A tiger is the dream, but Ranthambore is full of other life, and a good guide will make sure you see it. Here is what lives in the park.
Big cats and bears
- Tiger: the star, best seen around the lakes and waterholes
- Leopard: shy, on rocks and ridges (read more)
- Sloth bear: in the rocky buffer zones (read more)
Deer and antelope
- Sambar: India’s largest deer, often wading in the lakes to feed on water plants
- Chital (spotted deer): in herds, their alarm whistle signals predators
- Nilgai (blue bull): Asia’s largest antelope
- Chinkara: a small, graceful gazelle of the drier areas
Other mammals
- Striped hyena and golden jackal
- Jungle cat
- Wild boar
- Northern plains grey langur, everywhere in the trees
- Rhesus macaques near the fort
- Indian hare, porcupine and mongoose
Reptiles
Mugger crocodiles bask on the banks of Padam Talao, Rajbagh and Malik Talao. Look out too for monitor lizards and, occasionally, an Indian rock python.
Birds
More than 300 species. See Birdwatching in Ranthambore.
A morning when the tiger stays hidden can still bring a crocodile on a sambar kill, a sloth bear with cubs or a leopard on the fort wall.