A Jungle Safari inside Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve: A Wild Photo Story

As you know, two months back, I was exploring the gorgeous tiger reserves of Central India. In my last post about this trip, I wrote about Pench Tiger reserve, the land of Mowgli, Bagheera, Baloo, Sher Khan and Kaa through a wild photo story. This time, I bring to you a wild photo story from Tadoba, one of the best places to see the Royal Bengal tiger. Not only are their numbers very healthy here, the tigers are actually thriving. Hence, you can regularly see tigers and their cubs here. My previous trips to Tadoba Tiger reserve were full of wild riches as I had stayed for a good 8 to 10 jungle safaris. This time around, I got to experience the jungle only through two jeep safaris and 2 jungle treks in the core zone, but the experience was equally special. This photo series aims to share this rich and wild experience with you. Hope you like them and do stay tuned for more photos and videos from my wildlife holiday to Central India, including reviews of the awesome properties where I stayed.

Above photo: Sambar deer happen to be the tiger’s favourite prey and these sambar deer exist in healthy numbers inside Tadoba tiger reserve. No wonder, the tiger population is thriving here. These sambar deer was busy grazing in the gentle rains, when they looked up to see the people disturbing their grazing session.



Above photo: This is a fairly large monitor lizard that we spotted on the floor of the jungle at Tadoba. Usually, monitor lizards are tough to spot due to the dense grasses and thick bamboo thickets, but I guess we got lucky here.    
   
    
    
Above photo: During my stay at Tadoba, I stayed at the rustic looking, yet uber luxurious property called Waghoba Eco Lodge that is managed by Pugdundee Safaris. One of the best perks of staying here is the close proximity to the core zone of the tiger reserve. And it gets even better. You can actually trek inside this core zone in the company of a trained naturalist and track the tiger on foot. How cool and adventurous is that. This is a few hours old pugmark that I spotted during one of my such jungle treks. My naturalist told me that it belonged to a tigress and recommended that I measure its size against a standard measure and that is how I landed up clicking this picture of the pugmark against the 100 rupee note.
   
    
    
Above photo: It was raining hard and close to fifty jeeps were in the vicinity. And all of them were searching for the tigress ‘Choti Tara’ and her young cubs. Suddenly, some jeeps spotted a tiger in the bushes nearby and there was a mad rush to see the tiger. While all the jeeps were scrambling to see the tiger, news came to the guides that Choti tara and her cubs were spotted in a nearby turn and they had come out onto the jeep track. Thus, began another scramble to see the tigress and her cubs and by then the rains had begun to pick up speed again. I was holding onto the roof of the jeep with one hand and my camera in the other when the tigress and her cubs came into my view. It was a surreal sight to see the cubs moving playfully while their mother walked on the jeep track. We saw Choti Tara and her cubs for a good ten minutes before we had to make our way for the other jeeps who were waiting behind us. Such is the raw joy of a tiger safari in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve.    
   
    
    
Above photo: The rains usually reduce the quality of sightings in the jungle, but sometimes they can bring out different colours in the frame. In this case, you can see the clean coats of these spotted deer against the lush green vegetation, thus offering a beautiful contrast.    
   
    
    
Above photo: This is another photo of Choti Tara, the tigress walking on the jeep track. Her cubs were playing nearby, but they are not in the frame. The safari jeep in front of the tigress had the best seat in the house and I was so jealous of them.   
   
    
    
Above photo: The paradise flycatcher bird is one of the prettiest birds in the Western Ghats of India. The female has a more ruddy look, while the male is a gorgeous white with a long white tail that looks like it floats in the air behind the bird.    
   
    
    
Above photo: This is a male peninsular rock agama in breeding colours. This shy reptile was found a few inches above the jungle floor and apparently, they are spotted often during the rainy months.    
   
    
    
Above photo: Another pretty bird of Tadoba, the Indian Pitta is made up of nine colours and hence it is locally referred to as ‘navrangi’. Despite its small size, it packs a serious punch with its vibrant colours. They usually stick to the shade of the trees, but whenever the rays of the sun fall on them, you can see their rich colours.    
   
    
    
Above photo: This is a male grey jungle fowl, that was seen crossing the jeep track. It is a brave bird and it lives in good numbers at Tadoba. Along with the deer and langurs, it gives very good alarm calls when it spots a predator.    
   
    
    
Above photo: This pretty bird called the ‘Red Wattled Lapwing’ is usually found on the floor of the jungle and close to a water body. It is known for its sharp call that sounds like ‘Did we do it?’     
   
    
    
Above photo: This photo looks like a painting. Huge numbers of spotted deer could be seen next to the lake chomping on the fresh green grass. This also happens to be the mating season for the spotted deer and you can see the dark breeding colours on the coat of the males along with their huge antlers.     
   
    
    
Above photo: This is a greater coucal bird (male) located in the high branches of a tree that is devoid of any leaves. Also, known as the crow pheasant, it is famous for its cou-cou-cou sound that is very common to hear in India during the rainy season. 
   
    
   
Above photo: This is a common garden lizard in its breeding colours. The monsoons are usually their breeding season and you can notice them by their puffed neck and the orangish head and neck. I saw them near the swimming pool area inside Waghoba Eco Lodge, a stunning property located by the core zone of the tiger reserve and one of the top resorts in Tadoba.

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A Jungle Safari in Pench Tiger Reserve: A Wild Photo Story!

A couple of weeks back, I was exploring the tiger reserves of Central India – Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra and Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. I was visiting Tadoba after 5 years and Pench after 16 years and boy did I have a ball of a time. Over the course of this week and the next, I will be sharing my experiences along with the many gorgeous photos and videos that I clicked at these stunning wildlife destinations of Central India. Let me begin with a wild photo story from Pench Tiger Reserve, the land of Mowgli, Bagheera, Baloo, Sher Khan and Kaa. During a safari in Pench National Park, you will feel as if the jungle is coming to life. That is how I felt as I got to see the many different flavours of wild Pench is just two days. This photo series aims to share those different flavours with you. Hope you like them and do stay tuned for more photos and videos from my wildlife holiday to Central India.

Above photo: I saw my first tiger within the first two hours of my first tiger safari in Pench. Meet Lakshmi, a gorgeous tigress who was out marking her territory after some overnight rains in Pench Tiger Reserve. Only 2 jeeps got to see her and she silently crept right behind our jeep. No wonder, stealth is their biggest weapon.



Above photo: This is the view of entering Pench tiger reserve from the Karmajhiri gate in the early hours of the morning. Teak, mahua, crocodile bark tree, tendu, flame of the forest and other species make up these dense woods.



Above photo: We saw this gorgeous male leopard within the first 30 minutes of entering the tiger reserve. He was quietly sitting on his rock throne and watching the world go by. After a lot of us jeeps noticed him sitting there, he moved on to the lake bed, thereby giving us unobstructed view of him for the next 30 minutes. A great and long leopard sighting.



Above photo: Spotted deer are one of the prettiest herbivores in the Indian jungle. This is a handsome male with large antlers and dark brown breeding colours. During the breeding season, spotted deer’s coat changes to dark brown or black and they grow antlers. Post the breeding season, their coat returns to their regular brown colour and they shed their antlers.



Above photo: This small monitor lizard seemed to enjoy feasting on the termites coming out from the termite hill. A great source of nutrition and protein for the monitor lizard.



Above photo: This massive male tiger called Swastik came to this watering hole with a full belly. He cooled himself in the pool, quenched his thirst and then gave us a long and really close sighting. He was also seen snarling at all the forest jeeps as we has blocked his path. I have a full video of this encounter. More on this in another blog post.



Above photo: Pench is an absolutely pretty forest. It’s dense woods, diverse landscapes and water bodies make you feel like you are in a different part of the jungle almost at every third turn.



Above photo: This is the Indian roller, a gorgeous bird that shows its multiple hues of blue when it flies. When it sits like this in the picture, you see more of its brown plumage. It is the state bird of Karnataka, Telangana and Odisha.



Above photo: This is the ghost tree or Sterculia Urens. It is one of those trees that requires very little water to grow, grows near rocky slopes and remains leafless for close to half a year. It’s main tree trunk and bark glistens in the night and that is what gives it its name as it is visible in the otherwise dark forest. It’s gum lets out a gum that is used as a laxative and a tablet binder in the medical world.



Above photo: A lot of us see these rhesus macaques in our Indian cities and we try to protect ourselves and our food from their mischievous nature. The ones in the forest are also equally naughty and social, but you hardly see such gorgeous coats and chiselled body on the urban monkeys.



Above photo: This is a crested serpent eagle, a medium to large species of eagle that is usually found on empty branches of trees looking for its prey. Personally, I find its yellow eyes really captivating.


Above photo: India’s national bird, the peacock, thrives inside Pench National Park. You can see and hear it almost in every nook and corner of Pench Tiger Reserve.



Above photo: Another gorgeous raptor bird, the changeable hawk eagle or the crested hawk eagle is a large eagle that is slightly larger in size when compared to the crested serpent eagle. It’s large crest gives it its beautiful form and name.



Above photo: This is the northern plains grey langur, another primate that is seen in large numbers at Pench National Park. The grey langur is a bit more shy when compared to the macaques, but they play a very vital role in the maintenance of the forest. They are usually seen alongside the spotted deer and form a symbiotic relationship when it comes to eating and alerting each other of the predators.


Above photo: This is the same male leopard that you had seen sitting on top a rock earlier. Here, it is walking along the boundary of a nearby water body and trying to find a place where it can peacefully quench its thirst.




Above photo: One can also see a lot of hornbills during a safari in Pench national park. This is the grey hornbill. Also, got to see the Malabar pied hornbills, but unfortunately, couldn’t click any good photos as they tend to stay in the top branches of most trees.



Above photo: This is a sub-adult nilgai or blue bull, a type of antelope found in India. As it matures into an adult, its coat will turn dark blue to black and it will have a sheen to it.



Above photo: Usually, I see a lot of wild dogs or dhole in the forests of Central India, but this time around, I couldn’t spot these pack hunters. Rather, spotted these golden jackals at multiple places. This is one such instance where they are exploring their territory and kept on criss crossing the jeep track in front of us.



Above photo: Indian gaurs are the largest bovine species to be found in India. They are very strong, muscular and can easily be spotted by the white coloured socks that they wear naturally on their legs. Here, you can see a large muscular male sitting with his female partner.



Above photo: Indian gaurs can be quite intimidating when you find them in the middle of your jeep track. These large creatures wearing more than a 1000 kilograms can overturn a forest jeep with their head. Usually, they are very calm, but they can become unpredictable especially when there is a young one in their herd.



Above photo: This is an alpha male Indian gaur. They are heavily muscular and can weigh anywhere between 2000 and 3000 kilograms. They look like a body builder and they usually have a short fuse. Which means, you should leave them alone if you find yourselves around a large male Indian gaur.



Above photo: Usually, the morning jungle safari at Pench Tiger Reserve starts at 5:30 AM and ends at 11:30 AM. This means that you get the opportunity to have a bush breakfast. There are lots of shielded enclosures within the jungle where you can have such a breakfast. This bush breakfast was arranged by Pench Tree Lodge, one of the top resorts in Pench. The driver and the naturalist help set this table in the forest and you can either have a quick and dirty breakfast in case you wish to explore more of the jungle or you can have a relaxed breakfast and share stories from your day so far.

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Anaimalai Tiger Reserve’s Lion Tailed Macaque: A Wild Photo Series

This endangered primate is an old world monkey endemic to the Western Ghats of India. They are found exclusively in the Western Ghats mountains of Southwestern India in the upper canopy of tropical evergreen and monsoon forests. Also known as wanderoos, they are known for their striking silver mane and lion-like tail tufts. They play an extremely important role in seed dispersal. By transporting fruit in their cheek pouches and consuming long distances from where they were gathered, they drop or defecate seeds far from the mother plant and contribute to the survival and propagation of many plant species in their environment. I am talking about the extremely social lion tailed macaque.

One of the best places to see them up close in the wild is Puthuthottam estate, a hidden gem located in the buffer zone of the Anaimalai Tiger Reserve near Valparai in Tamil Nadu. I bring to you this wild photo series of the lion tailed macaque from inside Puthuthottam Estate. It is here that the lion tailed macaques are more trusting of us humans and they often leave their arboreal behaviour and come to the ground.

Above photo: This alpha lion tailed macaque keeps a keen eye out for any threats. Like other macaque species, the lion tailed macaques are also very cunning and often steal food from the homes of locals.



Above photo: We humans have caught the attention of these two female lion tail macaques and they seem to be tracking our every move. These lion tailed macaques are the pride of the Western Ghats.



Above photo: Their greyish silver mane and their black coat is their main identifying feature. However, they get their name from their lion like tufts at the bottom of their tails.



Above photo: Lion tailed macaques are primarily fruit eating primates. They are fond of jackfruits and wild durian. When they don’t find fruits, they will also eat leaves, flowers and invertebrates. They play a crucial role in seed dispersal in their habitat.



Above photo: Male lion tailed macaques often stay alone in their group or they remain part of bachelor groups. This big one in picture is an alpha and heads a group of about 30 lion tailed macaques.



Above photo: Female lion tailed macaques are smaller in size than the males. They usually stay in the company of other females within the group and produce one offspring every couple of years. The young are nurtured by their mothers until they reach puberty.



Above photo: Lion tailed macaques spend half the day foraging and the other half resting of traveling to find areas to forage. They usually have a set territory within which they forage. After foraging, they usually rest on the higher branches of trees.



Above photo: Lion tailed macaques are social creatures that roam in troops of 25 to 30 with a single dominant male. In Puthuthottam estate, lion tailed macaques troops of even 100 members have been spotted quite regularly.



Above photo: Lion tailed macaques are very intelligent and resourceful. For example, they use leaves to remove poisonous stingers from chrysalises before eating them. They also use forest litter to extract water from tree holes.

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The Endangered Nilgiri Tahr in Pictures

As a wildlife lover, one of the best perks of a holiday to Munnar is that you can get close to the endangered Nilgiri Tahr, catch a good glimpse of it and may even walk beside it. Sounds surreal right? Well, such an experience is possible at Eravikulam National Park, a gem located just 9 kms away from Munnar city center.



Endemic to the high mountains of the NIlgiri mountains in the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, this handsome animal with its powerfully built body and pointed horns that face backwards is a sight to behold. And when it defies gravity by standing at cliff edges and precipices, it looks absolutely majestic. No wonder, it is called Varai-aadu (or precipice goat) in Tamil. This state animal of Tamil Nadu, is closer to the sheep family than the ibex or tahr family as the name suggests or the deer or antelope family, which a lot of people misinterpret due to their looks.



While the Nilgiri Tahr exist across many places in the Nilgiris, it is at Eravikulam National Park that you can see them in close quarters. Here, these animals have gotten used to humans walking on the trails inside the national park and have overcome the fear of humans. Thus, the interaction with these rare, endemic and endangered animals becomes that much more richer.



Right from seeing the alpha protect his herd to them looking for threats by standing on precipices and from watching them feed on the mountain grass to simply resting at various steep surfaces, the interactions can be countless. Some visitors use this opportunity to take selfies, which I find to be stupid, but if you let the animal be, he will allow you to walk with him while he goes about his day to day business, which I think for a wildlife enthusiast is an unbelievable experience.



These photographs offer just a sneak peek into the overall experience. In addition to the Nilgiri Tahr, Eravikulam National Park offers stunning mountain panorama, is home to some special flora and fauna and is also one of the best places to see the rare Neelakurinji flower bloom whenever it does. Do visit this national park on your next trip to Munnar and see it for yourself.



Note: Early morning and late evenings are best times for photographers to Eravikulam National Park in overall, but if you are going specifically for Nilgiri Tahr, go between 9 AM and 3 PM as that is the time when these animals come down from mountain tops to feed.



Nearest city: Munnar would be your closest city, but Marayoor offers an excellent off beat and budget option.



Nearest airport: Kochi, about 120 to 130 kms way



Best time of the year: All around the year except February and March when the park is closed. Do carry an umbrella or rain gear during rainy days.



How to book a ticket: Look up Eravikulam National Park website for all details.

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