Jungle Tales Straight From Our Lodges in Red Coral

 Forsyth Lodge, Satpura

Sloth bears, their cubs, Wild dogs on a kill, Leopards pairing up ; Need we say more 

By Deepanker Mukherjee, Forysth Lodge GM

The new year brings a fresh ray of light and hope that things will improve. As tourism picked up in the last month of the year things do seem to be normalizing for nature lovers to get back into the jungle and once again explore and experience the true beauty of Satpura’s pristine wilderness and get the much-awaited freedom from the lockdown and the travel restrictions Luxury Resort In Chikmagalur.

The wildlife sightings have been as amazing as ever. With the Sloth bear cubs growing up to be as big as the mothers there’s a chance to see them up close. The wild dog packs using their hunting prowess to bring down the Chital and Sambar present a chance to see these efficient predators. The Leopards paired up to create the future generation. And newer individuals of Tigers getting more used to the tourism zone.

The winters have brought in all the migrant birds to the forest, grasslands and Denwa backwaters. From the higher reaches of Pachmarhi to the lower undulated areas life for the denizens of Satpura remains, thankfully, quite unchanged. Satpura is calling, where are you?

Singinawa Jungle Lodge, Kanha

Dhawajhandi female from the Mukki Zone, Naina from the Kanha Zone, and their cubs

By Pranad Patil, Naturalist, Singinawa Jungle Lodge

The season started slowly, with the gloom of the pandemic still hovering over us. But as the days progressed, tourists from all parts of the country began to flock Kanha. The fact that the Kanha region has had very few cases of COVID-19 helped in convincing anyone who had doubts about travelling to Kanha. After being locked up for months at stretch within the confines of their respective homes, we are happy that we have brought the outdoors that much close to many wandering souls.

Another reason that tourists have been flocking to Kanha is the amazing sightings that Kanha has been offering. Since the beginning of the season, many tourists have had fabulous sightings of the elusive striped cat in the lush green forests of Kanha. Among other tigers, Dhawajhandi female – an experienced, second-time mother from Mukki Zone, along with her three sub-adult male cubs, and Naina – another well-known female tiger from Kanha Zone, along with her four almost full-grown cubs have been frequently seen. A lot of tourists have been opting to go on full-day safaris – where you get to stay in the forest from dawn to dusk, and boy, have they been rewarded. Since most tourist vehicles leave the park during the afternoon break time, you are almost certainly guaranteed a private sighting if a tiger decides to wander around at this time; and so far, almost all of our guests have opted to go on a full day safari have been blessed with such a sighting.

Dhawajhandi female (on left) and two of her three subadult cubs, a photo clicked in the afternoon while on a full day safari when ours was the only vehicle watching the tigers.

Bamboo Forest Safari Lodge, Tadoba

“The Black Gold” , buffer zone sightings and the new ‘Bellara Gate’

By Sandesh Guru, Naturalist , Bamboo Forest Safari Lodge

The new year has brought us a great beginning with some incredible viewing of wildlife in Tadoba . Since the time the park opened, we have encountered amazing behaviours of animals’ post covid.

Leopards, often shy and timid have been seen regularly like the Tigers enjoying their presence around the vehicles. New litter of tiger cubs born during the lockdown have been a highlight of the season and will continue to be , for the next two years. The bold and the only melanistic leopard ( Black Panther also known as “The Black Gold “ ) in the park is worth the wait to have a sighting of a lifetime.

Tadoba stands as the best park in the world in terms of viewing wildlife with a variety of fauna including tigers, leopards, sloth bears, a melanistic leopard ( Black Panther ), wild dogs and Indian gaurs. Rare and elusive nocturnal wildlife like porcupines and honey badgers are a frequent sight, for the ones who get lucky. The Park with 20 different gates , has 06 core and 14 buffer gates including the newest ‘Bellara Gate’ has been great to see the big five of Tadoba . Special mention about the Kolara Core gate, Alijanjha Buffer and Madnapur buffers are doing their best presently and will continue to do so in the future.

The park harbours over 115 adult tigers, 150 and more leopards, around 80 sloth bears and many more secretive mammals with plenty of herbivores including Spotted Deer, Sambhar Deer, Barking Deer, Nilgai, Chausingha ( the only four horned antelope in the world ) and Indian Gaurs.

With the Covid fear fading away; it has given ample amount of opportunities for people who have been unable to visit the Indian Jungles . It is now time to explore and experience the rich wilderness in India within.

A few months after the lock down, people who have got a chance to travel; have been looking for places; peace and quiet with a Covid-free environment. What’s the best place than a jungle to be in; to enjoy a holiday ? If you are planning to travel with your friends, along with astounding wildlife experience and sightings; Tadoba is the place to be !!