How to Enjoy Wildlife at Kanha National Park?

How to Enjoy Wildlife at Kanha National Park?

How to go for a tiger safari in India?

How to go for a tiger safari in India?

Wild Animals of Central India & Conservation Status

Wild Animals of Central India & Conservation Status

Kanha A glimpse of natural history

Ashok looked at me and smiled, a recognition of our years of association. We had explored the infinite corridors of Kanha together as young over enthusiastic nature lovers. We have experienced the depth of the forests unraveled its mysteries, and learned about the intrigue of animal behavior.   

The imprint of numerous adventures at Kanha still recall instances which have been narrated thousands of time. Kanha is an exemplary display of fragile chain of life hinged together and constantly evolving. The bitter occurance of violence erupts unexpectedly amidst the stillness of the magnificent stands, gushing rivers and breezing meadows. Yes the forest offer an unbridled element of surprise that shatters the silence in one eye flip. 

The Courtyard House guests are expectant, for them the forests are an unfathomable mystery. They listen rapt with attention as to what to expect. 

"Keep you eyes glued on the forests and your ears always alert, " I said. "Tigers lurk surreptitiously in the depth of the canopy and you should not miss."      

The forest appears to them as diaphanous veil of secrecy, an exotic abode of mythical creatures. The tiger appears to be a huge blood thirsty creature along with equally rapacious animals that inhabit his kingdom. I turn around an look at them. They are Germans but surprisingly well versed in English. Ashok is busy delivering a lecture on the park in his own broken English. I do not interfere, he is a knowledgeable guide and experienced, he will certainly make them more informed.    

In the early morning just after dawn we could see the sun breaking over the horizon. The gold orange hue of ball of fire rises over the table top mountains impressing upon our guests to stop the vehicle. They are busy taking photographs of a magnificent spectacle that unfolds every day in Kanha. We are bit uneasy for we wish to come across the big cat before the sun goes up and an intolerable heats descends on the land of the tiger.

"We will go for Munna," I tell the guide.He nods in affirmation.We have crossed the Kisli barrier and proceeding towards the Dig Dola Road. The mesmerizing landscape of Kanha is ever changing from insipid grassland to rugged mountains that gain height gradually but are densely forested. We are on high alert for this is Munna's territory.  The road twists an turns as we climb up, I cling to the bar as the jeep turns sharply throwing us all around.

Finally we arrive at the top, the road here is straight and level. All the time we look for the tiger or expect the cacophony of raucous alarm cries. Nothing happens, we come across a herd of sambar and stop for a while. They are relaxed, forgotten are the days when they used to be hunted down mercilessly. They do not perceive humans and their contraption as threat anymore at least in the protected area.   

"Largest deer in Asia," I tell the guests busy taking photographs, they are impressed by the gentle creatures.  The majestic antlers of the leading male swell out disproportionately creating an appearance of diabolic proportions. Naturally he is the cynosure of the lot. "Beautiful," our guests utter as we proceed further.      

"Tiger! I whisper as we reach the water body. The large creature is absolutely camouflaged in the thick curtain of bamboo and shrub. The majestic proportion of the beast are strikingly evident, the most prominent is the foreleg hanging in mid air. The massive paw is being dropped very gently on the ground."He is going to ambush the deer at some distance," I whisper.

For  a long time the tiger is frozen in mid air, we watch intently at the natural history drama being enacted before us. Oblivious of us the deadly gaze is well focused on the deer who is unaware of death lurking at close quarters. The proximity makes the whole episode nerve wrecking...the tiger appears to be of extraordinary proportions.     

We watch with baited breath and then a rush and a scuffle. Well no, the tiger misses the query. The drama is over, the dried branches of the impeding shrubs has given the game away. In frustration the tiger  continues across the shore of the water body glaring angrily at the stupefied prey. The jungle is abuzz with petrified alarm cries as the deer, langur and sambar scurry away to maintain  a safe distance.

The tiger crosses over the lake, arrives right in front of us on the road and then sulks into the hidden creek on the other side. "That's it," I

exclaim. The guests appear to be thrown into throes of frenzy as they twist an turn to unwind themselves after an acrobatic rendering of their mind and body getting the tiger in full frame.   

We are all relaxed now...the tiger has been seen. We continue with the safari exploring the stunning features of the tiger reserve. The sunlight filters sharply through the tall stands of Sal in a well defined geometric pattern. It breaks through and strikes the ground with evangelical divinity creating a haloed spectacle, a curtain of grandeur no less impressive and spell binding as the big cat that enthralled us few minutes back.

All across on the soft jungle road the deer, monkey, wild boar and dancing peacock invoke a mild degree of thrill...for we have experienced the utmost thrill in terms of black, yellow and white.                    

Tiger On The Road

"He has just crossed over at Karia Ghati and heading this way (Towards Silyari Jalasay)", the excited girl on the jeep said. We were right there at the Silyari Water Hole in Kanha National Park in MP. 

I could see the excitement on her face. In these tiger reserves, you can make out if tourists have seen the tiger or not. And you can also make out the grim countenance whence the tiger is not seen. This is applicable to one and all including me since my job is to fetch the tiger for my tourists.        

There is an excellent tiger tracking mechanism in place amongst the forest guides. 

Not to boast I do have a role to play at times in fetching the big cat out as we are close friends - rather age-old friends as I have been visiting the park since my seventies. Out of love and faith, they heed my request and make a special appearance (Only for me) Hic!.  

Anyway, we were waiting at the water hole for some time since tigers and other animals localize around the water during intense summer. The big male tiger we call Munna (Loved One) had probably gone deep into the forest to check on Lal Aankh another big male challenging Munna's territory.

We knew that Munna hangs around a hidden creek near the water body whence the sun goes up and hence we were waiting in expectation. As it transpired the tiger did not appear and we went toward Karai Ghati in order to check him out. There was no sign of him...

"Turn Around," I told the driver. So we returned to the water body to begin a long wait. In between, we saw many birds and a monitor lizard on a Saaz tree. When you are in a tiger land the world comes to stop and your eyes cease to focus on everything but yellow and black...the mystical stripes and ignore the surroundings... and your ears await the nerve-wracking roar and your heart thumps incessantly. But I always keep a lookout for numerous elusive & amazing creatures in this wonderland as well.   

At Courtyard House while leaving for the tiger safari our German Tourists had requested to see a tiger on the road. But so far there was no alarm cry that would have signaled the tiger's approach. 

We had to leave the park by 9.30 am since the guests had a long drive to Bandhavgarh. "Another half an hour", I requested Raimond. He agreed and we waited. The thrilling and nerve-racking alarm cry epitomizes the harbinger of death.

And that is what we heard, a staccato of sambar alarm cry from a distance followed by a barking deer terrifying bark. Our eyes were glued toward the direction of the calls. And then spotted deer near the water body and started crying in an extreme frenzy. Out of anticipation, the guests held their cameras ready. 

The tiger emerged from the far end of the water body. He completely ignored the deer, langur, wild boar, and sambar foraging in the neighboring grassland on shore. We could see him walking at a brisk pace nonchalantly towards the jungle road we were on. The tiger paid no heed to the men on the jeep, he completely trusted us knowing we were harmless. This makes one realize how cowardly the big cat hunters were. And how ruthless betrayal do the poachers indulge in?  

He was about twenty-five feet away from us whence he came upon the road and then crossed over. "He has gone into the creek and we won't be able to see him," I said. But that was unwarranted, my guests had a good load in their cameras for memory's sake. 

"Incredible" Raimond said. His wife shook her head gleefully in affirmation.

"Chalo", I said to the driver. 

Photo Teerath Singh

    .          

And the winner is?

Yes, Munna retains his hold over his domain at Kanha National Park. The big male tiger was hard-pressed to retain his kingdom by a bigger more powerful male Lal Aankh which I had first seen at Mahua Dari in Sarhi Zone.     

This is amazing Munna is considered to be about nine years old while Lal Aankh is much younger.  On my last trip, there was a constant scuffle between the two male tigers and at that time nothing could be concluded. On my recent trip, I saw Munna at his favorite perch Siliyari Jalayasay calm and fully composed with no hint of any fear. 

Perhaps it is an experience that counts in territorial fights. Or is the battle just begun we will see in time to come...

Image By Teerath Singh

 

Big male tiger in Kanha - 16th April 2014

A big dominant male we saw Munna at Ghoda Chapar in Kanha Zone after a long gap. The tiger paused at what he thought was the limit. This may not be the exact video but the event was marked exactly. The big male is now in tussle with Lal Aankh which we photographed some time back. 

At times big tigers become pensive and thoughtful as we see here how the animal abstains from crossing his limit. The Video by Stuart Mackenzie is an excellent work on Kanha National Park in MP.  

A major menace - The stray dogs

I have seen this often near my hometown of Jabalpur. The city still contains wilderness bereft of others. There is a substantial population of chital deer, barking deer, Chinkara, sambar, wild boars, langurs, and peacock in the reserve forests surrounding Jabalpur City in Madhya Pradesh.  

A pack of dogs (not dhole) chasing a deer or seeking one is often seen. Like any town in India stray dogs abound not only are they a menace to the human population as they carry rabies they have become a major threat to wildlife. The menace if not controlled will take a heavy toll on wildlife all over the country.

After the organized slaughter during the British Regime in India and subsequently, by the Maharajahs, Satraps, and Nawabs the pillars of imperialism in India, stray dogs are next. Natural predators like the wolf,  jackal, fox, and hyena are losing ground and this is causing an imbalance in the predator-prey relationship - by the sheer numbers of stray dogs. The prey species in reserve forests, buffers, and periphery help support a greater number of predators that includes tigers and leopards. 

The Central Indian Tiger Reserves the best managed in India also face this threat since every pocket of conserved ecosystem outside the CTH contains tigers and leopards. The gains we have made in terms of increasing tiger/leopard populations in the reserves will be done away by the stray dogs.  

I believe this issue is being taken lightly. If the danger is realized to be of threatening proportion, stray dog population control will get impetus which anyway is a must.  

Thanks to excellent conservation measures prey species in parks like Kanha have spread over the reserve forests in the periphery thus supporting greater numbers of predators.  But this gain will be short-lived if preventive measures are not immediately put into action. 

Chinkara

Spotted Deer

Jackals

Barking Deer

Pictures by Jagat Flora

Sambar Deer

Jackal

Langur Monkeys

Wild Boar

Young Tiger at Kanha

These are the photographs taken by Jagat Flora on his visit to Kanha National Park recently.

Herd of Swamp Deer

Spotted Deer

Bison

Swamp Deer Male

A tiger at ten for the General - Yes Again - He!He!

The entourage landed in the afternoon at Courtyard House full of expectancy. The General full of smiles appeared relaxed and was expecting much more. 

"A tiger would be fine" he said to me. "Else Kanha will be a wonderful experience anyway."  

The General and his family made us feel at ease. Smiling and beaming upon seeing the Courtyard House the family did not seemed tired from travel at all. 

The General's Entourage & Us

Time to Leave

Neelesh Agarwal Owner

Just two safaris is not enough to see the tiger sometimes and we missed Munna and Dig Dola Tigeress fair and square in the evening safari. We also missed a new male tiger by inches as he vanished into the forest before our arrival. We came to know this from the laborers and the jeeps waiting in expectation.

The next day we did not come close to any tiger on the way to Kanha Zone. We waited at Ghoda Chapar where I had seen Munna male tiger while guiding a Scottish Couple. "No sign of tiger," the guide remarked and we moved forward.  

The meadows at Kanha were empty and lifeless when we arrived through the forests. After lot of futile searching we decided to have breakfast along with Mr.O.P.Tiwari the Deputy FD of Kanha. While having breakfast I heard alarm calls from somewhere near the Minkur Nala crossroad. Earlier a jeep had encountered a tigress with a fawn which she had killed crossing over the road here.

As we left to continue our safari the General said,"A tiger at Ten!" I affirmed his belief and we proceeded to the spot where the tigress was seen. 

Look the tigress has not enough to eat and she will rise again," I said. Rightly so after few minutes of waiting a monkey alarm cry confirmed our belief, the tigress was just a short distance from us in the bush. We were waiting in expectation which proved rewarding. From our left at Kanha meadow a serious of loud alarm cries confirmed presence of the tiger.  

Medal for Courtyard House

Me & the medal

So we had two tigers to chance upon. "Keep an eye on the jeep on road at Minkur Nala," I told the guide. Well said I thought as the jeep started moving in the reverse. Move back the guide said to the driver but very slowly. As we were moving on the Minkur Nala road the guide spotted the tiger. It was the tigress's cub about fifteen months which moves along with its siblings on Kanha Meadow. The rest is history as the young tiger moved around without fear. The young tiger had emerged right at ten and I shook my head in disbelief. The General smiled at me. 

The tigress did not venture out and we left for our abode. It was a happy ending and post lunch we bid farewell to a smiling and beaming General and his entourage.