RANTHAMBORE Sambar deer in Ranthambore
Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor): Forest and lake edges; wades into Padam Talao and Rajbagh to feed on water weed.
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In one line: Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) — IUCN Red List: Vulnerable. Forest and lake edges; wades into Padam Talao and Rajbagh to feed on water weed.
| Scientific name | Rusa unicolor |
| IUCN status (global) | Vulnerable |
| Legal protection in India | Schedule III. |
| Where our guides see it most | zone 3 (Padam Talao and Rajbagh), zone 4 (Malik Talao and Lakarda), zone 2 (Phuta Kot and the waterholes) |
“Where our guides see it most” is a habitat pattern from our own safaris in recent seasons, not a live location. Content checked 4 November 2026.
Identification
India’s largest deer: dark brown, shaggy, stags with three-tined antlers; 150–300 kg.
Habitat in Ranthambore
Forest and lake edges; wades into Padam Talao and Rajbagh to feed on water weed.
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Check my date on WhatsAppBehaviour
The tiger’s main prey here; alarm call is a loud bark that guides listen for.
When to look
Every drive; wading in the lakes in the heat.
Worth knowing
India’s largest deer; stags carry three-tined antlers.
Sold out online? Ask us. We book from the daily current and tatkal quotas, and you pay only after we confirm availability, with a full refund if the permit can’t be issued.
Check my date on WhatsAppPhotography
Sambar in the mist on Padam Talao is a classic winter-morning frame.
Conservation
Schedule III. Status is the IUCN Red List global category; it describes the species worldwide, not the Ranthambore population.
Questions
Why do guides listen for sambar?
Its loud bark is an alarm call that often means a tiger or leopard is moving nearby.
Other wildlife of Ranthambore
Bengal tiger · Indian leopard · Sloth bear · Striped hyena · Golden jackal · Mugger (marsh crocodile) · Chital (spotted deer) · Nilgai (blue bull) · Wild boar · Chinkara (Indian gazelle) · Hanuman langur · Red-headed vulture · Indian peafowl · Caracal
Dated sightings archive
Verified entries for this species from our sightings archive: dated, zone-level, sourced. Not a live position.
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Sources and how we know
Species facts follow standard references (IUCN Red List, the Wildlife Institute of India and NTCA status reports). “Where our guides see it most” is our drivers’ own experience from recent seasons: a habitat pattern, never a live location or a promise.
- Research IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global categories)
- Research Status of Tigers in India 2022: summary report (NTCA and Wildlife Institute of India)
- Official National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Government of India
- Official Rajasthan Forest Department
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