Monday, October 26, 2015

Tiger Safari: Rumble in The Jungle

Guests Mary & Andrew UK

Enthusiasm is the key to enjoying nature in the confines of dense forests. 

"We have come to enjoy all and make our holiday a big success," Mary said. "It's just not tiger, we wish to go back with happy memories," she continued.       

The evening was fun as we sat near the fireplace enjoying our sundowners, and the starry night at Courtyard House Kanha in Central India.   

As it was to be, we came across many birds, bison, and deer, and the guest enjoyed the landscape too. They were clicking nature's bounty with amazing finesse. Being amateur photographers they were well-versed in photography.

Hot and Spicy Food went down well with them ."A bit too much but we will bear it". "Ha! Ha". I was amused,  they were being sporty. Nevertheless wonderful evenings, amazing soups, and titbits with beer and my rum.    

One day too we did come across the tiger in the dense canopy of the Kanha Zone. "Sleeping like a drugged fellow", I whispered. "Well, a tiger lies there."    

Then what followed in the following evening was amazing.   

"A leopard went in the bush just now," excited tourists on the jeep informed us. "Wow"! We missed it or did we?
Ruddy Mongoose

Indian Roller
We drove a few yards ahead and waited. "It seems to have proceeded further into the jungle," the guide said with dismay. "No wait, "I said. The big cat may be lurking in the bush, I thought. And it was. : Like a peeping Tom it came out cautiously and looked straight at us. 

Sleeping Tiger
The mellow flare of the setting sun made it appear golden red as it came out in the open looking curiously at us. It was cautious and as we neared it went back into the bush. Well, it came out again and our guests could take more photos.  A great spectacle indeed.   

Jackal
Next Evening. 

Munna Tiger
Munna Looking at Us
Munna Male Tige r
Then came the big bounty. While returning from Sarhi Zone, Santosh our driver spotted tracks of a big male. "Turn around," I said.  
Nice Place to Spray

Munna as usual was ambling around at a leisurely pace with a bunch of jeeps in tow. That was it, a safari made holistic and exciting.


Scaly Bellied Munia 






Peeping Leopard
We came across many delights as you can see from the images Thanks to Mary & Andrew.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Tiger Safari Part II - 2015

Central India

On first of October the park safari reopened after the monsoon period. This year the safari opened fifteen days earlier. The reschedule took place upon insistence of the hoteliers. Some changes in the entry permits were to be brought in but that has not happened so far. One of the proposal is for booking gate entry on three times the charge for those unable to secure it.   

The year 2015 has brought about a shift in the way we conduct the safaris. The buffer zone tourism has been a major addition allowing tourists some extra space. At Bandhavgarh off season safaris have brought in extra visitors for the benefit of the hoteliers as well as the jeep owners and the staff.   

Night safaris at Pench and Satpura have opened doors for the visitors to experience yet another aspect of the forests. The excursions in the night would offer sightings of lesser seen nocturnal animals like the pangolin, civets, porcupine, wolf, leopards etc. Kanha National Park does not offer the night safaris yet but plans are afoot.  

The government plans to create large enclosures to keep stray and offensive tigers and leopards within. Hence these enclosures would also act as safari and possibly offer easy sightings of the big cats. The tigers and leopards with propensity to attack humans will be caged in here.   

After the closure of tiger show this will be good for tourism as the possibility of sighting big cats would be facilitated easily. The enclosure would also assist in rehabilitating some of them after a period of watch. 

These changes suggest that the mindset has changed and controlled tourism is looked at favorable. As it should be!




Male Tiger: Photo Credits Anshuman Singh