Ranthambore Tiger Santuary
Greaves Travel the leading Indian Tour Operator in the UK has an Interview with Yusaf Ahmad Ansari, the Director of Wildlife Experiences at Ranthambore, National Park and Tiger Sanctuary.
Q.You work at Ranthambore, India’s most well known National Park and tiger sanctuary, how did you come to work there?
I began visiting Ranthambhore due to my association with Jaisal Singh and his family in 2003. As a family friend, I would go on holiday to get away from my life in politics at the time and come for days to stay at Sher Bagh. My strong attachment to Ranthambhore and inherent passion for wildlife led me here initially, and Jaisal invited me to become General Manager of Sher Bagh after my defeat in the 2007 provincial elections from Uttar Pradesh. I have been resident here since 2007, first as General Manager and now as Director of Wildlife Experiences.
Q.Where did your interest in wildlife stem from?
Much of my life as a child was spent at our maternal home in rural Uttar Pradesh. It was the stories of old family hunts, the knowledge of wildlife my family elders shared with me and the observation of all the wild animals around me that cultivated this natural interest. My interest was further developed whhen my father moved to Nepal for a few years and our home was located quite close to the Royal Chitwan National Park. I remember walking into the surrounding forests, sometimes for a swim in the pools and while growing up our holiday destinations combined elements of nature and wildlife –whether it was trekking the high eastern Himalayas, hiking through Garhwal, being charged by an elephant in Corbett National Park or even visiting centres such as Port Lympne in the south of England on holidays in Britain. I think I was twelve at the time when I walked the old Pilgrim Road that Jim Corbett himself took in search of the man-eating leopard of Rudraprayag as far as Kedarnath. It was the solitude and nature’s inherent capacity to heal, as well as our own genetic, primordial response to this healing that attracted me to the wild and wildlife.
Q.Do you have problems with tiger poaching and what measures are being taken to prevent this?
Ranthambhore has not lost a tiger to poaching since 2005, to the best of my knowledge anyhow. The poaching of tigers is certainly a wider problem that inevitably links into international networks of illegal trade in animal parts and so on. Combating the menace, therefore, must include a multi-layered, interoperable network of government agencies and private initiatives and contributions. We have seen better coordination and a higher degree of trust between the Forest Department and locals in recent years in Ranthambhore specifically. At Sher Bagh, for example, we give support to anti-poaching operations, who regularly monitor and patrol and so on. To make anti-poaching measures successful, it’s essential that public-private partnerships flourish to ensure the sharing of information and other resources. Once local communities, even if it’s just sections of them, become involved in the process , it becomes far harder for outsiders to poach or establish viable networks on the ground. Processes that are inclusive of people are far more likely to succeed in curbing poaching, whether that be through education, economic benefits and other resources Given the high demand for animal parts, especially those of tigers, one really can never become complacent about this threat.
Q.Apart from tigers what other animals would I expect to see on a visit to Ranthambore? Are there many wolves or wild dogs remaining in the reserve?
The habitat of Ranthambhore is unique in that it is the only dry deciduous, dry thorn forest in the world with a natural remaining population of tigers, and it is under their presence that a host of other species are able to thrive here. Ranthambhore also has a very high concentration of leopard, as well as a good number of the sloth bear (no to be confused with the South American sloth, which is a species of black bear). Jackals, jungle cats, hyenas and caracals are other sought after sightings, though they are no doubt more elusive. We have here at Ranthambhore, too, a high density of prey species, including sambar and spotted deer, the nilgai antelope and wild boar amongst others. Ranthambhore is also an exceptional habitat for a wide range of species of birds (nearly 300, and many of them are migratory) due to the fact that, despite being a dry forest, the Park has a number of perennial springs, streams and lakes which allow a profusion of flora.
Q.How long would I need to spend at Ranthambore to fully appreciate it? When is the best time of the year to visit? And is seeing a tiger pretty much guaranteed?
I would recommend 5 and possibly 6 game drives into the Park over a minimum of a three days. If you’re looking to catch a glimpse of some of our iconic species, any time of the year is suitable really, between October and early May – although sightings are generally higher when the temperature soars as there tends to be a higher concentration of game living in much closer proximity to each other, which ultimately leads to greater visibility. While there is no such thing as a guaranteed tiger sighting you can be assured that, statistically at least, Ranthambhore has the highest sightings of wild tigers on the globe. However you have to remember that this is a natural wilderness and so animal sightings still depend in large part on good tracking skills and touch of good luck!
Q.How have you seen the park change, and how have attitudes to the park changed in recent years? Does the park have to limit the number of visitors in order to preserve the ecosystem?
The game count at Ranthambhore has been steadily rising over the last few years in terms of sheer numbers alone, and species that were rarely seen perhaps 5 years ago such as bear, leopard and hyena are now seen more and more. What is remarkable, however, is that you would think this would be because of a drop in tiger numbers, but those are up too. There is also more water nowadays than in previous years, thanks to a few good rains, and what we have as a result is a really healthy and rather diverse ecosystem in place. Instead of being a harmful and negative thing, I strongly believe that tourism is (or can be made to be) a really useful tool in terms of conservation and the preservation of an ecosystem. Of course there is no denying that there is always a need for visitors to the Park to be educated and regulated. We still need to impart knowledge, awareness and basic forest etiquette at times. As you might know, there is a definite limit to the amount of people who can visit the Park at any one time, but this is subject to revision too. We mustn’t forget, also, that unlimited vehicles and access simply do not enhance the viewing experience either. Nonetheless and through all this, we are in a period of transition at the Park. A new Management Plan is being created by the Forest Department which includes advice and input from private operators. What we might find is that while there will always be a limit on the numbers of people who are allowed access into the Park, this number may in fact be higher than the capacity in the near future.
Q.How has India’s rapid growth thrown up conservation problems in recent years? Has the country managed to create a trade off between strong economic growth and protecting the natural ecosystem?
I personally feel that, on the whole, India has done more for the preservation of nature within its borders than many other countries around the world. With a population that is over three times that of the continent of Europe (and rising), it is truly remarkable that India still has close to 2000 tigers in the wild as well as a host of other species. In my opinion, the issues stem from unmitigated mining and badly planned infrastructure development in some places – but it is thanks to increasing levels of vigilance that this is also being controlled. It is obvious that economic growth requires the development of infrastructure and so as long as construction and any extensions of infrastructure take into account the hugely important corridors of wildlife, migration passages etc, I believe we should be alright. We might be a country in economic transition, but at the same time there is a rising awareness in India about environmental and ecological issues. It is my belief that we will find a balance simply because there is no alternative to having that balance.
Q.Are there other less well-known national parks and reserves that I should be visiting around India? If so, what is so unique about them?
India has over 600 wilderness areas, and that includes National Parks, Tiger Reserves, Sanctuaries, Conservancies and other Protected Areas. Needless to say there is a huge diversity of wildlife here, and while Africa counts the Big Five as its iconic species, we have at least a Big Ten which includes Tigers, Lions, Bears, Rhino, Elephant, Bison, Wolves, Snow Leopards and others. Rather unsurprisingly perhaps, Ranthambhore is my personal favourite. Abandoned palaces, copulas and cenotaphs entwined in the embrace of nature are what I would call ‘classic Ranthambhore’ – and it’s this unique blend of history and wildlife that it represents that marks it as such. It would really depend on what you would like to see really in terms of where else you should go. If you wish to see a combination of Rhino, Elephant, Wild Buffalo and Tiger all together in the same location than Kaziranga may be an obvious choice, but there are also other spots which are fantastic as landscapes – The Valley of Flowers in Garhwal, for example. Beyond that, there is the north-east which is relatively unexplored.
Q.As the director of wildlife experiences at the Sher Bagh, can you tell us what is so special about the tented camp?
The location of Sher Bagh itself is unique, sitting in the heart of a private wilderness bordering Ranthambhore National Park. We are also the first (and only) genuine tented camp in Ranthambhore, with a commitment to original methods and designs. Each of our 1920’s style tents are hand stitched and pegged into the ground using designs and methods of the original hunting camps in the heyday of the Raj. Sher Bagh is a healthy, healing, hospitable place where you can lounge to the sounds of nature, pick your own salads to eat, engage with resident historians, naturalists, and other guests, as well as really get away from the stresses of modern living. There’s a real aspect of nostalgia about the place because it really is a genuine rendition of a now distant life. There is nothing around Camp that is incongruous with the Tiger Reserve next door and it’s perfect for those looking for an authentic wildlife experience while enjoying it in luxury.
Q.What would be your tip to get the best out of viewing wildlife in India?
The most important thing to do is choose your guides and trackers very carefully indeed. The correct guide can be a game changer, not only in how you view wildlife but what you get to see at all.
Q.Aside from conservation, your other love is history, and I understand you are working on a biography of Mughal Emperor Akbar – what is the most unmissable piece of Mughal architecture in India?
For me, Fatehpur Sikri is the apex of Mughal and Indo-Islamic architecture – closely followed by Mandu and Burhanpur.
To book a holiday to India please contact Greaves Travel http://www.greavesindia.co.uk or call 0207 487 9111
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