Wildlife of Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve: Tigers, Leopards, Sloth Bears & Birds

The Tiger Reintroduction Story

Mukundra is only the third site in India, after Sariska and Panna, where tigers have been deliberately reintroduced into a reserve that had lost them. The programme began in April 2018, when a young male from Ranthambore, RT-91, was relocated and renamed MT-1. A tigress, T-106, followed in December 2018 as MT-2. In February 2019, a male known as T-98 made the journey on his own, walking roughly 120 km from Ranthambore to Mukundra and becoming MT-3. A fourth tiger, T-83 — known in Ranthambore as Lightning — was brought in as MT-4 in April 2019 to give MT-3 a companion.

The following years were difficult. A series of deaths and management setbacks meant the population never grew as hoped, and by December 2024 only one male and one female tiger remained in the reserve. The turnaround began through 2025 and early 2026, when coordinated conservation efforts — including a translocation championed by Lok Sabha Speaker and Kota-region MP Om Birla — brought a four-year-old male, T-2408, into the reserve in January 2026. That arrival took the total to six tigers: two males, three females and one cub, and revived what officials describe as a historic Hadoti tiger corridor linking Mukundra with the neighbouring Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve in Bundi district, itself declared India's 52nd tiger reserve.

Leopards, Sloth Bears & Other Predators

While the reserve's tigers remain concentrated in specific pockets, leopards and sloth bears are genuinely common across Mukundra, including in the Borabas Range now open to safaris. Striped hyena, golden jackal, Indian wolf and jungle cat round out the predator list, giving the reserve a livelier general wildlife-sighting record than its tiger numbers alone would suggest.

Deer, Antelope & Other Herbivores

Sambar and chital (spotted deer) frequent the forest edges and water sources, while nilgai (blue bull) and chinkara are common across the drier, more open stretches. The four-horned antelope, or chausingha, one of the more unusual ungulates found in Indian forests, is also present in the reserve.

Birdlife

The lakes, wetlands and river stretches within Mukundra attract a strong seasonal cast of migratory birds each winter, including grey pelicans, bar-headed geese, ruddy shelduck and greylag geese, alongside migratory cuckoos, paradise flycatchers and golden orioles. Resident raptors and vultures are found around the rockier stretches near Ranthambore Fort-style cliff country, making the reserve a worthwhile stop for birders travelling through the region between October and March.

Flora and Landscape

The forest is dry deciduous, dominated by dhok trees and mixed with sheesham, salar, khair, arjun, ficus, gurjan and belimali. Seasonal waterfalls, including Geparnath, Padajhar and Garadia Mahadev, add pockets of green through and after the monsoon, feeding the streams and rock pools that draw wildlife close to the safari routes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tigers are in Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve?

As of early 2026, the reserve holds six tigers: two males, three females and one cub, following the January 2026 translocation of a male tiger from Ranthambore.

What is more likely to be seen on safari — tigers or leopards?

Leopards and sloth bears are considerably more common than tigers across most of Mukundra's safari-accessible zones, including the Borabas Range, so travelers should set expectations accordingly.