Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary
Encyclopedia
Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary situated in south-east portion of Pratapgarh district (Rajasthan)
, declared as the protected forest area vide Government of Rajasthan Notification no. F 11 (9) Revenue/8/79 Dated 2.11.1979. Having an area of 422.95 square kilometers, it is a dense forest
land which is about 40% of the total land area of this developing district. Sita Mata Wild life Sanctuary is the chief attraction in Pratapgarh. The topography of the area is undulating because of the confluence of three different geological formations- Malwa Plateau, Vindhyachal
Hills and Aravali ranges.
of Rajasthan. The average elevation ranges between 280 and 600 metres above MSL with an average rainfall of 756 mm annually. The temperature variation during winters is between 6 degree C and 14 degee and in summers 32 degree and 45 degree C .
The thickly wooded Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary
sprawls over the Aravali ranges and the Malwa plateau
, with seasonal rivers- Jakham, Karmoi, Sitamata, Budhho, and Tankiya flowing through the forest
. Jakham is the the major one. Located about 45 km from Pratapgarh and 108 km from the divisional Hqrs. Udaipur
, the sanctuary, covering 423 km2. of mainly dry deciduous
vegetation
has exceptionally rich flora and fauna.
The forest type as per classification of Champion and Seth, Sita Mata is 'IInd Dry Tropical Forest'.
Since the early times the north-west part of Pratapgarh region had dense forests consisting of valuable Sagwaan, Chandan, Sheesham, Saalar, Dhaak, Dhonk, Kadamb, Mahua, Babool, Imlee and Baans trees in abundance and therefore, in 1828 AD, a separate state forest department was created to manage state's exceptionally rich forest wealth.
How to reach Pratapgarh?
By Road:
Pratapgarh is well connected with major cities in Rajasthan
, Gujarat & Madhya Pradesh
by road. Daily Bus Services Connect Pratapgarh with Chittorgarh
( 110 km), Banswara
(85 km), Udaipur
(165 km), Dungarpur
(195 km), Rajsamand
(133 KM), Jodhpur
(435 km), Jaipur
(432 km) in Rajasthan
; Ratlam
(85 km), Mandsaur
(32 km) in M.P and Delhi
(705 km).
By Rail:
Pratapgarh is yet to be cnnected with a railway line. Nearest railway station is Mandsaur (M.P.) (28 km) & Chittorgarh (110 km)
By Air:
Dabok Airport
(Udaipur
) is 145 KM. Taxis are also available.
. Salar( Boswellia Serrata Rox. ex coleb) , Tendu ( Diospyros melonoxy Roxb.), Bad (Ficus bengalensis), Peepal ( Ficus Religiosa Linn.), Babool ( acacia arabica), Neem ( Azadiracta Indica), Arinja (Acasia leucophea), Siras, Churail, Kachnar, Gulmohar, Amaltas, Bakayan, Ashok, Mahua, Semal, Goondi, Khejadi (propis specigera(?), Kumta (acacia rupesris), Amla, bamboo, Sindoor, chironjee, Rudraksha' and Bel trees are also found in abundance. Hundreds of climbers and shrubs make the place heavely.
Out of 108 varieties of high value medicinal herbs, 17 belong to the '32 endangered varieties' that are found here.
A large number of residential and migratory birds are found in this region out of which most comman are about 130 varieties. Little grebe, little cormorant, Indian darter(Snake bird) Gray Heron, Pond heron, cattle egret, little egret, painted stork, white necked stork, spoonbill, lesser whistling thrush, Rubby shelduck, Pintail, cotton teal, spotbill, Nukta,, Parah kite, shikra, white eyed buzzard, king vulture, white backed vulture, Tawny eagle, white scavanger vulture, Eastrel, Black patridge, Rain Quail, Jungle bush quail, Indian peafowl, Saras crane, White breasted waterhen, Moorhen, Purple moorhen, common coot, pheasant tailed jacana, Red vettled lapwing, Red shank, wood sandpiper, comman sandpiper, Little stint, Black winged stilt, stone curlew, Indian courser, River tern, common sandgrouse, Green pigeon, Blue rock pegeion, Red turtle dove, Indian ring dove, spotted dove, little brown dove, Large Indian parakeet, rose eyed parakeet, blossom headed parakeet, common hawk cukkoo, pied crested cuckoo, koel, crow pheasant, spotted owlett, collared scopes owl, franklis nightjar, house swift, palm swift, pied kingfisher, comman kingfisher, white breasted kingfisher, Green bee-eater, blue tailed eater, blue cheecked bee eater, Indian Roller( Blue Jay) European Roller, Hoopoe, Gray Hornbill, Coppersmith, Golden backed woodpecker, yellow fronted pied woodpecker, Indian Pitta, Red winged bush lark, Ashy crowned finchlark, rufous tailed finchlark, crested lark, Dusky crag martin, wiretailed swallow, Red rumpted swallow, Gray shrike, Bay backed shrike, rufous backed shrike, Golden oriole, black drongo (King Crow), white bellied drongo, Brahmini Myna, Rody Paster, Comman Myna, Bank Myna, Indian tree pie, House crow, Jungle crow, Black headed cuckkoo shrike, Scarlet minivet,Common Iora, Red vented Bulbul, Comman babbler, Yellow eyed Babbler, Large Gray babbler, Gray headed flycatcher, Red breasted flycatcher, white browed fantail flycatcher, paradise flycatcher, Franklin's ween warbler, Tailor bird, lesser white throat, Indian robin,crested bunting Magpie Robin, Brown rockchat, collared bushchat, pied bushchat, large cuckoo shike, wood shrike, gray tit, yellow cheecked tit, yellow headed wagtail, gray wagtail, white wagtail, purple sunbird, white eye, house sparrow, weaver bird, Red Avadant, white throated Munia, Scaly breasted Munia, are a few varieties that are comman to this forest region.
Two new bird varieties for the first time in Rajasthan were noticed in Sita Mata WL sanctuary about five years ago, they are- White-thorated Ground thrush and Black-necked Monarch.
A study of Medicinal-plant-diversity of Sitamata wildlife sanctuary was conducted in 2004-2005 by Ms.Anita Jain, Mr. S.S. Katewa, Mr. P.K. Galav and Ms. Pallavi Sharma (in the Laboratory of Ethnobotany and Agrostology), Department of Botany, College of Science, Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur
313001, Rajasthan
, India
. A field survey of the study-area was carried out during 2002–2004 to document the medicinal utility of herb
s occurring in this area. 243 genera belonging to 76 families have been reported which are used by the tribals of about 50 villages around the sanctuary as means of primary health care to cure various ailments. The study revealed the new ethno-botanical uses of 24 plant species belonging to 20 genera. A list of plant species along with their local name, plant part/s used and mode of administration for effective control in different ailments of ethno-medicinal plants have been given in this study.
Another significant academic reference to this area was made by Dr. Dhirendra Devarshi, active member of BNHS-Bombay Natural History Society
and a well versed Biologist ( Associate Professor, MSJ Government college, Bharatpur
), when he was writing his much acclaimed thesis A Study of Avifauna of the Rajasthan State (India) a few years ago.
An amateure Ornithologist Devendra Mistree of the town is impressively active in making significant observations as far as updating of checklist of bird-species in this sanctuary is concerned. On the initiative of the earlier District Collector
& District Magistrate Hemant Shesh
, the Botany Department of the Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur had agreed to undertake further various research
projects to study in details its rich and varied flora and fauna. Although a tentative checklist of flora and fauna available in the sanctuary has been made by the department of forest, the place offers infinite scope of indepth research in this field.
of Sita Mata sanctuary is the vegetarian mammal
flying squirrel
('Petaurista-philippensis'), which can be seen gliding
from one tree to another just around sunset at Arampura forest chowki, 17 km away from Dhariyawad.
Its feeding-activities are nocturnal and therefore it hides during the day time in its hollow on a Mahua tree. The best time to watch flying squirrels is between February and March, when most of the mahua trees shed their leaves and it is easier to spot the squirrel gliding between branches of leafless trees.
The Sanctuary provides rich pastures for a variety of deer
that includes the Chousingha (four-horned antelope
). Caracal, wild boar, pangolin
, leopard
, hyena
, jackal
, fox
, jungle cat
, porcupine
, spotted deer, wild bear, and neelgai are other animals found here. As per the wild life census conducted on 17 May 2011, the number of wild life animals in the centuary was 1711 (inclusive of 10 leopard
s,538 Jackal
s, 38 hyena
s,39 fox
es, 117 jungle cat
s etc.)
The best time to visit Sitamata Sanctuary is between October and February.
Ashram- the birth place of Luv
and Kush
(the twins born to Sita
and Lord Rama), Hanuman
and Sitamata temple
s and other places of historical and mythological importance. Another significant place of interest in the Sanctuary 5 km from 'Tikhi Magri' is 'Lakhiya Bhata'- where series of prehistoric animals are engraved on rocks. An annual fair in the sanctuary is held at the Sita Mata temple in July.
Proposals for being declared as National Park
Initiative was taken, in assistance with the local member of parliament and forest officials by Hemant Shesh, the ex-collector & district magistrate of Pratapgarh to get this sanctuary decaled as a national park
for which proposals are underway .
http://www.indiawildlifeinfo.com/wildlife-parks/sitamata-sanctuary-udaipur.html
http://birdingindia.blogspot.com/2006/05/sitamata-wildlife-sanctuary.html
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874105004071
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sita_Mata_Wildlife_Sanctuary
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rishiraj_deval/sets/72157608728919808/
http://www.india-rajasthantours.com/rajasthan-wildlife/
http://www.travel-in-rajasthan.com/Udaipur/sitamata-wildlife-sanctuary-udaipur.html
http://overindia.com/rajasthan/sitamata-wildlife-sanctuary/
http://getcited.net/?PUB=103417534&showStat=Ratings
http://www.panoramio.com/user/3196599
Pratapgarh district (Rajasthan)
Pratapgarh district is the 33rd district of Rajasthan, created on 26 January 2008. It is a part of Udaipur Division and has been carved out from the erstwhile tehsils of Chittorgarh, Udaipur and Banswara districts...
, declared as the protected forest area vide Government of Rajasthan Notification no. F 11 (9) Revenue/8/79 Dated 2.11.1979. Having an area of 422.95 square kilometers, it is a dense forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
land which is about 40% of the total land area of this developing district. Sita Mata Wild life Sanctuary is the chief attraction in Pratapgarh. The topography of the area is undulating because of the confluence of three different geological formations- Malwa Plateau, Vindhyachal
Vindhyachal
Vindhyachal is a town in Mirzapur District of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The city is a Hindu pilgrimage site having the temple of Vindhyavasini, where according to mythology a part of Sati Born in Nand Yadav Family as sister of Lord Krishna. The river Ganges flows through this city...
Hills and Aravali ranges.
Location
The sanctuary is located between 74 degree 25' E and 24 degree 04' N in Pratapgarh districtPratapgarh district (Rajasthan)
Pratapgarh district is the 33rd district of Rajasthan, created on 26 January 2008. It is a part of Udaipur Division and has been carved out from the erstwhile tehsils of Chittorgarh, Udaipur and Banswara districts...
of Rajasthan. The average elevation ranges between 280 and 600 metres above MSL with an average rainfall of 756 mm annually. The temperature variation during winters is between 6 degree C and 14 degee and in summers 32 degree and 45 degree C .
The thickly wooded Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary
Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary
Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary situated in south-east portion of Pratapgarh district , declared as the protected forest area vide Government of Rajasthan Notification no. F 11 Revenue/8/79 Dated 2.11.1979. Having an area of 422.95 square kilometers, it is a dense forest...
sprawls over the Aravali ranges and the Malwa plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
, with seasonal rivers- Jakham, Karmoi, Sitamata, Budhho, and Tankiya flowing through the forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
. Jakham is the the major one. Located about 45 km from Pratapgarh and 108 km from the divisional Hqrs. Udaipur
Udaipur
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
, the sanctuary, covering 423 km2. of mainly dry deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
vegetation
Vegetation
Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
has exceptionally rich flora and fauna.
The forest type as per classification of Champion and Seth, Sita Mata is 'IInd Dry Tropical Forest'.
Since the early times the north-west part of Pratapgarh region had dense forests consisting of valuable Sagwaan, Chandan, Sheesham, Saalar, Dhaak, Dhonk, Kadamb, Mahua, Babool, Imlee and Baans trees in abundance and therefore, in 1828 AD, a separate state forest department was created to manage state's exceptionally rich forest wealth.
How to reach Pratapgarh?
By Road:
Pratapgarh is well connected with major cities in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, Gujarat & Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
by road. Daily Bus Services Connect Pratapgarh with Chittorgarh
Chittorgarh
Chittorgarh is a city and a municipality in Rajasthan state of western India. It lies on the Berach River, a tributary of the Banas, and is the administrative headquarters of Chittorgharh District and a former capital of the Sisodia clans of Rajputs of Mewar...
( 110 km), Banswara
Banswara
Banswara is a city in Banswara District in south Rajasthan in India. Banswara princely state was founded by Maharawal Jagmal Singh. It is named for the "bans" or bamboo forests in the area. It is also known as 'City of Hundred Islands', due to presence of numerous islands in the Mahi River, which...
(85 km), Udaipur
Udaipur
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
(165 km), Dungarpur
Dungarpur
Dungarpur is a city in the southernmost part of Rajasthan state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Dungarpur District. The rail line between Udaipur and Himatnagar in Gujarat runs through the town, shortest distance to the National Highway 8 from Dungapur town is...
(195 km), Rajsamand
Rajsamand
Rajsamand is a town of Rajasthan state of western India. The city is named for Rajsamand Lake, an artificial lake created in the 17th century by Rana Raj Singh of Mewar. It is the administrative headquarters of Rajsamand District.-Geography:...
(133 KM), Jodhpur
Jodhpur
Jodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...
(435 km), Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
(432 km) in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
; Ratlam
Ratlam
Ratlam , known historically as Ratnapuri, is a city in the Malwa region in Madhya Pradesh state of central India. The town of Ratlam lies 480 m above sea level. It is the administrative headquarters of Ratlam District....
(85 km), Mandsaur
Mandsaur
Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...
(32 km) in M.P and Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
(705 km).
By Rail:
Pratapgarh is yet to be cnnected with a railway line. Nearest railway station is Mandsaur (M.P.) (28 km) & Chittorgarh (110 km)
By Air:
Dabok Airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
(Udaipur
Udaipur
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
) is 145 KM. Taxis are also available.
A Sanctuary with Rich Bio-diversity
It is the only forest region, where more than half the trees are high building value teakTeak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
. Salar( Boswellia Serrata Rox. ex coleb) , Tendu ( Diospyros melonoxy Roxb.), Bad (Ficus bengalensis), Peepal ( Ficus Religiosa Linn.), Babool ( acacia arabica), Neem ( Azadiracta Indica), Arinja (Acasia leucophea), Siras, Churail, Kachnar, Gulmohar, Amaltas, Bakayan, Ashok, Mahua, Semal, Goondi, Khejadi (propis specigera(?), Kumta (acacia rupesris), Amla, bamboo, Sindoor, chironjee, Rudraksha' and Bel trees are also found in abundance. Hundreds of climbers and shrubs make the place heavely.
Out of 108 varieties of high value medicinal herbs, 17 belong to the '32 endangered varieties' that are found here.
- Sita Mata
- A birds' Paradis
A large number of residential and migratory birds are found in this region out of which most comman are about 130 varieties. Little grebe, little cormorant, Indian darter(Snake bird) Gray Heron, Pond heron, cattle egret, little egret, painted stork, white necked stork, spoonbill, lesser whistling thrush, Rubby shelduck, Pintail, cotton teal, spotbill, Nukta,, Parah kite, shikra, white eyed buzzard, king vulture, white backed vulture, Tawny eagle, white scavanger vulture, Eastrel, Black patridge, Rain Quail, Jungle bush quail, Indian peafowl, Saras crane, White breasted waterhen, Moorhen, Purple moorhen, common coot, pheasant tailed jacana, Red vettled lapwing, Red shank, wood sandpiper, comman sandpiper, Little stint, Black winged stilt, stone curlew, Indian courser, River tern, common sandgrouse, Green pigeon, Blue rock pegeion, Red turtle dove, Indian ring dove, spotted dove, little brown dove, Large Indian parakeet, rose eyed parakeet, blossom headed parakeet, common hawk cukkoo, pied crested cuckoo, koel, crow pheasant, spotted owlett, collared scopes owl, franklis nightjar, house swift, palm swift, pied kingfisher, comman kingfisher, white breasted kingfisher, Green bee-eater, blue tailed eater, blue cheecked bee eater, Indian Roller( Blue Jay) European Roller, Hoopoe, Gray Hornbill, Coppersmith, Golden backed woodpecker, yellow fronted pied woodpecker, Indian Pitta, Red winged bush lark, Ashy crowned finchlark, rufous tailed finchlark, crested lark, Dusky crag martin, wiretailed swallow, Red rumpted swallow, Gray shrike, Bay backed shrike, rufous backed shrike, Golden oriole, black drongo (King Crow), white bellied drongo, Brahmini Myna, Rody Paster, Comman Myna, Bank Myna, Indian tree pie, House crow, Jungle crow, Black headed cuckkoo shrike, Scarlet minivet,Common Iora, Red vented Bulbul, Comman babbler, Yellow eyed Babbler, Large Gray babbler, Gray headed flycatcher, Red breasted flycatcher, white browed fantail flycatcher, paradise flycatcher, Franklin's ween warbler, Tailor bird, lesser white throat, Indian robin,crested bunting Magpie Robin, Brown rockchat, collared bushchat, pied bushchat, large cuckoo shike, wood shrike, gray tit, yellow cheecked tit, yellow headed wagtail, gray wagtail, white wagtail, purple sunbird, white eye, house sparrow, weaver bird, Red Avadant, white throated Munia, Scaly breasted Munia, are a few varieties that are comman to this forest region.
Two new bird varieties for the first time in Rajasthan were noticed in Sita Mata WL sanctuary about five years ago, they are- White-thorated Ground thrush and Black-necked Monarch.
Forest-studies
Hundreds of really rare herbs and medicinal plants are still waiting to be explored in this region.A study of Medicinal-plant-diversity of Sitamata wildlife sanctuary was conducted in 2004-2005 by Ms.Anita Jain, Mr. S.S. Katewa, Mr. P.K. Galav and Ms. Pallavi Sharma (in the Laboratory of Ethnobotany and Agrostology), Department of Botany, College of Science, Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur
Udaipur
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
313001, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. A field survey of the study-area was carried out during 2002–2004 to document the medicinal utility of herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
s occurring in this area. 243 genera belonging to 76 families have been reported which are used by the tribals of about 50 villages around the sanctuary as means of primary health care to cure various ailments. The study revealed the new ethno-botanical uses of 24 plant species belonging to 20 genera. A list of plant species along with their local name, plant part/s used and mode of administration for effective control in different ailments of ethno-medicinal plants have been given in this study.
Another significant academic reference to this area was made by Dr. Dhirendra Devarshi, active member of BNHS-Bombay Natural History Society
Bombay Natural History Society
The Bombay Natural History Society, founded on 15 September 1883, is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in India engaged in conservation and biodiversity research. It supports many research efforts through grants, and publishes the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. Many...
and a well versed Biologist ( Associate Professor, MSJ Government college, Bharatpur
Bharatpur
Bharatpur may refer to:Nepal*Bharatpur, Nepal, a city in Nepal.*Bharatpur, Dhanusa, village in Nepal*Bharatpur, Mahottari, village in NepalIndia*Bharatpur, Rajasthan, a city, Rajasthan, India....
), when he was writing his much acclaimed thesis A Study of Avifauna of the Rajasthan State (India) a few years ago.
An amateure Ornithologist Devendra Mistree of the town is impressively active in making significant observations as far as updating of checklist of bird-species in this sanctuary is concerned. On the initiative of the earlier District Collector
District collector
The District Collector is the district head of administration of the bureaucracy in a state of India. Though he/she is appointed and is under general supervision of the state government, he/she has to be a member of the elite IAS recruited by the Central Government...
& District Magistrate Hemant Shesh
Hemant Shesh
Hemant Shesh is an Indian Hindi writer, poet and civil servant.- Biography :Shesh completed his post graduate education from the University of Rajasthan in Jaipur. He then joined the Rajasthan Administrative Service in 1977...
, the Botany Department of the Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur had agreed to undertake further various research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
projects to study in details its rich and varied flora and fauna. Although a tentative checklist of flora and fauna available in the sanctuary has been made by the department of forest, the place offers infinite scope of indepth research in this field.
Specific Attraction
The most striking animalAnimal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
of Sita Mata sanctuary is the vegetarian mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
flying squirrel
Flying squirrel
Flying squirrels, scientifically known as Pteromyini or Petauristini, are a tribe of 44 species of squirrels .- Description :...
('Petaurista-philippensis'), which can be seen gliding
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
from one tree to another just around sunset at Arampura forest chowki, 17 km away from Dhariyawad.
Its feeding-activities are nocturnal and therefore it hides during the day time in its hollow on a Mahua tree. The best time to watch flying squirrels is between February and March, when most of the mahua trees shed their leaves and it is easier to spot the squirrel gliding between branches of leafless trees.
The Sanctuary provides rich pastures for a variety of deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
that includes the Chousingha (four-horned antelope
Four-horned Antelope
The Four-horned Antelope , or Chousingha, is a small antelope found in open forest in India and Nepal. It is the only species currently classified in the genus Tetracerus.-Description:...
). Caracal, wild boar, pangolin
Pangolin
A pangolin , also scaly anteater or Trenggiling, is a mammal of the order Pholidota. There is only one extant family and one genus of pangolins, comprising eight species. There are also a number of extinct taxa. Pangolins have large keratin scales covering their skin and are the only mammals with...
, leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
, hyena
Hyena
Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...
, jackal
Jackal
Although the word jackal has been historically used to refer to many small- to medium-sized species of the wolf genus of mammals, Canis, today it most properly and commonly refers to three species: the black-backed jackal and the side-striped jackal of sub-Saharan Africa, and the golden jackal of...
, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
, jungle cat
Jungle Cat
The jungle cat is a medium-sized cat and considered the largest remaining species of the wild cat genus Felis. The species is also called the swamp lynx but is not closely related to the lynxes....
, porcupine
Porcupine
Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...
, spotted deer, wild bear, and neelgai are other animals found here. As per the wild life census conducted on 17 May 2011, the number of wild life animals in the centuary was 1711 (inclusive of 10 leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
s,538 Jackal
Jackal
Although the word jackal has been historically used to refer to many small- to medium-sized species of the wolf genus of mammals, Canis, today it most properly and commonly refers to three species: the black-backed jackal and the side-striped jackal of sub-Saharan Africa, and the golden jackal of...
s, 38 hyena
Hyena
Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...
s,39 fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es, 117 jungle cat
Jungle Cat
The jungle cat is a medium-sized cat and considered the largest remaining species of the wild cat genus Felis. The species is also called the swamp lynx but is not closely related to the lynxes....
s etc.)
The best time to visit Sitamata Sanctuary is between October and February.
Other tourism spots in the Sanctuary
It also houses ancient ValmikiValmiki
Valmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e...
Ashram- the birth place of Luv
Lava (Ramayana)
Lava or Luv and his twin brother Kusha, were the children of the Lord Rama and his wife Sita, whose story is recounted in the Ramayana. Per that text, he is known as the founder of Lavapuri,that is, the modern day city of Lahore,...
and Kush
Kusha (Ramayana)
Kusha , in Hindu mythology, was one of the twin sons of Lord Rama and Sita . Born in the Forest after Sita had been banished from Ayodhya, they were educated and trained in military skills and were under the care of Sage Valmiki....
(the twins born to Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
and Lord Rama), Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
and Sitamata temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
s and other places of historical and mythological importance. Another significant place of interest in the Sanctuary 5 km from 'Tikhi Magri' is 'Lakhiya Bhata'- where series of prehistoric animals are engraved on rocks. An annual fair in the sanctuary is held at the Sita Mata temple in July.
Proposals for being declared as National Park
Initiative was taken, in assistance with the local member of parliament and forest officials by Hemant Shesh, the ex-collector & district magistrate of Pratapgarh to get this sanctuary decaled as a national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
for which proposals are underway .
External Links
http://www.rajasthanwildlife.com/wild-life/SitaMataWildlifeSanctuary.htmhttp://www.indiawildlifeinfo.com/wildlife-parks/sitamata-sanctuary-udaipur.html
http://birdingindia.blogspot.com/2006/05/sitamata-wildlife-sanctuary.html
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874105004071
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sita_Mata_Wildlife_Sanctuary
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rishiraj_deval/sets/72157608728919808/
http://www.india-rajasthantours.com/rajasthan-wildlife/
http://www.travel-in-rajasthan.com/Udaipur/sitamata-wildlife-sanctuary-udaipur.html
http://overindia.com/rajasthan/sitamata-wildlife-sanctuary/
http://getcited.net/?PUB=103417534&showStat=Ratings
http://www.panoramio.com/user/3196599