INTO THE HEART OF TIGHER LAND

Dr. Oishimaya Sen Nag in conversation with Ace Naturalist Yadvendra Singh Of Ranthambhore as he looks down memory lane and talks about the experience of working inside this amazing wildlife park since 1992

The world's tiger capital, India's Ranthambhore National Park in Rajasthan, is the destination to be if you yearn to spot the world's most magnificent animal in its wild realm. So, no wonder the park receives nearly five lakh visitors a year. Tiger lovers from countries across the globe flock to this national park to catch a glimpse of its famed tigers to boast about their lucky sightings to friends and families back home. These encounters with the world's biggest wild cat and many other denizens of Ranthambhore's wilderness are made even more special with the immaculate tracking skills and detailed narratives of the nature guides of this national park.

In this article, we learn more about this incredible wildlife destination from one of the first such guides of Ranthambhore, Yadvendra Singh. With over three decades of experience in this profession and as a former President of the park's nature guide association, Singh, a multiple award-winning naturalist, knows the park, its people, and wildlife like the back of his hand. Here is his brief interview.

What was your first experience as a nature guide in Ranthambhore? 

With my affinity towards animals since childhood and as a resident of Sawai Madhopur, the nearest town to Ranthambhore, it was only natural for me to seek a career associated with wildlife in the national park that I call home. So, with some like-minded friends, I started my service as a nature guide for tourists in Ranthambhore on February 14, 1992. It was the first time in the park's history that this service was launched, and I was among the fortunate firsts.