backed woodpeckers, crested serpent eagles, harbours quail etc.
- It has scrub thorn arid forests, grasses, rocky landscape, hilly cliffs and semi-deciduous wood. Trees like Tendu, Dhok and Khair are also found in its forests.
- Important tourist spots inside the Sariska National Park include Siliserh Lake, which is home to many crocodiles, ruins of Ajabgarh Bhangarh Fort, Kankwari Fort, Nilkanth Temple, Bharthari Temple etc.
