In the foothills are deciduous trees, with shrubs, bamboo, fern and grass. Later, many kings and princes reserved forest areas as royal preserves. Many of these form the nucleus of the wildlife sanctuaries and natural parks of India. Currently, India has 80 National Parks and 441 sanctuaries dotted in the country. The Project Tiger initiated in 1973 covers 23 National Parks and sanctuaries, and the Project has nearly trebled the population of tigers and lions in India.
Wildlife watching is an exciting experience.
Many sanctuaries have observation towers. Still others provide jaunts on elephant-backs, or in escorted coaches or station wagons. Those sanctuaries, which have large water holes, also provide boat-rides, which can be very stimulating. The demands of a rapidly swelling population do put pressure on surviving forests in India. Wildlife such as the black buck, deer, blue bulls and wolves once roamed freely in the plains of northern India, but today are found in parks, and sanctuaries.