Sawai Man Singh Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected wildlife area in eastern Rajasthan, India. Located in Sawai Madhopur district, covering approximately 103 kmò, it forms the southern buffer of the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve and supports a rich assemblage of dry deciduous flora and fauna.
Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary lies at the junction of the Aravalli and Vindhya ranges and provides critical habitat connectivity within the Ranthambore landscape. It shelters the Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris), Indian leopards (Panthera pardus fusca), sloth bears (Melursus ursinus), and numerous ungulate and bird species.
The forests of this region were once royal hunting grounds of the Jaipur and Karauli states. In 1955, the area was designated as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary. A core area of 282 kmò was notified as Ranthambore National Park in 1980. In 1984, the 130 kmò southern tract was formally constituted as Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary, named in honour of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur.
Situated within the KhathiarâÂÂGir dry deciduous ecoregion, the sanctuaryâÂÂs gently rolling sandstone ridges, seasonal streams and waterholes lie between the Banas River to the north and the Chambal River to the south. Altitudes range around a few hundred metres above sea level. The climate is subtropical semi-arid: hot summers (up to 46 ðC), cool winters (down to 2 ðC) and 800âÂÂ900 mm of monsoon rainfall (JuneâÂÂSeptember).
The sanctuaryâÂÂs vegetation is dominated by dry mixed deciduous forest: species include Anogeissus pendula (dhok), Butea monosperma (dhak), Acacia nilotica (kikar), Boswellia serrata (salai), Terminalia tomentosa (saj), and various Ficus spp. Understory grasses and scrub like Lantana camara flourish post-monsoon.
Large mammals include:
Over 300 bird species have been recorded, including Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus), various partridges, sandgrouse, and migratory waterfowl. Reptiles such as mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) inhabit pools, alongside snakes like the Indian cobra (Naja naja).
Access is via Sawai MadhopurâÂÂconnected by rail (Sawai Madhopur Junction) and road to Jaipur (150 km) and Delhi. The sanctuary itself has no separate entry gate; visitors join Ranthambore Tiger Reserve safaris which may traverse SMS zones. The best visiting season is OctoberâÂÂMarch. Safari permits and wildlife tours are managed by the Forest Department from Sawai Madhopur.