Tadoba -Andhari Tiger Reserve, often called TATR, is located in the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, India . It gets its first part of the name from the Gond tribal God "Taru " while the second part is after river "Andhari" which flows through the Reserve. It is located at about 47 km from Chandrapur and 120 km for Nagpur which also happens to be the nearest airport city . There are two lakes, called Telia and Tadoba, inside the reserve and which, besides adding to the natural beauty of TATR, are home to many marsh crocodiles and numerous seasonal migratory birds . Entry to the Reserve can be had from the four gates namely Moharli, Kolara, Navegaon and Pangdi. The last one is the buffer area entry gate at about seventy km away from Kolara gate.
In the past the 625 sq km TATR was part of the territory ruled by Gond kings. . Remnants of the period can still be seen in many 12 foot or so high masonry pillars which are found on Moharli- Khatoda road. Guides tell that the pillars were used for navigational purposes by the armies of the Gond rulers.
TATR is most famous for its tigers. It is said to be the most high tiger density reserve of India having about seventy five tigers at present . That includes the buffer zone tigers also.
I spend about a week each year at Tadoba and it is my personal experience that it doesn't disappoint you when it comes to tiger sightings. Enter from the Kolara gate and in all probabilities you will fined the most famous tigresses of Tadoba , the P-1 and P-2 near Jamni or on the road leading to Tadoba lake. The P-1 has now two sub-adult cubs .
If lucky you may also see one of the most famous male tigers of Tadoba, the mighty Gabbar at the Panderpavni pond. The good news is that Gabbar has now fully recovered from the injuries sustained while fighting a rival recently. The other famous male tigers are O'khan, Shiva Ji and the Wagdoh aka the "Scar Face". While Wagdoh can be seen in the buffer zone, the O'khan and Shiva Ji have not been sighted for quite sometime.Rumors say that they have been poached or gone to China
The P-1
The P-2
Gabbar
Apart from Tigers, TATR has many other wild animals like , Leopards, Sloth Bear, the Asian Wild Dog or Dhole, Gaur and Grey Langur and many species of Deer. Among the avian you find Green Bee Eaters, Crested Serpent Eagle, Fish Owls , Honey Buzzards and Bush Quails. The famous Golden Orb Spiders are also found here.
A Tadoba Leopard
Sloth Bear at Tadoba Buffer Zone
A Dhole pair resting after a successful hunt
The Gaur or Indian Bison
A mother Sambhar Deer with her Fawn
A Langur troop at the Panchdhara stream.
The Golden Orb Spider
Tadoba like all other tiger reserves of the country has its own problems. Poaching is one. It loses 2-3 tigers every year to poachers. But compared to many others it is better managed and the forest staff here are doing their best to curb poaching. Tadoba has been successful relocating the villages form its core and buffer areas. The last village to be relocated was Jamni which now has become the abode of P-1 and her two sub adult cubs. Enter from the Kolara gate and just after six km as you reach the first right road turn , tiger sighting area starts. Last year I found the P-1 lying there bang on the mid of the road.
Another interesting fact worth mentioning . The village Jamni was a Gond majority village and the Gond tribal of that area venerated tiger along with their "Kul Devta" or the family God called "Badadev" which they housed high on the Mahuwa (Madhuca longifola) tree branches.
Badadev on the Mahuwa tree
In the past the 625 sq km TATR was part of the territory ruled by Gond kings. . Remnants of the period can still be seen in many 12 foot or so high masonry pillars which are found on Moharli- Khatoda road. Guides tell that the pillars were used for navigational purposes by the armies of the Gond rulers.
TATR is most famous for its tigers. It is said to be the most high tiger density reserve of India having about seventy five tigers at present . That includes the buffer zone tigers also.
I spend about a week each year at Tadoba and it is my personal experience that it doesn't disappoint you when it comes to tiger sightings. Enter from the Kolara gate and in all probabilities you will fined the most famous tigresses of Tadoba , the P-1 and P-2 near Jamni or on the road leading to Tadoba lake. The P-1 has now two sub-adult cubs .
The P-1
Apart from Tigers, TATR has many other wild animals like , Leopards, Sloth Bear, the Asian Wild Dog or Dhole, Gaur and Grey Langur and many species of Deer. Among the avian you find Green Bee Eaters, Crested Serpent Eagle, Fish Owls , Honey Buzzards and Bush Quails. The famous Golden Orb Spiders are also found here.
Tadoba like all other tiger reserves of the country has its own problems. Poaching is one. It loses 2-3 tigers every year to poachers. But compared to many others it is better managed and the forest staff here are doing their best to curb poaching. Tadoba has been successful relocating the villages form its core and buffer areas. The last village to be relocated was Jamni which now has become the abode of P-1 and her two sub adult cubs. Enter from the Kolara gate and just after six km as you reach the first right road turn , tiger sighting area starts. Last year I found the P-1 lying there bang on the mid of the road.
Another interesting fact worth mentioning . The village Jamni was a Gond majority village and the Gond tribal of that area venerated tiger along with their "Kul Devta" or the family God called "Badadev" which they housed high on the Mahuwa (Madhuca longifola) tree branches.
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