Bandhavgarh Niche Habitat

For regular visitors to Bandhavgarh appears to be pristine forests and grasslands but if you notice the niche habitats it will create a liking for the National Park. Niche habitats bring a deeper understanding of the Bandhavgarh ecosystem works.   On my tiger safaris, I always keep an eye on unique intrigue. These niche habitats add to the charismatic beauty of the park.

Sidha Baba

In the Chakradhara swampy meadow, the holy site of Lord Shiva Lingam is first to greet you it is called Sidh Baba. This is the frequented by the tigers on the hunt favored by the slush created.  Tourists and guides often stop here to pray to Shiva. The Shiva lingam dates back 2000 years and is perhaps as old as the fort at the top.

Chakradhara Meadow

Chkradhara is a swampy grassland and is close to Charanganga River this is the finest example of a marshy meadow. The swamp grassland is frequented by the prey species which are often hunted by the hungry tigers here. This offers an ideal moment to film or photograph the hunted and the hunter encounters. There is a stream at one side of the grassland which is the rivulet that is perennial and the big cats come to rest here in the cool shade in the hot summer. 

Gopalpur Pond

If you wish to spot water and shore birds This is an ideal place and you can also watch the Palearctic migrants that land here in the winter. This is a favorite pond for the big cats during the hot summer and they come to rest here. Many big cats and other wild animals have made Gopalpur pond their regular haunt. You can see interesting wildlife if you wait here silently. 

Badi Gufa – The Big Cave

For bat lovers, this is the best multi-chambered cave. you can see the Brahmi script etched on the walls of the cave that acted as court chambers in the 10th Century AD. The walls contain a colony of bats hanging upside down as they usually do. The cave is grilled so wild animals do not enter.

Sesh Shayya

The reclining idol of Lord Vishnu is carved out of an igneous rock that is 20 feet long. The pool on the right is inundated by trickles from the mountain River Charanganga that seep downs from Bandhavgarh Hill. The surrounding canopy comprises dense thickets of shrubs and is an ideal breeding ground for the big cats.

Ketkiya Breaks (Aromatic Kewara)

 

The aromatic Kewara plants have a distinct niche habitat. The tall stands of Arjun and Jamun Trees act as shade from the Sun and encourage the growth of the shrubs.

Bhitari Bah Niche Habitat

Fed by Bhitari rivulet the slush formation is supported by grass and a thicket of dense herbs. The niche is supported by tall trees.  The d grassland is preferred by the herbivores to forage giving ample opportunity for big cats to hunt. This spot is frequented by herbivores and big cats hide in the tickets to hunt for them.

Sita Mandap (Stone Arch)

The arch is a unique geological formation due to erosions under which water flows. A number of rock and cave formations give the place a unique importance. Though closed to visitors one can look down from the top to sight the big cats arriving here to drink. This tigers inhabit is inaccessible to tourists.

Bandhavgarh National Park abounds in niche habitats throughout the park. An extensive survey of Bandhavgarh could result in amazing finds. The formation of Bandhavgarh National Park and its declaration as a protected area under the wildlife protection act 1972 has been a big boon.

All the wonderful geologic formations add to make tiger safari interesting and exciting. One must visit the park on safari. Please remember to book the safari permit online before you arrive.  Bandhavgarh can be reached from Jabalpur Airport after driving 170 kilometers.

==========================

Uday has worked as a naturalist and loves to write about tigers and other wildlife forms. He also provides SEO Services and Content for Digital Marketing. He can be contacted at :

pateluday90@hotmail.com

Mob/Watsapp: 9755089323

Tadoba a Place of Exciting Safaris Where Taru & The Tiger are Worshipped

Of Tribal & Tiger 

There is a huge assemblage of the tribal at the shrine of Taru, a legendary figure who sacrificed his life fighting a tiger. The assemblage at the shrine takes place during the Hindu month of Pausha.  The shrine lies under a large tree at Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and is venerated by one and all. 

Photo Tadoba Tiger Reserve

The reserve was once ruled by the Gond Tribal worshippers of Lord Shiva and local deities. Like all indigenous people's inclination for nature, nature worship is hence common among the tribal, but it is based on sound logic and promotes nature conservation. 

For eons, since humans arrived or evolved on Earth, the locals have been living at Tadoba in perfect harmony with the tigers and other wild inhabitants. Man-animal conflict in tiger habitats of India is minimal and on most occasions accidental or due to rare cases of a mental aberration among wild animals. 

Humans are injured or killed but the incidences are far less or negligible when compared with any other cause of death. At Tadoba humanity has engulfed the ecosystem, and there are frequent cases of infringement bringing the animals and man too close for comfort. However, the tourists are completely safe and can enjoy the tiger landscape on safari holidays and go back unscathed. Ha!   

Tadoba Tiger Landscape (TATR) in Chaimur Hills

TATR is an amalgamation of the Tadoba and Andhari forests near Chandrapur District in the State of Maharashtra. The Andhari River (Wainganga Basin) is the lifeline of the ecosystem along with many other wetlands. A large Tadoba Lake separates the forests from the farmlands in the southwest acting as a natural wall of protection from human interference.   

The National Park is also a tiger reserve under Project Tiger a program to save the endangered big cats. But along with the conservation of the big cats, the ecosystem as a whole and all wild animals in a particular benefit the most. The area of the reserve is 625 sq. km plus, but a large extent of surrounding dense forests and scrub holds incredible wildlife and equally good sighting of tigers and leopards takes place outside the core.  

The tropical dry deciduous forests create a magical tapestry of green in the tiger landscape. Unlike Kanha and Bandhavgarh, Sal does not dominate here being a mixed forest, but Saj and its associates are found in abundance in areas with thick crown cover besides bamboo and grasslands.  Harwood Teak dominates, but other species found here are semal, dhawa, bija, jamun, tendu, tinsa, ber, pipal, banyan,  mahua, hirda, gurar, salai, arjun, palas and karaya gum to name a few.  

One of the notable floral elements found here is kach katchauli a climber that grows extensively in the park. It is used for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. 

Tiger Biodiversity Jewel at TATR 

Tiger! Well, for the uninitiated the mention always slithers down from fables, poems, songs, fictional stories, hunting books, myths, and lore.  Projected as an oversized predator with huge claws, deadly long canines, and a nasty roar Grrrrrrr, the animal is also associated with magical power and unmatchable strength. We see it as a deadly man-killer or man-eater always after human blood. Shikaris or hunters always justified the mass killing of this predator on the basis described above.     

Nothing stands far from the truth. The tiger is an apex predator part of forest and grassland ecosystems in India. It is a tertial carnivore along with the leopard and at some places like Nauradehi Tiger Reserve with the wolf. It is extremely wary of humans and in my experience frightened to the core. 

We are not in the food chain of this apex predator excluded by the fright of the two-legged merciless creature that walks erect for ages.  In preserves like Tadoba, a robust prey base is enough for the big cat to subsist on. All reserves in India focus on the prey base so large numbers of these predators can survive and live for eternity. 

Tiger at Tadoba

The prey base inhabiting the Tadoba is as follows;

• Sambar
• Chital
• Chausingha
• Barking Deer
• Wild Boars
• Nilgai
• Marsh Crocodile
• Hanuman or Gray Langur
• Rhesus Macaque
• Porcupine
• Civets
• Mongoose 
• Wild Dog (Co-predator)
• Leopard    (Co-predator)
• Jackal (Co-predator)
• Fox (Co-predator)

The last few can hardly be terms as prey base, but the big cats kill all life that moves. I have seen them chewing grass and eating sand probably to aid in digestion or to fulfill mineral deficiency.  With such a large prey base being conserved in India, man-killing is accidental or as described a rare instance of mental aberration. 

With over a hundred and fifteen tigers, the reserve offers one of the best chances to see the big cats in wild natural surroundings. A trip to Melghat, Pench, and Kanha National Parks can be organized in a package tour for Tadoba  Tiger Reserve or TATR. This will accord a greater wildlife experience and offer sightings of the Central Indian landscape. 

Birds of Tadoba

More than two hundred species of avian can be found at the National Park. The number includes Pale Arctic Migrants that arrive in the winter. 

Some of the noted species are:

• Paradise Flycatcher
• Peacock Pheasant
• Orange-headed thrush, 
• Golden Backed Woodpecker
•  Indian pitta, 
• Crested treeswift,
• Shama
• Alexandrine Parakeet
• White Rumped Vulture
• Egyptian Vulture
• Honey Buzzard
• Crested Serpent Eagle
• Crested Hawk Eagle
• White Eyed Buzzard
• Mottled Wood Owl
• Barn Owl
• Scops Owl
• Jungle Owlet
• Stone curlew
• Bronze-winged jacana
• Black-naped blue flycatcher 
• Brown Fish Owl
• Brown Cheeked Fulvetta
• Plum Headed Parakeet
• Wire Tailed Swallow
• Tickell's Flower Pecker
• Thick Billed Flowerpecker
• Hume's Warbler
• Greenish Warbler
• Paddyfield Warbler
• Booted Warbler
• Pipits
• Larks
• Nightjars 
  
  
  The list is endless please refer to a hand guide of Indian birds for reference to the region. 

How to Explore Tadoba on Tiger Safari?

TATR comes under the jurisdiction of the Maharashtra State Government. A permit is mandatory for excursions in the park. The safari can be booked online at: https://booking.mytadoba.org/safari/

Or you can request your package tour operator for Tadoba for game rides at Tadoba. He will also help organize your travel to the National Park. Please discuss all before making a tour.  

It is advisable to book a safari much in advance as entry may be limited. It is also advisable to book accommodations and make travel arrangements after your safari has been booked.  

===========================================================================

Uday has worked as a naturalist and loves to write about tigers and other wildlife forms. He also provides SEO Services and Content for Digital Marketing. He can be contacted at :

pateluday90@hotmail.com

Mob/Watsapp: 9755089323

Saving the sink precursor to the survival of the tigers in India

The Contingency & The PA Concept   

I remember my first visit to Kanha National Park in the early seventies. The Wildlife Protection Act was promulgated and thankfully the slaughter of our precious wildlife was brought to a much-needed end.  Although Kanha had received some form of protection right from the 18th Century onwards whence the British ruled India, the initiatives were limited and infallible. Nevertheless, Halon and Banjar Valley still supported sensitive wild species like the hard-ground swamp deer and the tiger at the commencement of the Project Tiger Program. This was the saving grace for future conservation initiatives, and the results have been spectacular.   

The year of my visit was perhaps 1972, and the tiger population in India had plummeted to below the 1400 mark perhaps from over 40,000 at the turn of the century. There seemed no recourse for the doomed species till the Project Tiger Program was initiated. After initial hiccups, the program is right back on the track with a population of the endangered carnivore over the 3000 mark.     

The Protected Areas have two components the inner inhabitable and inviolate core, and the outer buffer or the sink area as some conservationists refer to it. The PA and the reserves have delivered a yeomen's service with the active participation of wildlife managers and the sentinels. In a human-dominated conservation landscape, the exploitative nature of our species would have proved disastrous in the absence of the PAs and the WPA Act. 

*Note the human presence in the core is limited to the forest guards and their hutments a crucial protection feature. Regulated tourism subject to terms and conditions is allowed in 20% of the core area for the common people.   

Us & Them

Sensitive wild species need inviolate areas to breed and survive in an intact ecosystem small or big. Humans are notorious for destroying habitats that support wild species under one excuse or other, and even with judicial intervention albeit rarely. We have nearly lost all grasslands and wetlands in the country that are the first target of agrarian settlers and commercial exploiters.  The forests survived, however, limited in extent due to the immense spread and not due to our sagacity. 

We have come to own the Earth with no consideration for other life forms, and the environment as whole. The destruction of wetlands, forests, and savannahs,  the chaos as regards marine conservation, and the pollution ensuing from unchecked use of fossil fuels all are precursors to species extinction and the global warming that is wreaking havoc in the contemporary era. If this continues human extinction could be imminent. This is not a speculation, an equilibrium the Earth's environment maintains is crucial for our survival and it is unfortunately extremely fragile.   

Early Years

A dilapidated and pockmarked single metal road in the interiors led to the park from Chiraidongri township in Mandla District. All around the roads were dark smokey hamlets with tiled or thatched roofs far removed from the modern amenities that were developing in urban India, the people were poverty-stricken, isolated, and living in the absolute past. I still recall the solitude and the smell of fire woods and the staid humble faces (mostly tribal) that stared at us in absolute consternation. Wilderness was to them a natural phenomenon there was nothing exotic about it like it was to us who were at the turn of the century far removed from the inheritance. This critical inheritance is not only the prerogative of the local forest-dwelling communities it belongs to all Indians.    

In that era I was armed with little knowledge of how the ecosystem and its components worked, the wilderness was a frightening prospect of an encounter with the ferocious big cats of unimaginable proportions. These misconceptions were thankfully erased from any reckoning as I grew up and tourism was the major interpreter.  Despite having many detractors, ecotourism creates awareness and respect for our inheritance and a large human population is better endowed with the knowledge of the precious wilderness nowadays.  

Tiger visibility has increased considerably as compared to the seventies a conservation succes yardstick.

Wildlife Protection Act 1972 & Formation of the Protected Areas 

An alert Prime Minister passionate about the country's inheritance was at the forefront of nature conservation, a much-needed reprieve after the years of slaughter by the elites and the poachers.  Hon. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi invited those at the helm of forestry and conservation like Mr. Kailash Sankhala and the Wildlife Protection Act was formulated that made the hunting of scheduled wild animals an offense and invites punitive measures. The WPA 1972 formed the bulwark against wildlife offenses besides supporting the legal framework as an aid to the dedicated wildlife managers and the staff at the helm.   

Project Tiger 

There were initial failures as it took time to comprehend how the international poaching and illegal trade network worked with the local complicit in India.  An inaccurate consensus also led to fatal complacency. Despite the launch of the program, the numbers had not increased during the period post-initiation, and then the mass slaughter of the tigers at Panna and Sariska Reserves was a shocking disclosure of the ineptitude of the whole exercise. The country's legal system sometimes is lax on criminals due to the age-old framework. It provided loopholes to established and well-known unlawful wildlife parts traders like Sansar Chand who was most likely instrumental in these horrendous poaching incidences and the illegal wildlife trade. In the loop were some staff from the forest department and the local poachers. 

The stories made headlines globally, and a shocked department began to reshuffle the protection mechanism and subsequent best practices were inducted keeping in mind the vulnerability of poverty-stricken communities besides the habitual criminals. Due to constant vigilance, evolving conservation strategies, and initiatives the populations in the core of the tiger reserves have increased.  

Sink

Tigers are highly territorial predators with an established hierarchical order that is little understood. Being at the top of the food chain they are crucial indicator species that indicate the health of the country's remaining ecosystems designated as tiger reserves. 

Although the conservation initiatives in the seventies with subsequent reforms envisaged the coexistence of the wild species with humans this laid down principal at the present juncture is at best chimerical but with strong conservation ethos shaped during the Vedic Era rubbishing this phenomenon in its entirety would be foolhardy. The creation and designation of the core will remain inviolate and well preserved for eternity, and any dilution would be disastrous for not only the tiger but the whole ecosystem.   

But due to burgeoning human factors, the buffer or the outer area has been filtered out of stringent conservation measures and humans have some leeway here. Although recent amendments have been merciful on the extent of indulgence, and commercial activities at industrial levels have been prohibited subject to a distance from the core, the buffer zone encapsulates a larger area. As a matter of fact, it expands outside the limits of the buffer areas as designated.  

Tigers are limited by an inhabitable area a certain population dynamics prevails among them and this is universal.  Transient populations of young males, and the aging tigers unable to face competition move towards the periphery wherever substantial crown cover prevails. To this, we must add an intermediate population of the big cats which have naturally adopted the outer region by birth or due to population pressure. A swelling population of big cats expands the area of inhabitation, and this is limited only by the availability of habitable grounds.  

The Challenges 

Though tigers are often conditioned to the humans in the core to some extent the situation that prevails in the buffer is overwhelming. In absence of the right conservation initiatives and the protection mechanism, the survival of the big cat population will entirely be limited to a well-managed core.  

But is this enough? 

Managing the buffer or the sink area with sagacity and expeditiously is imperative. Frequent incidences of man-animal conflicts indicate a lack of well-planned strategies due to the bureaucratic lethargy and overwhelming complexities associated with that particular sink. The biggest culprit is the country's electoral system which has become populistic in nature.  The political interference in conservation and environmental protection is very much there.  The Forests Rights Act empowers the gram Sabahs to be active participants in conservation or the members at least have a say. Let's wait for the impact although people's participation is a welcoming initiative will this work in a heavily politicized environment?  

Most often it is the overwhelming complexities of a human-dominated environment that impacts conservation initiatives and the protection mechanism at work in the sink. 

Though the legal framework prohibits intense commercial activities some distance from the core, this will not be enough in the future whence the populations increase further. Extensive tiger landscape management has to be in place with equal emphasis before all is lost.  Framing and regulating land-use patterns and restrictions on activities is a management headache for the authorities with volatile public resentment in place with instances easily fomented by vote-hungry politicians. 

Although the protection mechanism is present in virtually all the tiger landscapes, the exigencies are not that evident, and frequent incidence of poaching, electrocution, wood logging, and unlawful expansion of agricultural fields besides the expansion of habitable areas prevails. These are the real challenges that forest management faces in the sink area.   

Infrastructure projects especially the liner development initiatives are cleared in the country without much consideration of immediate and long-term consequences. There is a fervent zeal to be counted among the advanced Nations. Although very little can be done regarding these interventions in the natural lands at least viability should be measured with greater emphasis. Alternatives like simple underpasses or over bridges have been favorable for animal migration without accidents. Similar alternatives should be in consideration as regards projects that will eventually be executed.      

Functional connectivity between forest patches in the buffer is of immediate concern since the expansion of urbanity in these areas is at a rapid pace.  The local communities have benefitted immensely from ecotourism in the reserve and that has resulted in higher income figures than in the past. With greater affluence, structural expansion is becoming evident as modern amenities creep in. Unfortunately, this is happening in most of the buffer zones due to rising income.  Shopping centers, restaurants, and service providers all are expanding their deliveries overtaking a larger area. This is leading to encroachment of the few viable habitats in the buffer. The tigers and the prey base will be forced to saturate the core leading to unnatural conflicts between the big cats and the prey base. 

Nature controls stressful existence with the reduction in population in the wild. Thus, sooner than later the domino effect will result in plummeting of the tiger population once again this time due to a faulty system in place.

Tigers need large habitable forests and grasslands to survive small inviolate cores will not be functional as populations rise. This is the challenge wildlife managers and policymakers will have to deal with in near future.  

The next big challenge being faced is that of corridor creation and management. Corridors are not just conduits for animal migration they could hold a stable population of wild animals as well hence land-use patterns and conflict management is very much applicable to these vital passages. 

Read More: Tiger Poaching is not Man Animal Conflict

======================================

Uday has worked as a naturalist for a number of years at Kanha National Park in Central India. He is fond of writing on conservation issues for the common man. 

Uday works as SEO for Digital Marketing and Content Writer. He also teaches digital marketing in Jabalpur. He is closely connected to nature as a naturalist.    

He can be contacted at:

Mob/Wattsapp: 09755089323

pateluday90@hotmail.com

Bandhavgarh Deserves to be a World Heritage Tiger Reserve

Bandhavgarh National Park UNESCO Heritage Probable 

The purpose of designating a reserve as a UNESCO Heritage Site is to highlight the conservation impetus, and sustainable usage of natural resources, and acknowledge the harmonious existence of humanity in the surroundings. 

In the year 2020, one of our tiger reserves at Panna was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Biosphere Reserve. Though rightly placed in the global network of biospheres the buck should not stop here. Another of our amazing tiger reserves Bandhavgarh National Park also situated in Madhya Pradesh is deserving the same status. The 1500 sq. km reserve holds more than eighty tigers and is home to enchanting Central Indian mammalian and reptilian species. More than 250 avian species are found here. 

Under the aegis of Project Tiger, Bandhavgarh as a biodiversity hub has an excellent record of tiger conservation in India. The ecosystem was declared a National Park in the year 1968 and subsequently declared a tiger reserve in the year  1993. The erstwhile hunting reserve of the Maharajahs of Rewa is one of the most popular tiger landscapes in India. Not only famous for the tiger the reserve encapsulates an amazing storehouse of architectural remains that depict Hinduism in India.    

A fragmented corridor exists between Sanjay Dubri National Park and Bandhavgarh. The former is a reserve where the World's first and only white tiger was discovered by the Maharajah of Rewa.  It is one hours drive by road. 

Story of Ancient Tribal Civilization  

The central structure is the fort complex with the main edifice in complete ruins. Yes, the fort has crumbled with the passage of time to naught. Much remains in the complex to intrigue and enchant visitors. Unfortunately, the fort has no archeological status of historical worth since a visit to the fort complex is barred due to rules that govern excursions or safari in the reserve.

No effort has been made to accord the status of a separate entity to the historical fort that is a place of religious significance as well for the Hindus. Visitors are not allowed here but on some religious occasions, Hindus are allowed to trek on foot to the fort's confines. It is a strenuous trek of 11 km on a rugged jungle road inhabited by tigers. 

From the foothill of the Bandhavgarh Mountain (800 MSL), a steep climb takes visitors on a jeep to Sesh Shaiyaa or reclining Vishnu. A reclining idol carved out of igneous rocks situated amongst a fairy pool surrounded by a grove is a mesmerizing spectacle. A place where battle-worn soldiers on horseback came to rest under the cool shade. Even in hot summers, the place remains cool and shady. The fort as the name suggests is a gift by Lord Rama to brother Laxman. A Ram Laxman Janki Temple is situated on the tabletop and is manned by a priest who arrives here almost every day to pray.   

Blue Bull 

From Shesh Shaiyya the climb to the fort complex on Bandhavgarh Hill is steep and exhausting, but thankfully short. Amidst the dense vegetation, a rugged jungle road leads to the top. The access is through a massive wooden gate with a huge metal lock. Hence the name of the range is TALA (Lock).  The arched gateway leads to zoomorphic idols of Lord Vishnu among them most captivating is the one looming tall on the precipice. The time comes to a standstill here and the dazzling drop is mesmerizing, it offers a magnificent view of the panoramic reserve. A number of zoomorphic idols are scattered all around beside remains of small domed chattris, temples, gateways, and small structures. The most prominent are the twelve man-made reservoirs that surround the tribal fort which is in complete ruins. The space all around though engulfed by vegetation is an archeological treasure. The expanse of the tabletop is said to be 4 km square and comprises grasslands that harbor tigers and all wild animals found in the park. In Central India, the Bandhavgarh Hill fort complex is one of the most esoteric places and not to be missed. The National Park is home to a number of historic and religious relics scattered all along with the forests besides man-made caves, stables, courtrooms, and small domed cenotaphs.           

The Land of the Tiger 

The land of the tiger comprises dense SAL, mixed forests, and mountain rivers that snake through marshy grasslands in the plains. The unique feature of the destination is the thirty-two hillocks with bamboo-covered slopes and bare or scarred at places on the descent as well. The maze of inaccessible hillocks and glens has proven to be an ideal place for the big cats to breed.  No wonder the reserve is one of the most picturesque in India and saturated with tigers. Recent conservation measure has been the remarkable comeback of wild cattle gaur by translocation which had become extinct some time back to due disease. 

While the tiger is the apex predator in the food chain, the conservation measures gave a lease of life to all endangered species, and have preserved the ecosystem. For wildlife enthusiasts and botanists the microforms of life dwelling in niche habitats are a matter of intense study. The destination with millions of trees and vegetation creates an environmental equilibrium and helps in minimizing carbon footprint. The reserve is a fine example of sustainable resource management with responsible guidelines being followed by the department, rural habitation, and the hotel industry alike.    

A lot of ecodevelopment work is being carried out by the forest department. Community initiative by some resorts is reducing man-animal conflict besides harmonizing wild animal existence with humans. While the core is completely inviolate the buffer is a fine example of the coexistence of humans with the surrounding wilderness.  

Bandhavgarh is already in the international limelight but a UNESCO status will boost conservation measures, and community initiatives. The status will draw crucial revenue for conservation by attracting a greater number of visitors. 

Visitors to Bandhavgarh

Bandhavgarh receives thousands of overseas and domestic visitors every year. It is one of the preferred destinations for wildlife documentary makers besides photographers., researchers, naturalists, and wildlife enthusiasts. It is a major contributor to foreign exchange as well as receiving money for conservation. 

The core area of the preserve is 716 sq. km and twenty percent is reserved for tourism. Safaris are available only to permit holders in the core and the buffer area. The excursions and the visit to the interpretation centers are the best means of exploring and learning about charismatic biodiversity and how the ecosystem functions.

The best way to reach the park is from Jabalpur Airport which is at four hours drive. Umaria railways station is at a distance of 32 km and is connected to Jabalpur. Road connectivity via bus and car is excellent and the destination can be accessed from Kanha National Park and Khajuraho Temples. 

============================================================

Uday Freelances as Naturalist in Central India. He is an avid birder and tiger enthusiast. He blogs on tigers, wildlife, and birds. He also writes on the environment and conservation.

Uday also provides SEO Services and Website Content in English. He teaches Digital Marketing in Jabalpur in Summer Holidays.--------Contact: pateluday90@hotmail.com09755089323 

====================================================  

Tiger Tourism A Rethink

Breeding Trouble Skeptics at Work

Those skeptical about tiger tourism being an elitist indulgence need a rethink. The skeptical included are a few of those in the service who wish to do away with the men on the jeep entering into the tiger's domain for recreation. 

Atithi Devo Bhava!

Absolute inexpressive continence and no respect for senior and foreign tourists on safari is a very sorrowful saga that degrades our cultural inheritance. A more condescending approach is expected from the department, and I believe no inculcation of values takes place here unlike the respected sentinels at the borders.  

Restrictive Conservation Initiatives 

The attitude is restrictive and conservative in spite of seventy years of independence. Banning regulated tourism in the park will not enhance the big cats breeding, albeit some are hell-bent upon this belief that regulated tourism impacts breeding. This is a lame excuse since there is ample evidence of robust breeding and cub survival in the tourism zones.  Kanha National Park is a fine example. 

Tigers are dying in our reserves due to poaching by snares, electrocution, poisoning, and whatnot. There are no solutions in place and obsession with well-regulated tourism is not going to help either. Remember the infrastructure burden on the forest department as regards tourism is minimal and even those involved in the field supervision of tourist jeeps are able to conduct their conservative initiatives without much hindrance. 

Forest Guides Inadvertent Sentinels 

The burden of day-to-day management is reduced by the ever-vigilant forest guides who are anyway temporary employees and their remuneration comes from tourism. Few department employees committed at the gate are totally involved, and infrastructure buildup inside the tourism zone is often on a contract basis with an official designated for supervision. Anyway, any official movement in the park is much warranted since that helps keep an eye! The revenue earned from tourism is plowed back into the parks and this reduces the burden on the state exchequer. 

Organizational Dilemma 

There are a few organizations that have no faith in the protected area concept they believe that intrusion into inviolate zones is for the survival of the locals. Paradoxically, on the other hand, increased inviolate breeding grounds are a  must for other life forms. Such a pathetic approach denouncing the PAs may prevent other life forms from securing their safe heavens. There is immense biotic pressure on these badly exploited resources and there is no relenting. 

Wild animals as coinhabitants of the Earth need greater space, and the increasing man-animal conflict is a clear sign of ingression by humans. Humans have literally all the places on Earth to migrate, settle and live, wild animals have no such privilege they are constricted in small corners of this Earth and face immense biotic pressure, space constraint, and extreme threat to their survival. Waves of extinction are not a new phenomenon and more are impending perhaps till complete exhaustion. 

The only ban required - well short of - is to limit tourist vehicular movements so there is no crowding. Hesitation in enlarging tourism areas is encouraging the crunch. Limited tourist vehicle entry into a larger area is not going to impede tiger breeding nor is it going to impact the survival rate. This is applicable to all life forms in the core area. Following a conservative approach towards tiger tourism is not going to dramatically increase the population nor it will help stop poaching that is taking place in almost all our tiger reserves. Sporadic cases of poaching are being reported the sad state could be due to administrative neglect or advantage taken of areas in isolation. Tourist vehicle movement will help mitigate this problem. There are immense benefits to expanding regulated tourism in our reserves without threats to the big cat. This is obvious, I repeat since ongoing tourism at Kanha National Park has not adversely impacted the breeding of wild animals in any manner.   If we are restricting tourism to a certain limit there should be a rationale behind it. There should be adequate proof of the benefits that accrue from restrictions that are being advocated. This is managed tourism and optimum expansion is advocated.  

Enhancing the Buffer for Survival 

A large portion of most of the tiger reserves comprises the outer ring with tree cover and some small grasslands, aquatic bodies, settlements, cultivations, livestock movement in the forests, and small commercial establishments. Ousted big cats and mammals move here for succor and this is where they are most susceptible to inconsiderate humans and many are killed.  

Tigers and other animals need this area now more than ever as populations in the natal rise. The answer is to translocate populations and rewild the area. Now, this idea may seem highly improbable since uprooting is not just but then these are precisely the grounds that belonged to the wilderness and minuscule population of tribal. With the large-scale incursion of humanity into the sink, the burgeoning human population cannot be accommodated here anymore.  Another solution is to delink the forests and grasslands and make them completely inviolate with trespass being punishable. But even in this rare case adequate compensation to those somehow affected by delinking should be made.  

A just solution is to translocate and connect with the mainstream with appreciable compensation and jobs as well. This will also discourage ultra movements in these domains. This area can then be developed into time to come for tiger tourism and thus reduce pressure on the core. This is literarily increasing the core not only for the survival of the species but for tourism as well. An increase in tourism will lead to increased employment for the locals and boost small trade.   This could be a win-win solution?

Creating robust employment and small-time trade are the futuristic conservation initiatives though quite obvious these have never been accounted for except in a few write-ups.  Locals impact tourism and this is nothing. If they make living they will be all for inheritance. 

What Sells Live Survives! 

This seems to be a bit off the cuff saying but then in life, there is a commercial angle to everything. If the wilderness has to survive it has to pay back and create equity. 

Even those who resent the idea of translocation of settlements should understand that the young generation is already migrating to larger towns in search of jobs and business opportunities.  Keeping tribes in isolation because of historical empathy is a purely emotional concept and impractical. These places are away from the mainstream with no adequate infrastructure for survival in modern times.  Let us be thoughtful and create more and more inviolate space for other life forms including the tiger. 

============================================================

Uday Freelances as Naturalist in Central India. He is an avid birder and tiger enthusiast. He blogs on tigers, wildlife, and birds. He also writes on the environment and conservation.

Uday also provides SEO Services and Website Content in English. He teaches Digital Marketing in Jabalpur during Summer Holidays.

--------

Contact: pateluday90@hotmail.com

09755089323 

====================================================  

The Dwindling Indian Wild Dog

Shahdar Range Sehora

The even-paced stride under the glaring light of the rising Sun in a pristine forest was a spectacle unparalleled. The sightings of a tiger I had experienced many times paled whence compared with the flight of this dainty carnivore. Lustrous golden brown with a black bushy handsome tail dhole as the wild dog is called in Hindi is one of the most charismatic predators on Earth. Lightweight and lithe, the creatures weigh less than twenty kilograms yet carry a punch that could bring down prey bigger than them. 

This was in Shahdar Range in Sehora Tehsil of Jabalpur District. The year was 1990 and we were frequenting ranges in Sehora District on tendu collection drive.  At that time there were 12 tigers reported in Shahdar Range and adjoining ranges. There was a dense population of prey and perhaps bison at that time in these forests under high biotic pressure. The area is now under Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve? The present status is unknown. Have we lost the forests and wild animals to urbanization or destruction?  I have not been to this erstwhile? tiger landscape since my first visit.   

 The predator's flight path was in opposite direction and we witnessed the spectacle for a long time before the pair vanished into the woods. When we first ventured into this region we were least expecting to encounter wilderness like that which usually exists in the core area of the reserves. Most of the forests outside the protected areas are subject to wood logging, forest fires, poaching, and illegal quarrying by brick manufacturers. Authorities have lax control of such patches because of a lack of dedication in some, political infringement, and inherent corruption among some.   

Surprised by such abundance, I felt like being in ancient India whence wilderness was rife all over. We nearly encountered a tiger whence he killed a cattle belonging to a local sarpanch. But the wild dogs are shy, and we saw them only in less disturbed range of Shahdar Hill.

The Dhole (Cuon Alpinus) 

Overshadowed by the tiger and the leopard, both endangered in India, the dhole or wild dog is equally threatened.  The location I describe here although under project tiger now, was a commercial wood-logging site. In such areas, a constant protection guarantee in absence of conservation initiatives is much to be concerned about.  

Dhole on Prey - Image Teerath Singh

The focus is on the core or critical tiger habitats in Indian reserves, and neglect of sink areas is palpable. However, I feel the status of wilderness is much weighed down by the core-centric approach for the real conflict in the extended neighborhoods. Animals like the dhole are rarely localized in the core. The populations spread far and wide, they are restricted only by the crown cover since the canid is not an open area or scrub predator. 

During my visits as a naturalist in Kanha National Park - incidentally one of the best managed proactive conservation units - I have been keeping an eye on the population dynamics of this carnivore for a long time and surprisingly have come to the conclusion that the population is paradoxically unstable in the core itself. I am as good as any amateur naturalist and my conclusions are much more based on perception than facts and figures.  But in the case of wild matters observation or seeing is believing. 

Please note, visitors and naturalists have no access to regions outside the tourism area. But regular forays in the tourism areas are enough to gauze the status of predators in a given reserve since the population as a whole is interconnected and subject to constant local migration. In the extreme cases of prey depletion, the population declines naturally, only to recover whence the prey density becomes stable. This is not the case with Kanha.    

The dhole frequent the buffer or outer rings of the reserves, I have seen them often near human habitation in Kanha a number of times. They frequent the buffer zone safari area near Boda Chappri and nearby villages.

Conflict & Conservation 

Of the global population of around 2500 animals, more than sixty percent survive in India. Conservation span as regards Cuon Alpinus is minimal, pan India. Though recent concern augurs hope that the animal may not arrive at the same status as the much-threatened Indian wolf. 

The pack hunter may recover with help of studies and research that may sketch a productive conservation approach. But unfortunately, threatening factors are quite akin to the wolf.  

The conflict paradigm in the case of secondary carnivores that venture much further away from the protected core is far more perplexing than in the case of most of the tertiary carnivores like the tiger that remain confined to dense crown cover and rarely venture near human settlements in the daytime. The rapid decline in wolf populations and the threat posed to the leopards in India stand in parallel to what the dhole is facing.  Such carnivores cross over the manageable limits of our conservation reach. 

The status of the stray population of carnivores is much dependent upon the factors listed below: 

• 1) Live Stock Predation 
• 2) Historical Threat Perception 
• 3) Vicinity to Human Habitation
• 4) Disease Prevalence  
• 5) Population of Dogs  
• 6) Presence of Co-predators 
• 7) Habitat Destruction 

The canid is extremely agile and shy enough to avoid human habitation but with fast-depleting forests and encroaching settlements, the dreaded encounter is inevitable. The wild dog is the loser and its fast-depleting population is no hearsay. 

'

The animal produces four or five pups at a  time during the onset of winter. There can be multiple breeding females, though the alpha pair hierarchy is well established. The canid is more of a clan hunter and calling it a pack hunter is not correct. 

The clan size I have seen in Kanha and Bandhavgarh was around fourteen adults. But these clans disperse to make it on their own, and that rings alarm bells among wildlife enthusiasts. The animal is loosely territorial, and the dispersal can expose them to conflict regions or areas with less prey which will hinder breeding.    

Dholes are social, and during breeding, they are often seen in pair that has separated. The gestation period of this diurnal hunter is around two months. With natural consent, this dog is a gory hunter and the prey is consumed often by the time the chase ends. 

This dog does not bark like the city-bred but communicates using sounds that resemble whistling. When alarmed the sound emitted is loud, raucous, and continuous it is like somewhere between a bark and long haul. 

Although there are no conservation initiatives, the predator down the line has recently become a subject of curiosity and a number of studies have taken place. A groundbreaking study has been carried out by A.J.T Johnsingh in Bandipur Tiger Reserve. More studies on the ecology of this predator have been done and are being carried out by imminent scientists and researchers.    

India desperately waits for positive outcomes or the canid will be added to the lone wolf story sooner than we expect. 

Wild Dog India - Image Nandita Amin 

=================================================

Uday works as freelance naturalist and loves to write on related issues. He also provides SEO and content writing services. He runs classes on digital marketing in his home town Jabalpur.  

He can be contacted :

pateluday90@hotmailcom

9755089323  

Dying Tigers

Tigress Killed

She was choked to death in the cave, the one place she had chosen to give birth to cubs, but fate had another story chalked out for her. Upon discovering the tiger's lair, the poachers mercilessly clogged the opening and set things on fire. She was not incinerated but rather suffocated by smoke that had filled in the cave. She was killed along with cubs in her womb. This sordid saga is not just one event, there is an ongoing onslaught on the endangered beast in India. 

In a spate of few weeks, some more tigers have been killed, and this is alarming. Often the murder is passed off as a territorial fight or due to old age, how many of these narratives are true God only knows! Who bothers since the big cats are no political liability, the incidence could just pass off as unfortunate.

Killings using guns, snares, live wire, and poisoning the kill of the beasts are ongoing year on year. In a spate of eight years around seven hundred tigers have died, and almost half have been killed leaving the rest accounting for natural deaths. 

The figure of seven hundred is ominous with most of the deaths taking place in Central India and Maharashtra, incidentally these states account for a robust number of big cats. In some other States, the population is sizeable and so are the deaths but States are not in the context in this write-up. With the increase of 750 animals between two nationwide censuses the deaths equal them, or maybe if the unaccounted or missing ones are taken into account we are losing more tigers than conserving them.    

Even if we do not enter into the nitty-gritty of census and the growing numbers, the large number of deaths should be considered alarming. Add to this wrong labeling in case of poaching's being declared as territorial fights the figure rises exponentially. 

This points to lacunae in the management practices with regards to the conservation units all over India. Once we get over our obsession with tiger tourism, which by all means is innocuous with the regulation in place we have to dive in as to what is going wrong. 

We can call the poisoning of cattle or other livestock killed by a tiger a man-animal conflict. But live wire, snaring, hunting by gun or other weapons is not a man-animal conflict it is poaching or pure murder and a crime. This is going on for too long in India for comfort, and no concerted effort is being noticed for the amelioration of this deadly scourge. 

Why this neglect?

This is not a pure case of neglect there are gaps in our protection mechanism. And the solution is at the macro level.  

The number of such incidences could be reduced if the local staff or ground staff is proactive, alert, and effective. The latter aspect is missing. The post is part of a huge government sector called the forest department and is under the aegis of State machinery.  Still, under colonial makeover, the department functions in isolation and is not proactive enough to invite public involvement hence there is no voice as a result. Most of the news generated is by an instance of tiger death and at best limited to the incident often without many details. 

Hierarchical Alienation

Hierarchical alienation is evident since some of the top brass function in isolation surrounded by a coterie which includes the ubiquitous babus. Add to this there is substantial political interference, and corruption for which not all, and the department as a whole, cannot be blamed. There are honest and hard-working people in the whole hierarchy starting from the top. But those corrupt mar the functioning and this impacts conservation initiatives.              

Hierarchical alienation leads to lower staff which is most instrumental in the protective mechanism work in complete isolation, and in a weakened position. There are two reasons: lack of support from the higher-ups since many least bother to work at ground level, and an ineffective legal mechanism. I had been pointed out these lacunae in the system by the ground staff many times. The enormity of administrative work could be another reason for the lack of interest in the field.    But let's keep in mind the dedicated honest work loving in the management the reason behind success in an increase in numbers. I am not judging everyone under the same lens since a lot of commendable work has been done.

Corrupt officials and subordinates interfere in the functioning or are lax in their attitude. Some in the management of tiger reserves are just there to while away their time with no interest in conservation, while some are not fit enough to undergo rigorous physical and mental demands of fieldwork. As regards this, it has been pointed out time and again that placement should be subject to merit. But this is not happening as favoritism, personal preference and political influences are still being talked about. Readers should note that political/administrative pressures and demands are very much prevalent in this ecosystem. Special privileges especially as regards tourism must come to an end.

 Core Vs Buffer

The anomalies in the core or the inviolate area are much less, and greater administrative cohesion is seen. This is due to a better sense of duty, pride in the heritage, and public pressure that is constantly hovering. 

The buffer is the convergence point where outside influences creep in. The outside group comprises of political goons, mafia, and detractors mostly those under severe threat perception, or under the influence of organizations that do not agree with conservation practices. 

We must also note that a good number of locals are bereft of wilderness, treat predators as threats, see herbivores as food, and have the least interest in conservation. This leaves out dedicated officers and ground staff who nevertheless carry out their duty to save the animals that survive between humans. To the benevolent group, we must add the staff, guides, small businesses benefiting from tourism and the number is sizeable. This group is supportive of all conservation initiatives and put in efforts to make them a success. 

The beat guard or forest guard is most susceptible to threats, negative influences, stressful working conditions, and as mentioned earlier he works weakened. This leads to a weak protection mechanism in the buffer where most of the tiger deaths are taking place. Few incidences do take place in the core as well especially in areas near the buffer. The borders of our tiger reserves are porous and people can enter easily as not every nook and corner can be guarded. 

In most of our tiger reserves, in spite of demands for parts due to TCM or other reasons poaching is less. Few small times poachers do exists and kill tigers accidentally wide a mechanism meant to obtain game meat. But this is happening regularly and modus operandi is live wire or snares. The ultras wherever present prevents sound protection.            

Revenge for man/livestock kills can be termed as man-animal conflict and this is done using poisoning of the half-eaten carcass. As a preventive measure, the tiger kill is removed so that in absence of predator poising will have no impact and this is working effectively in the periphery of the reserves. But for other maladies, there is no solution yet.    

================================================

Uday is a blogger and offers Seo + Content For Digital Marketing Services. 

He teaches digital marketing (SEO) in Jabalpur.

He freelances as a naturalist/birder at Kanha National Park. He loves to write about travel. 

He can be contacted at: 

pateluday90@hotmail.com

09755089323

Author

Preventing Extractive Tourism in Tiger Lands?

Tiger Tourism Pros & Cons

In the tiger lands or the reserves, tourism is the butt of contention for its detractors. Yes, there appears to be a small tribe that includes some officials and a few organizations who do not believe that any form of recreation is deserving in our tiger reserves. 

Alternate tourism in the buffer or now eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) does not seem to be promising and could reduce tourism to naught sinking local economies back to primitive status as before the advent of tourism.  This area is subject to biotic and abiotic pressures on its limited resources and space.        

Although cumbersome legal interventions in the past were unwarranted the impact has been remedial as far as the dangers of extractive or mass tourism are concerned. This does not imply that legal battles are imperative. 

The credit for reducing carbon footprints in the reserves by restricting mass tourism goes to the sagacity of our legal system and wildlife managers - the wise men that are at the helm. Equity is of utmost importance as far as the preservation of natural lands and its denizens are concerned and tourism accords it without fail.  This also clears the fact that what pays stays, a harsh reality indeed. 

The reserves generate a lot of revenue from tiger safari and the funds are plowed back into conservation activities managed by local labor, and regular and permanent staff. Fund flow as salaries providing livelihood.     

The tiger reserves are remotely situated but not far removed, most of them are engulfed by dense humanity in the surrounding livestock included. Well-fed people respond better to natural surroundings the fragile ecosystems. Thus economic activities can never be thwarted or subdued beyond a limit. 

Tiger tourism in India has proved benign, for years of inception, no noticeable damage has occurred in the ecosystems. On the contrary big cat population and prey, density has increased and habitat recovery is noticeable. The recent entry caps have further assured the validity of preservation laws.       

Thus the vision of detractors is at best myopic and seems to ignore the harsh reality of a free economy. All income generation activities are for survival and thus unavoidable. We can at best regulate and restrict in order to save the environment and the local infrastructure from the immense pressures of mass tourism. 

Tourism in Tiger Reserves    

Tiger Tourism is already regulated, the permit system and cap on vehicle entry are all environmentally friendly measures that substantially reduce carbon footprints. Fewer vehicles on drive mitigate pressure on wildlife and enhance the safari experience as well.  

Mass extractive tourism is always a threat to the local environment where the environmental consequences are oft-ignored. This is due to the belief that mass tourism augurs immense benefits to the local economy in spite of exploitative tourism practices. But in a rich man's world where travel is a privilege of the upper crust more in the post-vaccine rollout era, the tourism hot spots are turning back into an unmanageable hub of activities. Paradoxically unregulated tourism is the biggest damage monger to the environment and to the local infrastructure.     

In natural places by local infrastructure, we should not restrict ourselves to roads and bridges and the concrete structures that eventually crop up. The ecology-rich areas and natural resources come under the purview of local infrastructure, and the maximum damage occurs here...irrevocable in most cases. 

Tiger Tourism Concerns & Remedies

No pressure should be exerted upon crucial aquatic systems, deforestation should not take place, agrarian practices should improve but not expanded, livestock rearing should be organized such that biotic pressures are mitigated, urbanization is the bane of eco-sensitive areas and alternate habitation should be encouraged. 

Prevention of debilitating industrial activities is of utmost importance in order to prevent deforestation and pollution. Commercial activity should be nature-oriented like encouragement to arts and crafts. Local hospitality ancillaries are vital for tourism everywhere hence monopoly should be discouraged. Real estate exploitation is a reality in such hot spots nevertheless the tribal lands are well protected by law.      

All this appears to have been copied straight from some ecologist's write up but this is beside the point. The desire to move in the perceived right direction is stressed out here. This article simply points to a rethink as far as wilderness management is concerned in India.               

Threats & Perceptions

The Threat Remains in Buffer Zones. The term buffer zone itself is defeatist in nature with no remedial action deemed possible. Considered as a leftover fragment of the intact ecosystem in the core this is where livestock rearing and agrarian practices are permissible. Space is also for the survival of sink populations of wild animals chiefly the tiger. But cohabitation in modern times at best seems a romantic illusion. Some species are very sensitive to human interventions and animals like the swamp deer for example cannot simply survive in the buffer. Sturdy wildlife does survive in green pockets in stressful circumstances giving rise to man-animal conflict. Tourism in the buffer is another plus point.     

Although the translocation of human settlements in the outer ring or buffer appears to be an instant panacea this is not a pragmatic approach. Alternatives have to be found for better preservation of the reserve keeping in place the inviolate area or core as sacrosanct.      

Small or large-scale industrial activities have not yet entered most of the reserves I have visited, but the threat remains. Our belief that urbanization is development in terms of concrete infrastructure and economy is mired in fallacy. The policymakers see all regions including the places of natural importance as uniform entities and thus insidious urbanization is creeping in. With no alternate framework specific to places of natural importance the die is cast.   

Exploitation: Corollary to Mass Tourism 

Mass or extractive tourism is often linked to the exploitation of local resources and manpower. This stands true in most circumstances but this corollary does not apply to the tiger reserves or protected areas in India with restrictive and regulated tourism.

Low salaries and extensive working hours as some point out are due to capitalism is not the case in the reserves. If there are such instances then competition is a great leveler and hard-working locals who grasp diverse skills are not facing any problems and their status is at best robust. As a matter of fact, due to empowerment, the local youth is moving out to cities for better opportunities.      

Small is Good

In this writing up there is a message for wildlife resorts that large establishments will never see the daylight. In keeping with environmental concerns, vehicle entry limits are not going to be enhanced. Hence room requirements would be low-scale except in the rush. 

Courtyard House Kanha - Responsible Lodge

Creating a small establishment or responsible lodge is the order of the day. It has become imperative to keep accommodations small. Perhaps a larger establishment would need to bring down the number of rooms. This will help reduce carbon footprints and improve nature in the surroundings.        

===========================

Uday Works as Freelance Naturalist and Blogs on conservation, tigers, environmental issues.

He also provides SEO and Website Contents in English. He teaches Digital Marketing in Jabalpur in Summers.

He can be contacted at:

Mail: pateluday90@hotmail.com
 Mob: 09755089323