Aravalli Range
The Aravalli Range is a mountain range in northwestern India, extending approximately 700 kilometers southwestward from near Delhi through the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.[1] Formed during the Proterozoic Eon through collisions of ancient tectonic plates, it constitutes one of the oldest fold mountain systems globally, with the primary orogenic event dated to around 1.8 billion years ago.[1][2] The range's highest peak, Guru Shikhar in Mount Abu, Rajasthan, rises to 1,722 meters.[3] Heavily eroded over billions of years, the Aravallis now appear as a series of low hills and ridges, with elevations typically between 300 and 900 meters, though they originally formed a more imposing barrier.[4] Geologically, the range divides the Thar Desert to the west from the fertile Indo-Gangetic Plain to the east, influencing regional climate by guiding monsoon winds and serving as a watershed for rivers like the Luni and Chambal.[5] Rich in minerals such as copper, zinc, and marble, the Aravallis have been a focal point for mining, contributing to economic development in Rajasthan, which hosts about 80% of the range.[6] Ecologically, the range supports diverse dry deciduous forests, wildlife habitats including leopards and birds in reserves like Sariska and Ranthambore National Parks, and acts as a critical green lung mitigating urban pollution in the National Capital Region.[7] However, extensive mining, deforestation, and illegal encroachments have led to habitat fragmentation, soil erosion, and biodiversity loss, prompting restoration efforts by government initiatives focused on afforestation and ecosystem services.[8][9]Etymology
Name Origin and Historical Designations
The name Aravalli originates from the Sanskrit compound ara-vallī, where ara denotes a ridge or peak and vallī signifies a line or row, collectively translating to "line of peaks" or "row of ridges," descriptive of the range's elongated series of uplands.[10] [11] This etymology aligns with classical Sanskrit linguistic structures, as evidenced in ancient glossaries defining ārāvalī as a chain of awl-shaped hills spanning approximately 300 miles.[10] An alternative folk derivation, drawn from regional Rajasthani terminology, suggests ada-vala, interpreted as "a beam lying across," evoking the range's role as a structural divider bisecting the northwestern Indian plains from Gujarat to Delhi over roughly 670 kilometers.[12] This interpretation, while descriptive of the range's transverse geography, lacks the depth of attestation found in Sanskrit sources and may represent a later vernacular adaptation rather than the primary origin.[12] Historically, the Aravalli has borne diverse local designations reflecting regional topography and cultural associations, including Jagga Pahariyan (hills of the world) near Udaipur, Harshnath ki Pahariyan (hills of Harshnath) in Alwar district, and the Delhi Ridge in the northern extensions around the capital, where it forms an elevated escarpment.[13] In ancient Sanskrit texts, the range appears as Aravali or Aravāḷī, underscoring its recognition as a distinct physiographic feature since at least the early common era, though specific textual references predate widespread geological mapping.[10] These designations highlight the range's enduring role as a watershed divide and ecological barrier, without evidence of unified imperial nomenclature until modern surveys.[13]Geography
Location and Physical Extent
The Aravalli Range lies in northwestern India, traversing the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi.[7] It forms a significant physiographic feature separating the Thar Desert to the west from the Indo-Gangetic Plain to the east.[14] The range extends approximately 800 kilometers in a southwest-northeast orientation, commencing in Gujarat near the town of Palanpur and terminating at the Delhi Ridge, with coordinates around 28°24'N 77°12'E at its northern extremity.[7][14] Its width varies from 10 to 100 kilometers across different segments, manifesting as a series of eroded hills, ridges, and plateaus rather than a uniform escarpment.[15][16] This discontinuous structure influences regional hydrology and climate, acting as a weathered barrier that has largely lost its original elevation, with average heights between 300 and 900 meters.[17] The southern portions in Gujarat and Rajasthan exhibit more pronounced relief, transitioning northward into gentler undulations near Delhi.[7]Topography and Key Features
The Aravalli Range comprises a series of discontinuous ridges, hills, and plateaus extending over approximately 800 kilometers from its southwestern terminus in Gujarat through Rajasthan and Haryana to the northeastern outskirts near Delhi.[7] The range's width varies between 10 and 100 kilometers, with elevations typically ranging from 300 to 900 meters above sea level.[18] Prolonged tectonic inactivity and erosion have resulted in subdued topography characterized by low relief, rounded summits, and occasional flat hilltops formed through repeated rejuvenation processes.[14] The highest elevation in the range is Guru Shikhar at 1,722 meters, located within the Mount Abu hill tract in southern Rajasthan.[19] This peak exemplifies the more rugged southern segments of the Aravalli, which contrast with the barer, more dissected northern portions. Gaps and discontinuities in the hill chain, particularly in arid zones, facilitate sediment transport and influence local drainage patterns.[8] Several perennial and seasonal rivers originate from or traverse the Aravalli, including the Luni River draining westward to the Arabian Sea, and the Banas and Sahibi rivers contributing to eastward flows toward the Yamuna and ultimately the Bay of Bengal.[20] The Sabarmati River also emerges from the range's southern flanks. These waterways carve valleys and support localized oases amid the predominantly rocky and elevated terrain, underscoring the range's role as a hydrological divide between the Indus and Ganga drainage basins.[19]Geology
Formation and Geological Age
The Aravalli Range formed as a consequence of collisional tectonics during the Paleoproterozoic Aravalli Orogeny, a major deformational event that inverted an earlier rift basin and folded overlying sedimentary and volcanic sequences. This orogeny, driven by the convergence of ancient continental blocks within the proto-Indian craton, occurred primarily between 2.0 and 1.7 billion years ago (Ga), marking the transition from extensional basin development to compressional uplift and metamorphism.[1][21] The underlying basement, comprising the Banded Gneiss Complex, provided a rigid Archaean-Proterozoic foundation with U-Pb zircon ages spanning 3.3 Ga to 2.5 Ga, upon which supracrustal rocks accumulated before deformation.[22] Deposition of the Aravalli Supergroup, consisting of quartzites, pelites, and carbonates, preceded the main orogenic phase, with stratigraphic and geochronologic data indicating basin filling from approximately 2.1 Ga to 1.9 Ga in a rift-to-foreland setting.[21] Syn-orogenic granitic intrusions, dated to around 1.77 Ga via U-Pb zircon analysis, reflect partial melting of crustal material during peak collision, contributing to the stabilization of the fold belt.[23] The resulting northeast-southwest trending structures, including tight folds and thrusts, define the range's linear morphology, with evidence of high-grade metamorphism up to amphibolite facies in core zones. Post-orogenic evolution involved isostatic rebound and erosion, with the range achieving cratonization by approximately 850 Ma following minor later events like the Delhi Orogeny at 1.5 Ga, which added overlying fold belts but did not significantly alter the primary Aravalli framework.[24] Radiometric constraints from multiple studies, including SHRIMP and LA-ICP-MS dating, consistently support this timeline, underscoring the range's status as a relic of early Earth continental assembly processes preserved amid subsequent supercontinent cycles.[25][26]Tectonic and Stratigraphic Evolution
The basement of the Aravalli Craton, underlying the range, records Archean crustal growth through accretion of terranes and subduction-related magmatism, with orthogneisses and granitoids dated to 3.3–2.6 Ga in the Mewar terrain and undeformed granitoids around 2.5 Ga, evidenced by U-Pb zircon ages and Nd isotopes indicating juvenile inputs and reworking of older crust.[27][28] Low-SiO₂ gneisses in the Mangalwar Complex exhibit calc-alkaline compositions with εNd(t) values of -4.2 and depleted mantle model ages of 3.3 Ga, suggesting derivation from metasomatized mantle via slab breakoff, while high-SiO₂ gneisses reflect partial melting of tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) precursors.[28] Paleoproterozoic rifting initiated the Aravalli Basin around 2.5 Ga, evolving into an inverted rift system with depositional ages for the Aravalli Supergroup spanning 2.2–1.9 Ga, marked by a transition from passive-margin clastic sedimentation (conglomerates, quartzites of the Lower Aravalli Group) to active-margin volcanics and deeper-water pelites and carbonates in the Upper Group, as constrained by chemostratigraphy and detrital zircon U-Pb dates.[21][25] This stratigraphic succession reflects episodic basin evolution driven by extensional tectonics followed by compression, with geochemical signatures of provenance from the adjacent Bundelkhand craton and local basement.[29] Tectonic closure during the Aravalli Orogeny at 1.8–1.7 Ga inverted the basin through collisional accretion of crustal domains, producing NE-SW trending folds, thrusts, and greenschist- to amphibolite-facies metamorphism, with anatectic migmatites forming at 7–8 kbar and 700–800°C under clockwise P-T paths dated to 1.73–1.74 Ga via monazite U-Th-Pb geochronology.[30][31] Subsequent Delhi Orogeny around 1.0 Ga reactivated structures but primarily affected overlying sequences, preserving the Aravalli fold belt's core as a relic Proterozoic orogen with minimal Phanerozoic reactivation.[30]Mineral Composition and Resources
The Aravalli Supergroup, comprising predominantly metasedimentary sequences of quartzites, dolomites, phyllites, and minor volcanics, hosts significant base metal sulfide mineralization, including sphalerite (ZnS), galena (PbS), chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂), and associated silver-bearing ores, often in sedimentary exhalative (SEDEX) deposits formed during Proterozoic rifting. These ores are stratabound within dolomite and limestone horizons, with accessory minerals such as pyrite, pyrrhotite, and cadmium sulfides, reflecting a marine sedimentary environment enriched by hydrothermal fluids.[32] The associated basement rocks, including banded gneisses and granites, contribute minor uranium and gold prospects through metasomatic alteration along faults.[33] The range's mineral resources are dominated by lead-zinc deposits, accounting for about 95% of India's total zinc-lead reserves, primarily in Rajasthan's Aravalli-Delhi fold belt.[32] The Zawar belt, located 25-35 km south of Udaipur in the southern Aravalli Supergroup, features dolomite-hosted ores mined at Mochia, Balaria, Zawarmala, and Baroi, with average grades of 1.71-4.51% Zn and up to 2.14% Pb, alongside recoverable silver.[34] Further north, the Rajpura-Dariba deposit yields zinc-lead-copper sulfides in similar stratigraphic settings, while copper occurs in Delhi Supergroup volcanosedimentary rocks near Khetri and Pur-Banera belts.[35] Rajasthan, leveraging these resources, remains India's sole producer of lead and zinc concentrates, supporting major operations by Hindustan Zinc Limited.[36] Industrial minerals and dimension stones, such as marble from Makrana quarries, granite, quartzite, and mica, are extracted from metamorphic terrains, contributing to construction and export sectors. Phosphorite occurrences in Aravalli sequences and gold anomalies in southeastern shear zones indicate untapped potential, though exploration is constrained by regulatory bans on mining in ecologically sensitive notified areas since 2004.[37] Overall, the region's metallogenic endowment stems from Proterozoic tectonic evolution, with resources valued for their scale but challenged by environmental and metamorphic complexities affecting ore recovery.[32]Economic Role
Historical Mining and Resource Extraction
The Aravalli Range has hosted mining activities for over 2,500 years, primarily targeting base metals such as copper, zinc, and lead, with evidence of prehistoric and ancient extraction techniques including open-pit workings and rudimentary smelting.[38][39] Slag heaps and ancient mine shafts in the Khetri belt indicate early copper exploitation dating to at least the 5th century BCE, where ores were processed using basic furnaces to produce metal for tools and artifacts.[39][40] In the Zawar district, zinc and lead mining represents one of the earliest known large-scale operations globally, commencing around 750 BCE and continuing through the Mauryan era (circa 322–185 BCE), where zinc oxide was primarily extracted from sphalerite ores via roasting and distillation in retorts.[41][38] These deposits, hosted in dolomitic formations of the Aravalli Supergroup, yielded metals exported to regions including Europe for brass production and coinage, with medieval advancements enabling pure zinc metal extraction using advanced vapor condensation methods preserved in situ furnaces.[41][42] Copper mining in the Khetri area, part of an 80 km metallogenetic province in the Delhi Supergroup, featured iron oxide copper-gold mineralization exploited over 2,000 years ago, as evidenced by extensive slag accumulations and ore remnants signaling organized prehistoric metallurgy.[43][44] Lead-zinc occurrences at sites like Mochia and Balaria complemented these efforts, with tectonic remobilization of sedimentary-exhalative ores facilitating accessible deposits that sustained regional economies until modern nationalization in the 20th century.[42][45] Historical extraction also included non-metallic resources like marble and mica from the range's Precambrian formations, quarried since antiquity for construction and ornamental uses, though base metal operations dominated due to the range's Proterozoic rift-related mineralization.[46] These activities, while foundational to ancient Indian metallurgy, relied on labor-intensive methods without mechanization, limiting scale until colonial surveys in the 19th century documented revenues from sites like Zawar.[47]Modern Economic Contributions and Industries
The Aravalli Range sustains key extractive industries through its abundant mineral deposits, particularly in Rajasthan, where mining contributes to the state's industrial output representing 27.8% of its gross state domestic product. Zinc and lead extraction dominates, with the range hosting roughly 95% of India's zinc-lead resources concentrated in sediment-hosted deposits. The Rampura Agucha open-pit mine in Bhilwara district, embedded in the Aravalli's Precambrian fold belt, operates as the world's second-largest zinc-lead mine, featuring high-grade ores and substantial production capacity driven by stratiform mineralization.[32][48] Limestone quarrying fuels Rajasthan's cement sector, home to 24 major plants with a combined capacity of 55 million tonnes per annum, leveraging the state's 26% share of India's proven limestone reserves from Aravalli-associated formations suitable for cement-grade material.[49] Dimension stone industries thrive on the range's granite and marble outcrops, supporting Rajasthan's position as a leading producer for construction and export markets, where quarrying operations process materials for residential, commercial, and infrastructural applications across India. These activities generate employment in processing and transport, though output is modulated by geological variability and regulatory oversight to curb overexploitation. Marble and granite from Aravalli-adjacent sites contribute to the state's mineral economy, with Rajasthan ranking high in non-metallic mineral production value.[50] Tourism emerges as a non-extractive economic pillar, centered on Mount Abu, Rajasthan's only hill station at 1,720 meters elevation within the southern Aravalli, drawing visitors for its lakes, temples, and forested hills that enable nature-based activities like trekking and wildlife viewing. This sector provides livelihoods through hospitality, guiding, and handicrafts, with eco-tourism initiatives enhancing local income via habitat-linked enterprises. Integrated into Rajasthan's broader tourism framework—which constitutes approximately 15% of the state's GDP and a market valued at USD 26.2 billion—Aravalli sites like Mount Abu amplify revenue from domestic and international arrivals, particularly weekend getaways.[51][52][53]Human History
Prehistoric Archaeological Evidence
The Aravalli Range preserves evidence of early human activity from the Lower Paleolithic period, primarily documented in the northern hills of Haryana near the Delhi border. At Mangar Bani, a forested site spanning approximately 5,000 hectares, archaeologists have recovered nearly 200 stone artifacts, including handaxes, cleavers, and pebble, core, and flake-based tools characteristic of the Acheulian industry.[54][55] These tools, used for butchering, scraping, and sharpening, indicate a tool-making workshop or "factory site" associated with hunter-gatherer lifestyles, with preliminary estimates placing their age between 200,000 and 500,000 years ago based on stratigraphic context and planned thermoluminescence dating.[54] The discoveries were led by a team including SB Ota of the Association for the Advancement of Heritage Research and Training (AAHRT) and researchers from the Centre for Exploration and Documentation of the Archaic Record (CEDAR).[54] Rock shelters and caves in the Mangar Bani area, including nearby locales such as Damdama, Roj Ka Gujjar, Shilakheri, Dhauj, and Kot, yield Upper Paleolithic evidence in the form of rock paintings and engravings. These artworks, executed mainly in ocher with some in white, feature line drawings of animals, human figures, foliage, geometric shapes, and cup marks, suggesting ritual or symbolic purposes akin to those at Bhimbetka rock shelters.[56][55] Estimated at over 20,000 years old—potentially from the late Stone Age or Upper Paleolithic—the paintings represent the first such prehistoric art identified in the Aravalli hills, with formal dating pending via carbon radiometric methods and accelerator mass spectrometry.[56] Initial surveys were conducted by Haryana Department of Archaeology officials, including Banani Bhattacharya, in collaboration with local researchers.[56] Stratigraphic layers at these sites indicate continuous occupation from the Paleolithic through possibly the Mesolithic era, extending up to 100,000 years before present in some contexts, though Mesolithic microliths remain less densely documented within the core range compared to adjacent Rajasthan plains.[55] In Rajasthan's portions of the Aravalli, such as Alwar district, scattered Mesolithic evidence includes microlithic tools amid quartzite formations, reflecting post-Paleolithic adaptations, but these await comprehensive excavation to confirm direct range association.[57] Overall, Mangar Bani stands as one of the largest Paleolithic complexes in the Indian subcontinent, highlighting the range's role in early hominin migration and resource exploitation amid its ancient geological stability.[55]Ancient Civilizations and Cultural Developments
The Aravalli Range exhibits evidence of early human occupation dating to the Paleolithic era, with stone tools unearthed at Mangar Bani in Haryana indicating a tool-making workshop used by hominins approximately 500,000 years ago. These artifacts, including flakes and cores, suggest sustained activity in resource extraction and processing amid the range's mineral-rich terrain. Additionally, rock shelters in the Aravalli foothills contain paintings estimated at over 20,000 years old, featuring geometric motifs and possibly hunting scenes that reflect rudimentary symbolic or ritualistic expression among prehistoric communities. Such findings underscore the range's role as a habitat for hunter-gatherers leveraging its quartzite outcrops and water sources for survival. In the Chalcolithic period, from circa 3000 to 1500 BCE, the Ahar-Banas culture emerged in southeastern Rajasthan along the Banas and Berach rivers, directly exploiting Aravalli copper ores for crafting axes, fish hooks, and other implements. This society, identified by its distinctive black-and-red ware pottery often bearing linear incisions, maintained semi-permanent villages supported by mixed subsistence: dry farming of barley and wheat, cattle herding, and seasonal hunting supplemented by wild grains. Metallurgical advancements, evidenced by slag and furnace remains at sites like Ahar, highlight localized smelting techniques that transitioned communities from stone to copper tools, fostering technological continuity in the region. The Aravalli's mineral wealth likely extended its influence to contemporaneous networks, with isotopic analysis of artifacts indicating that Khetri belt ores supplied up to significant portions of the Indus Valley Civilization's copper demand during the 3rd millennium BCE. Seals and terracotta impressions from Ahar-Banas sites suggest emerging administrative or trade mechanisms, potentially bridging local pastoral economies with broader exchange systems without implying direct cultural assimilation. These developments laid foundational patterns for resource-based societies, though the culture's persistence alongside declining Indus sites points to adaptive resilience rather than dependency.[58]Environmental Functions
Hydrological and Climatic Influences
The Aravalli Range acts as a primary watershed divide in northwestern India, separating drainage basins of rivers flowing westward into the Arabian Sea and Rann of Kutch from those draining eastward toward the Bay of Bengal via the Ganga system. Westward rivers, such as the Luni, originate from the range's western slopes and support arid ecosystems in western Rajasthan, while eastward tributaries like the Banas and Chambal sustain agriculture in eastern Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. This division critically influences regional water availability, with the range's topography facilitating groundwater recharge through seasonal streams fed by its forests and natural depressions.[59][7] Climatically, the range's north-south alignment guides attenuated southwest monsoon currents eastward, enhancing precipitation in sub-Himalayan areas like Shimla and Nainital and thereby supporting those regions' river systems. It serves as a natural barrier mitigating the Thar Desert's eastward encroachment into fertile Indo-Gangetic plains, which moderates temperature extremes and dust propagation in adjacent lowlands. Localized orographic lift in the northeastern Aravalli sectors results in marginally higher rainfall compared to surrounding semi-arid zones, where annual precipitation typically ranges from 300-600 mm, predominantly during June-September. Degradation from mining and deforestation, however, has diminished these functions, leading to drying rivers and intensified drought vulnerability.[60][7][61]Role as Natural Barrier
The Aravalli Range serves as a critical geographical divide between the Thar Desert in the west and the Indo-Gangetic Plains in the east, spanning approximately 700 kilometers from Gujarat to Delhi and Haryana.[62] This positioning checks the westward advance of monsoon clouds toward the lower Himalayas while forming a frontier that halts the migration of desert sands into agriculturally productive regions of eastern Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat.[8][5] By stabilizing soil and vegetation cover, the range mitigates soil erosion and sand encroachment, preserving fertile alluvial soils eastward.[63] Climatically, the Aravallis contribute to north India's weather patterns by partially obstructing southwest monsoon currents, resulting in a rain shadow effect that exacerbates aridity on the western slopes while allowing relatively higher precipitation on the eastern flanks.[5] This barrier function extends to reducing the frequency and intensity of dust storms originating from the Thar, thereby protecting air quality and agricultural productivity in adjacent plains.[64] Restoration initiatives, such as the Aravalli Green Wall Project launched in 2023, underscore this role by aiming to regenerate over 800,000 hectares of degraded landscape to reinforce the ecosystem's capacity against desertification.[62][65] Ecologically, the range's fragmented hills and ridges act as a green wall, fostering biodiversity gradients from xerophytic western scrub to more mesic eastern forests, which in turn bolster hydrological recharge and prevent habitat homogenization.[66] Government assessments from 2018-2019 highlight that without this natural impediment, land degradation patterns could accelerate, with over 20% of the range already showing vulnerability to eastward desert spread.[8]Ecology
Flora and Vegetation Types
The Aravalli Range hosts vegetation adapted to a semi-arid climate with annual rainfall typically ranging from 300 to 600 mm, resulting in predominantly dry deciduous and thorn scrub formations. Under the Champion and Seth classification, these align with Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests (Group 5B, subgroup C2: Northern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forest) on better-watered slopes and plateaus, and Northern Tropical Thorn Forests (Group 6B, subgroup C1) in drier, rocky exposures.[67][14] Dry deciduous types shed leaves during prolonged dry seasons to conserve water, while thorn scrubs feature xerophytic species with spines for defense against herbivory and desiccation. In Northern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forests, Anogeissus pendula (dhok) dominates, forming extensive stands on shallow, rocky soils, often comprising up to 60-70% of the canopy in undisturbed patches; it is drought-resistant with thick bark protecting against fire.[14] Associated species include Butea monosperma (palash), valued for its vibrant red flowers and timber, Mitragyna parvifolia (kaim), and Acacia catechu (khair), which contributes to soil nitrogen fixation.[68] These forests exhibit moderate diversity, with tree density averaging 200-400 stems per hectare in Haryana segments, though human disturbances reduce basal area.[69] Thorn scrub communities prevail in the arid lowlands and exposed ridges, characterized by scattered trees and dense undergrowth of spiny shrubs. Key species encompass Prosopis cineraria (khejri), a resilient leguminous tree providing fodder and fuel, Acacia nilotica (babul), and Capparis decidua (kair), which thrive on sandy substrates and support local livelihoods through edible fruits.[7] Shrubs like Carissa spinarum (jungli karonda) and Capparis sepiaria add to the thorny matrix, enhancing erosion control on slopes.[14] Southern extensions, such as around Mount Abu, transition to slightly moister Southern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forests with species like Boswellia serrata (salar) and Anogeissus sericea, reflecting orographic rainfall influences up to 1,700 mm annually.[70] Grasslands interspersed with these formations feature Cynodon dactylon and other Poaceae, serving as fire-prone understories that regenerate post-monsoon. Overall floristic richness includes over 80 native species in surveyed plots, with Fabaceae and Asteraceae prominent, though endemic elements remain understudied amid fragmentation pressures.[71][72]Fauna and Biodiversity
The Aravalli Range harbors diverse mammalian fauna, including leopards (Panthera pardus), sloth bears (Melursus ursinus), sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), wild boar (Sus scrofa), and chinkara (Gazella bennettii) in areas like Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary. Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), jackals (Canis aureus), striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena), jungle cats (Felis chaus), and civets are also prevalent across the range's fragmented habitats.[7] In Sariska Tiger Reserve, reintroduced Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) coexist with leopards, caracals (Caracal caracal), and fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus), though populations remain vulnerable due to poaching and habitat loss.[73] Avian biodiversity is significant, with Mount Abu supporting over 250 bird species, including peafowl (Pavo cristatus), Indian pitta (Pitta brachyura), and white-rumped vultures (Gyps bengalensis), the latter classified as critically endangered by the IUCN. Sariska hosts around 300 resident and migratory birds, such as painted spurfowl (Galloperdix lunulata), Aravalli red spurfowl, and common sandgrouse (Pterocles senegallus), contributing to the range's role as a migratory corridor.[73] The endangered Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) has been recorded in parts of the Aravalli landscape, underscoring its importance for threatened avifauna.[74] Reptilian species include Indian monitor lizards (Varanus bengalensis), various snakes, and crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris) in aquatic habitats within Sariska.[7] [73] Overall biodiversity encompasses smaller mammals like ruddy mongooses (Aherpestes smithii) and honey badgers (Mellivora capensis) in northern Aravalli forests, with surveys indicating 15 mammal species in Gurugram-Faridabad areas alone.[75] While no strictly endemic large mammals are known, the range's dry deciduous and thorn forests sustain ecological niches for arid-adapted species, though fragmentation limits population viability.[7]Wildlife Corridors and Protected Reserves
The Aravalli Range hosts several protected areas designated to conserve its biodiversity amid habitat fragmentation. Sariska Tiger Reserve, located in Rajasthan's Alwar district, spans 1,203 square kilometers across the Aravalli hills, with a core area of 881 square kilometers and a buffer zone of 322 square kilometers; established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1955, it supports tigers, leopards, and sambar deer in dry deciduous forests and grasslands.[76][77] Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, covering 289 square kilometers in Sirohi district, protects subtropical evergreen forests and harbors leopards, sloth bears, and over 800 plant species; it was notified in 1980 to safeguard endemic flora and fauna in the range's southern highlands.[78] Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary extends over 610 square kilometers in the Aravalli tracts of Rajsamand, Udaipur, and Pali districts, featuring hilly terrain that sustains leopards, wolves, and diverse ungulates.[79][80]| Protected Area | Location | Area (sq km) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sariska Tiger Reserve | Alwar, Rajasthan | 1,203 | Tigers, dry deciduous forests, established 1955 as sanctuary[76] |
| Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary | Sirohi, Rajasthan | 289 | Leopards, subtropical evergreen forests, notified 1980 |
| Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary | Rajsamand/Udaipur/Pali, Rajasthan | 610 | Wolves, hilly Aravalli terrain, biodiversity hotspot[79] |