Pench Tiger Resort is Old Mowgli Land in India

Seoni Hills are Now Pench Tiger Reserve

Kipling wrote a mesmerizing account of life in the jungles of Seoni in Central India. Now the state is known as Madhya Pradesh or MP. 

Sher Khan Tiger

In the eighteenth century there lived a boy completely naked and he spent most of the time in the company of the wolves. As the message spread and reached Kipling he penned the esoteric in a book called "Jungle Book". The story is now legendary and has been made into a film called "Jungle Book".  The rest is history.   

Jungle Home Pench

The popularity accorded to past endeavors has brought fame to the Seoooni Hills as Kipling called the place in India. The Seoni Hills are now Pench National Park and Tiger Reserve. This is where Mowgli roamed in the wild full of antics and was a confirmed foe of Sher Khan the tiger. Nevertheless, the reserve is as good a creation of nature as the book which the author wove so skillfully full of esoteric imagination tells us.     

The characters of Mowgli Land still survive in the wilderness and Sher Khan is the main attraction. In fact, this is a conservation unit under Project Tiger Program.  

Conservation here is the first priority seconded by tourism in twenty percent of the core area and now in the buffer as well.  As a major revenue earner tourism is regulated and permission in form of permits is required. It draws tourists from overseas as well as crowds from within the country.  

The permits for excursions are available online at MPOnline Portal belonging to the state government. The safaris are conducted on jeeps and on foot trekking is not allowed. The park's tourism area is divided into zones, and the permit restricts tourists to one zone unless it is for the full day. 

The big cat is surviving at Pench in good numbers and so are the other animals. Nilgai antelope, Sambar, Chital, barking deer, guar or bison, jackal, wild boar, boar, and langur monkey are common sites. Sloth bears, wild dogs, and leopards are infrequently seen. More than two hundred fifty species of birds make their home here, this includes the winter migrants who depart from March onward. The park is closed during the monsoon. 

Sound tourism infrastructure makes safari possible here. The buffer is home to a number of luxury resorts in Pench National Park in MP.  This outer ring offers varied accommodations ranging from high-end, luxury, and budget properties. The buffer is also home to the critically endangered wolf and can be seen with luck on safari. 

Seoni Township is fifty km from here on the way to Jabalpur Airport (200 km). The closest Airport is Nagpur in neighboring Maharashtra State. It is at a drive of ninety kilometers of good road.    

Tiger Safari More Expensive

Though I am not citing a confirmed report, it is obvious that rates will go up.  I have heard from a hotelier in Bandhavgarh about the increase in gate fees in all Central Indian Tiger Reserves. For a long time, the administration was intent on increasing gate fees and all related fees. How much increase there is yet to be seen by the author.  

This is necessary as the cost has gone up as they are bound to. Even the jeep safari rates have gone up which is understood. The rates of petrol affect the transportation cost all over India hence the tiger reserve. 

Will this impact tourism in our tiger reserves?

Well yes and no!

The rich will continue to come here and enjoy their wildlife holidays in larger numbers. The tigers and their habitat receive tremendous publicity in wildlife magazines and on TV. This diverts more and more people towards tiger tourism in India.

But the increasing cost of the tours will certainly affect the middle class and those below. The major impact will be on the hotels and resorts since not all cater to upscale tourists.  Most of the accommodation will be stressed.

The negative aspect is that nature should be witnessed by a wide spectrum of society. It is quite understood that visitors begin to understand nature close and develop a more practical approach towards it and its conservation. A lot of Indian tourists who visit these preserves on a budget are going to be deprived of this eye-opening experience and miss out on this amazing inheritance.   This applies to budget travelers from foreign soils as well. The negative impact of increased safari costs will make tiger tourism appear to be a prerogative of the wealthy. This will certainly create antipathy toward these parks among the have not’s.    

For school-going children a park visit is a learning experience and is vital for them. These very kids will grow up with a positive attitude towards the environment and all other life forms.    

Some way has to be found out in order to invite less privileged people sans some privileges. Another answer is to open up more wildlife sanctuaries for tourism with proper infrastructure development. But are we very good at finding solutions to problems, take the case of tiger conservation in India?

Kanha Tigers

Immensely popular as the best tiger habitat in the World, Kanha justifies all glory. This pristine forest has always been a tiger habitat and offers a suitable home to amazing mammals and biodiversity.

For me Kanha remains a mystery in spite of many many visits since last thirty years. From a conservation center in infancy to ideal tiger heaven today. No wonder it is the most visited park in India for tiger safaris. As per latest news, the reserve is host to more than 90 tigers in the wild. It is an ideal breeding ground for tigers, as I have seen since years.

Tiger sightings are often bleak and often magnificent. That is how the animal is, mysterious, elusive and mystical. It can be days before one sees a tiger or sometimes there is a windfall. Tiger sightings are by no means estimation of its population at Kanha, but one comes across a lot of tell tale signs. These are indicator of the tiger's presence and trained eyes can make them out. Kanha tigers are in good health though menace of poaching and man animal conflicts loom overhead. Any kind of complacency can be disastrous as has been observed at Panna and Sariska. The conservation centers in India should be alert and protective of this species.

Recently I was at Kanha Tiger Reserve and visited the fine habitats near the Kanha meadow. Due to weather conditions the animals kept themselves in deep confines. But any way I was able to come across a tigress after lot of efforts. My guests wore fat smiles'... after lot of dejection earlier.

Tiger sightings are more by chance but there is always an option for a sleuth he!he!. One can come to conclusions that increase the chance of sighting the tiger in its home. I received a lot of handshakes and pats on the back. I was happy with the driver of the Kanha resort were I was staying. Some of the wildlife lodges make special efforts in training their drivers and naturalists. responsible tourism most of the staff is local.

Kanha safaris are highly organised and one must follow the rules and regulations fully. The park authorities cooperate with the tourism industry but do not allow tourists to go against the rules. This helps in offering the tourists a holistic experience of the preserve. As part of responsibility the tourists themselves must set an example of responsible behaviour while on safaris. After all we are in the land of the tiger and millions of life forms that are making their last stand in such forests.

Tourism at Bandhavgarh

Well known for its tigers and wildlife safaris Bandhavgarh is the most picturesque resort in the World. Not as large as Kanha or Pench it is quintessentially a tiger reserve. The density of tigers is the highest here. It is the topography that supports tigers the best. The topography comprises steep hills and hillocks with tableland at the top. The diversity of life forms is worth observing.

In between are deep glens with forested slopes, rivers, and grasslands. The terrain does not permit human movement in many places. There are many inaccessible areas some of which are motorable but tourists rarely go there. The inaccessibility has prevented human encroachment. This has been one of the reasons for the eventual survival of the tigers at Bandhavgarh. The prey base is excellent and the marshy grasslands are ideal hunting grounds for dominant tigers.

Like Kanha, the park offers the best chance to see the tiger in the wild on a jeep safari. The tourism zone comprises marshy grasslands where tigers abound. They can be seen in broad daylight by chance. The dense canopy of the forested regions offers little chance to see the tiger since there is plenty of covers.

The tigers are everywhere even near the resorts in Bandhavgarh National Park. They can be seen with luck on road to Tala and near some villages. There are incidences of man-animal conflict and the animal is the sufferer. There are many villages yet to be relocated from within the park.

Tiger Safari

Tiger safari is conducted in the core zone of the park. There are two safaris in the jungle early morning and late evening. There are now two entrance gates but the Tala Gate is very popular. The road runs parallel to the Charanganga River offering a good chance to sight the big cat, especially in summer. There is a split at some juncture one jungle road leads to Chur Bohera meadow. This is again a good spot to see the tigers in the wild. Wildlife safaris in Bandhavgarh Jungle would now be route based for individual vehicles. This is good and prevents the concentration of vehicles in one spot.

One can score Mahaman and Raj Bohera for some exciting moments. Waiting patiently at Gopal Talao and other water bodies could fetch some exciting mammal sightings including the tiger. On jeep, safari silence is the rule and keen eyes are a necessity. This is essential to catch sight of wild animals or hear telltale signs of their presence. Pug mark trekking is also good but by the time you have come across the mark, the tiger has already slithered away.

Having a holistic experience is an essential way of holidaying at tiger reserves and National Parks in India. The jungle has so much to offer in terms of wildlife sightings, birding, and soothing calm in a pristine environment.

Wildlife & Tourism

Other animals to be seen at Bandhavgarh are Leopard, Sambar Deer, Spotted Deer, Wild Dog, Barking Deer, Sloth Bear, Four Horned Deer, Langurs, Wild Boar, Jungle Cat, Jackal, Fox, and Rhesus Macaque. A night safari outside the park could yield small mammals, civet cats, ratel, and porcupines. Night safaris are not allowed inside the preserve. Pythons and other reptiles are seen with luck.

Nilgai is often seen at Bathan but Hyenas and Indian Wolf are scared... I have never seen them at the scrub outside the park. The nature preserve offers the finest birding opportunity for forest birds and often some wetland birds.

Places of interest are the ancient Bandhavgarh Fort, temples, stables, Sesh Shaiyya, man-made caves with ancient Brahmi script, and zoomorphic avatars of Lord Vishnu.

The tourism infrastructure is well set in the reserve. The safaris are regulated by the forest department. It is a must to hire a park guide on safaris. At the gates, the fee is charged on a per-vehicle basis and a separate fee has to be paid for filming equipment - cameras, videos, and movie cameras. There is a wildlife interpretation center at Tala Gate. Tala village is a small shopping center and eatables are available.

The jeeps are available for hire most of the hotels in Bandhavgarh arrange jeep safaris. Hence those on the jungle plan benefit a lot. There are many hotels, wildlife resorts, and lodges outside the preserve. The rates are for all budgets - super luxury to budget accommodation.

Season

The park opens in October and closes in June end. All time is a good time to holiday at this reserve but avoid the holiday season especially major festivals.

The winters are very cold hence warm clothing, hand gloves, and headgear is a must. Summer is hot...not for those who cannot bear the heat.

How to Reach

The park can be reached by 5 hrs drive from Jabalpur by road and rail (Umaria). Jabalpur is connected by air to New Delhi. Overnight train from New Delhi - Utkal Express reaches Umaria in the morning. This railhead is about 32 km from the park gate.

Plan your safaris well and enjoy the most exciting heart throbbing wildlife holiday ever.

Night Safaris at Kanha Tiger Reserve

In early periods night safaris were not regulated in Kanha National Park. But as a right measure, this was discouraged in toto. It is not a good idea to conduct night safaris in the core zones of any National Park taking into account the disturbance caused and the onus of day safaris which are organized in the morning and evening.

I have always encouraged night safaris among my visitors and have conducted some in the buffer zone...mainly on highways passing through. My preferred route is the road that leads right up to the Kanha NP park boundary from Van Vilas Jungle Resort at Mochha onwards. The night safari route which I prefer is the Mukki Highway and Mocha to Mukki road. The last two are public routes so there is no problem although you may have to notify forest guards or posts on the way. For the first route, it is advisable to contact the first post you come across.

Night safaris are exciting and offer the best chance of sighting less-seen nocturnal animals such as the leopard, porcupine, ratel, Indian fox, civet cats, barking deer, the rare wolf, and more. You can hear night jars and owls and see them under the light. A powerful torch should be very useful albeit care should be taken not to throw light on big cats and bison if you come across them. For large animals, searchlights are not essential as the headlights work fine.

Night safaris are the best way to experience the heart-throbbing delights of tranquil jungle life and its pristine ambiance. Night safaris are being conducted in Rajasthan and as per TOI news, they will be conducted in major NPs and Wildlife Sanctuaries in Karnataka.

Advantages

If properly organized and in the right places, Night safaris at Kanha Tiger Reserve will make tourism more fruitful. Perhaps it will reduce the traffic of day safaris in the core zone.

Night safaris may discourage illegal activities since the roving eyes of the tourists will hinder the movements of poachers and timber smugglers.

It will yield more employment to the locals and add a business to the hotels, jeep owners, and guides. This would be the best way to provide jobs to local guides who often sit jobless due to less tourism inside the core zone.

It will increase awareness amongst the tourists as their scope of understanding this fragile ecosystem will increase.

Caution

The movement for night safaris has to be strictly restricted to nonsensitive areas...away from core zone and breeding zones.

The tourist has to comply with decent behavior, perhaps supervised by the guide as he does so in the day safaris.

The night safaris should be conducted in the same manner as the day safari by the administration...and charged.

The safety of the tourist has to be taken into account.

The timings should be restricted up to 11pm.

Tiger Tourism

The conservation of the Bengal tiger is in chaos in India. With the apparent failure of Project Tiger, NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) has been set up. NTCA is in all a twisted form of the earlier project with the involvement of some NGOs, headed unfortunately by one with no background in wildlife management.

As a result, skewered policies are bound to emerge. Instead of finding ways and means of saving tigers from poaching and revitalizing forest management, the committee has forsaken all its load on tourism it seems. There is a proposal in the offing of banning tourism in the core area of the parks or at some places completely closing tourism????

If this is true it further exposes the incapacity of the NTCA to find the answer to stop the rapid decline of the tiger in India. The animal is on the last leg of its journey to India and may become extinct sooner than we expect. The assumption is bolstered by the fact that tigers have been poached easily and completely at reserves like Panna and Sariska - bastions of tiger conservation.

Tourism is a positive aspect of tiger conservation. For all those who think it to be a menace and think it should be banned in core areas.....here are some points to consider.

1) Tigers have the highest breeding and cub survival rates in core areas with tourist movements. (Meaning adverse effect is negligible & tourism thwarts poachers.)

2) Prey base is the highest in core areas.

3) Acclimatization to humans is limited and harmless as tigers in the periphery come in regular contact with humans too. Anyway since tigers of all areas were poached in Sariska and Panna this holds little weight.

4) Tourist act as a watch dog, without tourism there would still be tigers reported in two failed reserves albeit on paper.

5) Tiger reserves with no/little tourism have suspected tiger statistics - Sanjay National Park in Siddhi.

6) Responsible tourism benefits local communities. Any policy changes unfavorable to responsible tourism will result in a drop in tourism and hence affect the livelihood of the endemic tribal and others.

7) Poachers will have a field day in absence of tourists which will also limit the movement of staff in these areas for sure.

The best is to limit vehicle entry and diverge routes in the park as has been done in Central Indian Reserves like Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh in India. All the hotels in National Parks wildlife lodges should follow responsible tourism guidelines.

Wildlife tourism is a by-product of nature conservation everywhere. Africa is the prime example, whereas wildlife tourism is an economic mainstay of some countries. All developed nations have centers of conservation with regular tourist movements.

The policy reflects total bias and incoherence due to a complete lack of understanding. The real problem is that poachers sneak in and kill tigers with impunity. The system is unable to protect the wildlife there. Although the problems are quite complex taking into consideration the size of our forests and complexities in the surroundings. Nevertheless, a highly focused and bold approach is the order of the day. Along with all irregularities, vis a vis the systems in place should be paid heed to.

Instead of closed-door elite conferences, a direct hard-hitting approach is required so that poachers and mafia involved in this heinous trade are brought to the book. The poachers in India are on a rampage due to leverage given by law authorities, policymakers, and a lack of intelligence gathering.

26/11 & Aftermath - Tourism

The terror attack on Mumbai on twenty sixth November can be described as worst nightmare for India ever. The senseless massacre by hate mongers left India stunned and the whole World. Not only Indians but some Americans, British, Israeli and citizens of other nationalities touring India succumbed to the brutal assault.

India is being targeted for its rising economy, positive International image and all things good in the country. My tribute to the unfortunate victims and condolences to near and dear one's.

Who and where hate mongers are nurtured is a matter of investigation? HE! HE! (Sic!)

Like everything else tourism too has suffered especially tiger tourism which has become a flourishing industry of late.

Less tourists would be visiting Kanha and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserves due to the fear and unfound insecurity that has set in among tourists both local and International. Tiger Tourism help made friends for the endangered tiger without doubt. More and more people turn to conservation on experiencing wild jungle safaris all over the World so in India.

Other victims are the hotels in Kanha and Bandhavgarh National Parks and elsewhere in tiger reserves all over the country. Not forgetting the local communities that benefited from hotel industries around the safari parks and the local economy in toto. But India is a resilient Nation and so are its masses. The recovery will be quick.

Wildlife tourism has come as a boon to hotel and travel industry in India and in other economies all over the World. For many small Nations tourism including wildlife tourism and birding has come about with blessings as the mainstay of the economy. When turbulence occurs the poverty stricken citizens are the first to suffer.

That night of horror and after was a butchery of anything that walked as in the days of old when ruthless senseless hunting and deforestation was in vogue. People who come to love and respect nature are the most peaceful non violent people on Earth because they have learned to respect and preserve all life forms.

The societies that are tackling the menace of extremism and rabid fundamentalist ideologies (sometimes state sponsored) should encourage education in nature conservation fervidly among its masses to root out violence in any form.

National progress comes as a result of quality of its people, a few unchecked rabid elements within like rotten apple end up destroying the whole Nation eventually.

Tiger Tourism

Recently I was at Kanha at the invitation of Mr. Roshan Mishra manager of Van Vilas Resort at Kanha. It was a wonderful dinner meet with sumptuous Indian cuisine served delicately..he!He!

I keep on meeting Roshan as he is a frequent visitor to Jabalpur. His is an affable fellow with deep interest in wildlife and a good perspective of tiger tourism at Kanha. Our discussion often moves around from wildlife to tiger as key stone species and tourism which so overwhelmingly looms large at Kanha come tiger safari time.

Though few months afore 1st October hectic activity starts. Management awakens after a nap at Kanha hotels to gear up for the coming tiger safari season. But generally there are days when the hotel top brass is relaxed whence all scheduled chores function well. The staff is well trained at Celebration Van Vilas Resort and hence work goes smooth.

Amidst Naturalists there is a constant debate going on regarding pro and cons of tiger safari in Central Indian National Parks. No doubt the Kanha Lodges define tiger tourism and how it should be conducted. The park authorities frame rules and manage, besides which they have very little role to play especially in tourism.

The crux of the discussion now a days is - the guest experience. Earlier and to some extent now tiger tourism at Kanha was limited to tiger chase. Once the tiger was sighted interest in Kanha dimmed and some tourist left earlier than planned.

But the lodges at Kanha began to give greater inputs employed naturalists, trained staff, increased amenities at the lodges to engage tourist to a greater extent. This began to deliver holistic perspective of Kanha to the tourists. The trained nature guides began to unfold Kanha and tourist began to see the real Kanha besides the tiger.

Kanha landscape got deserved attention so did the birds, small game, floral elements and reptiles and butterflies. This is an on going process arising out of investment not only in properties but expert man power as well.

The resort owners have realized that though the tiger sighting is the main attraction of Kanha a more holistic approach is required to increase tourism potential of the park.

Kanha has so much to offer apart from tigers - it is a biodiversity that overwhelms and amazes each and everyone only good extrapolation is required.