Bandhavgarh National Park History

Bandhavgarh is a unique tiger reserve situated in Vindhya in the state of Madhya Pradesh in India. Though small as compared to Kanha National Park in size, it equals it in the case of floral biodiversity. The mammal species are less in number at Bandhavgarh Park, but nevertheless, the easy sightings of Bengal tigers in the wild and unparalleled beauty make it a unique destination. The hard ground Barasingha has not been recorded here. The Bisons of Bandhavgarh became extinct a few years back. Besides these animals, the park has all the mammals typical to Central India. It is most frequented by wildlife lovers, naturalists, and photographers in India.

The most enchanting paradise in India Bandhavgarh National Park has undulating terrain with igneous rocks, large marshy grasslands, and densely forested hill slopes. It is unique that it holds ruins of ancient civilizations in its folds. Littered all over the park are man-made caves, ancient temples, stables, and ruins of a once magnificent fort atop the Bandhavgarh Hill at 800 m. The monuments most of them in ruins date two thousand years back. The last dynasty to rule the Bandhavgarh fort was the Baghel Kings Maharajas of Rewa.

Amidst the ruins and rubble roam wild tigers and other animals. The Sesh Shaiyya, on the way up to the fort, is a fairytale-like pond with a reclining Vishnu carved in stone on one side. The statue is carved out of rock and is twenty feet long. It is a magnificent site - quaint and esoteric. The tigers roam in the dense vegetation surrounding the place. In summers, whence water is scarce the area is usually the haunt of tigress with cubs.

Sita the famous tigress of Bandhavgarh preserve was often sighted at Sesh Shaiyya with her cubs. Charger the famous male tiger, who along with Sita sired many of Bandhavgarh's young tigers, and once ruled this habitat for years.

Most of the hotels in Bandhavgarh National Park arrange a visit to Sesh Shaiyya. A big respite to hotel guests tired from many a frantic tiger chase. The ambiance is soothing and calm and a tiger passing by adds to the thrill.

For those on a tiger safari in Bandhavgarh, a visit to this enchanting place will add much to wildlife watching. The hotels and wildlife resorts do arrange for a visit to Sesh Shaiyya and the Fort on prior intimation.

Wildlife Photographic Expeditions & Workshops

Nature PhotographyWorkshops & Tiger Safari

Kanha & Bandhavgarh

Once again Hotel Celebration Group is organizing photographic expedition cum workshop to photograph tigers and other wildlife at:

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve …………………date 17th to 20th November 2009

Kanha Tiger Reserve……………………………date 14th to 17th November 2009

These are the best tiger habitats in Central India in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Tiger reserves are most popular all over the world for wildlife conservation. Kanha and Bandhavgarh are the best places to see and photograph tigers in the wild.

The two safaris aim to give you maximum exposure to wildlife photography alongside noted wildlife photographer Mr. Kalyan Verma.

This is your best chance to see and photograph Tigers in the wild. These safaris are designed for you to have the maximum wildlife experience at Bandhavgarh and Kanha National Parks. You will return home with breathtaking images of wild Bengal tigers, and a host of the park's enthralling wilderness - deer, leopard, wild boar, sloth bear, wild dog, bison, and wonderful birds and butterflies.

The safaris are accompanied by workshops on photography every evening. The topics range from information on equipment – lens and cameras. Learn various techniques involved in wildlife photography from experts. Find information on different aspects of photography like macro and bird photography, composition, post-processing to natural history and field techniques, and much more.

Features:
• Four days/Three-night stay at Celebration Van Vilas Resort in Kanha / Bandhavgarh National Park or both.
• Five tiger safaris at each park with 4 persons on jeep for an ideal photographic experience.
• Get an opportunity for amazing habitat and landscape photography opportunity.
• Safari includes elephant back tiger watching and photography.
• Learn nature photography techniques, tips, and processing
• Review images each day post-safari.
• Lecture on Tiger Conservation by the WWF Regional Director.
• Informal and fun photography sessions – no grind.
• Mr. Kalyan Verma will shoot alongside you and deliver valuable information.
• Work side by side in groups with expert guidance all along.
• Share knowledge and vision - gain perspective.
• Mr. Kalyan Verma is a professional nature photographer and experienced naturalist in India.

Accommodation
Stay at the finest three-star resort The Celebration Van Vilas in Kanha and Bandhavgarh parks. The luxury lodges are situated at a walkable distance from the park gates. The wildlife lodge provides state of art service, luxurious comforts, and modern amenities. Relish traditional Indian and continental cuisine created by professional chefs.

Who partakes in the safari?

1. Photographers are beginners, amateurs, and professionals.

2. For seasoned photographers venturing into nature photography to further their skills.

3. Just anybody wishing to join these heart-throbbing wildlife safaris and gain knowledge.

What is there in the package?

* Five jeep safaris at both parks each.
* All gate fees.
* Stay as mentioned above on double occupancy basis.
* All meals including morning and evening tea.
* Services of naturalist guides and professional jungle drivers.

What is not included?

* Your traveling costs to and fro from the parks.
* Elephant rides.
* Fee - passport, visa, immunization, insurance, and airport taxes.
* Beverages alcoholic/nonalcoholic.
* Laundry, phone, personal expenses.

Package Cost.

The package... either at Kanha or Bandhavgarh is Rs 14,800 per person.
For participation in both safaris, the package is Rs 27,800 per person. (Incl. transfer between parks).

Accommodation is on twin sharing basis. For private single occupancy, there will be an additional charge of 3000 Rs.

Wish to be part of this wonderful offer?
Then register now:

Send an email: kalian@rtns.org

Provide the following information……

Name:

Email:

Phone:


More Info. Visit Website of Mr Kalyan Verma...

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.

Mouse Deer at Kanha

There was a lot of speculation about mouse deer or Indian chevrotain at Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh Central India. The taxonomic classification is tragulus meminna....... family Tragulidae. Mouse deer is a ruminant and prefers forest habitats or grassy areas surrounded by rocky hillsides. Such habitat is widespread in this tiger reserve, and the discovery suggests a healthy or rather well-preserved habitat for niche-dwelling species.

The deer was spotted and photographed at Kanha by a guest staying at a hotel in Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The news was published in a local daily. Though I had heard from jeep drivers and guides about the presence of this animal in face of concrete evidence and reliable identification, it was difficult to establish the presence of this animal. But the recent findings are an eye-opener. In spite of a such large number of visitors and forest staff, a species can go unnoticed or unidentified.

This could apply to other animals especially birds at Kanha since trained eyes roving in large numbers is a must for a correct listing of life forms in our National parks and sanctuaries.

This speaks of how little we know of wildlife - flora, and fauna - of our tiger heavens and so much is still to be done apart from saving the endangered tiger which rightly is the first priority.

Tiger News

In perhaps what could be termed as unprecedented? Mr. Chouhan the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh the tiger state of India has transferred the Field Directors of three tiger reserves on account of negligence and dereliction of duty.

As per the news published in Indian Express and the local Jabalpur daily, they are the field directors of Kanha National Park, Panna, and Bandhavgarh tiger reserve in MP. Of late there had been lots of reports of questionable deaths of tigers and mismanagement of the parks.

The tigers of Mukki Range in Kanha have suffered and have been wiped out. The current evidence of tigers there suggests movement from the Kanha Range of the park. Subsequently, pressure came from the Central Government.

An investigative report conducted by NTCA or National Tiger Conservation Authority states the absence of tigers from key habitats in the parks. This is, by all means, alarming, and more tiger reserves would go the Sariska and Panna way.

The action of the Chief Minister of MP is coupled with an investigation into the performance of past Field directors for evidence of apathy and negligence and a special investigation at Panna for the complete decimation of tigers that have taken place there. An independent committee will conduct a probe as well as at other places where tiger deaths have occurred.

This is a heartening step for tiger conservationists in India and all over the World. Such action would at least reduce negligence and irresponsible governance by the staff at these tiger reserves.

Rarely have I seen any concerted action from a political big wig in India. But what remains to be seen is what action will be taken against those found guilty?

It must be noted that in many instances the staff and administration have shown neglect and apathy whence protection is concerned. What is required is to place these reserves in a special category and induct highly trained, dedicated, and committed staff who is capable of policing as well managing tiger reserves. All these qualities are prerequisites in top brass as well as those at the grassroots.

I have come across some officers who fit the bill, they should be permanently placed in sensitive biodiversity-rich ecosystems.

Tiger: Upsy Daisy

This tiger photograph is an example of creative photography at its best. Mr. Kamaljeet Singh Hora is an amateur wildlife photographer with professional zeal. His tiger image published here explores a Bold creative angle and the result is stunning!

Leopard Sightings at Kanha

Though famous for tigers and Hard Ground Barasingha Kanha is full of surprises. The leopard beleaguered cousin of the tiger is an elusive and nocturnal species at Kanha National Park in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

In my many many visits to this tiger reserve, I have been fortunate enough to see the leopard only two times. As a result, I had given up trekking this shy cat. The leopards are strictly nocturnal and shy by habit in Kanha as a result of stiff competition with the tiger.

The confrontation between the tiger and the leopard is fatal with the latter being at the receiving end. Hence the animal is forced to space its movement carefully in order to avoid the big cousin. But the leopard does move in the day at times and is seen by the lucky ones on a tiger safari in the park.

Recent sightings of leopards at Kanha have been surprisingly frequent thanks to effective conservation measures.

The leopard population in Kanha is on the upward swing which has resulted in greater sightings. This has come as a boon to wildlife photographers as the leopard photos in this blog show. These images are the work of wildlife enthusiast and photographer Mr. Kamaljeet Singh Hora. He is well known to me and often sends his wonderful wildlife photos for my blogs.

The leopard has been frequently seen and photographed at Link No. 9 in the core area of the park. Many delightful sightings have taken place recently.

If the future augurs well Kanha tiger reserve will be popular not only for tiger safari but for leopard safari as well. A lot to cheer about.