Tadoba was in the news from the last week of April though for reasons less pleasant. First came the news of a fire breakout in the Telia region on 27th April. The fire had spread wide destroying quite a large area so much so that the Park authorities decided to close down Telia region for the remaining tourist season. Next there was killing of a Forest Development Corporation employee on 11th May deployed in the Tadoba lake area on fire watch duty . That unfortunate soul had gone for his morning ablutions when he was attacked and killed by a tiger. Opinions are divided. Some blame the dominant male tiger of the area called "Matkasur" while others hold the tigress P-2 aka "Maya" responsible for the killing. Anyway it could be either of the two . A week after came the news of a leopard attack in the village Mohadi . This village is located about 8 km east of Kolara gate. The feline had picked up a goat from the village taking her to a nearby culvert. Some villagers followed . Soon about 150-200 men crowded the spot all shouting to flush out the leopard. The result was tragic. The leopard escaped but not before punishing 3 spectators for disturbing his meal.
As per my plan I reached Tadoba on 28th May and took the afternoon safari. Since the Telia area stood banned temporarily all the tourist traffic from Moharli and Navegaon gates stood diverted to Jamni- Panderpavni area. Some 50 odd vehicles , 6 Canters and about 45 Gypsies , were in competition on the road in an attempt to occupy vantage point for sighting and photography. The result was chaos. The narrow Jamni road was chaotic, noisy and unruly. I wondered at the wisdom of Park authorities . Why some other area was not opened in lieu of Telia closure? That would have certainly eased pressure on a single area and also on the animals . However despite of the chaotic conditions tigress P-2 aka "Maya" didn't disappoint . I found her at "Äinbodi" water hole and as she finished off her cooling session a Sloth Bear came in . The day was really hot. The next day I saw P-1's sub-adult cub on the Jamni road. In the evening "Matkasur "male and a fleeting cub of "Devdoh" female were sighted. I sometime wonder at the fate of Tadoba tourism if the tigresses P-1 and P-2 were not there !
My next four safaris, and the last also, were in the Alizanza buffer zone. This newly opened buffer is about 12 kms south of Kolara gate in the vicinity of a village of the same name. It has a rocky terrain with two current hotspots , Kinichua and Jharna , for the big cat sightings. I found Jharna empty . The resident tigress had moved out along with her four months old cubs due to increased vehicle movements in that small area. However the Kinichua was very much alive and I witnessed some very interesting scenes there enacted by its resident male tiger called Rana .
The Kinichua area is a small depression ensconced between the hill slopes on its eastern and western sides. The northern side has a sloping green meadow of about thirty acres with a small stream flowing through supplying water to the Kinichua waterhole which is accessible from the northern and western sides. It's a good birding spot also. I found Kingfishers, Asian Paradise Flycatchers and Hawk Eagles there. Herbivores especially the Indian Guars come from the northern side as it provides a clear visibility to the waterhole. The western side passage, though short in approach , is through a dry Nala which is dark with a steep left turn . Rana, the tiger, ambushes it prey on these two spots and the whole area appeared to be a graveyard of the mighty Gaurs. Rana had killed a calf and the mother Gaur at the western entry a day before and was enjoying both the kills at his leisure.
As per my plan I reached Tadoba on 28th May and took the afternoon safari. Since the Telia area stood banned temporarily all the tourist traffic from Moharli and Navegaon gates stood diverted to Jamni- Panderpavni area. Some 50 odd vehicles , 6 Canters and about 45 Gypsies , were in competition on the road in an attempt to occupy vantage point for sighting and photography. The result was chaos. The narrow Jamni road was chaotic, noisy and unruly. I wondered at the wisdom of Park authorities . Why some other area was not opened in lieu of Telia closure? That would have certainly eased pressure on a single area and also on the animals . However despite of the chaotic conditions tigress P-2 aka "Maya" didn't disappoint . I found her at "Äinbodi" water hole and as she finished off her cooling session a Sloth Bear came in . The day was really hot. The next day I saw P-1's sub-adult cub on the Jamni road. In the evening "Matkasur "male and a fleeting cub of "Devdoh" female were sighted. I sometime wonder at the fate of Tadoba tourism if the tigresses P-1 and P-2 were not there !
Having had enough of Jamni I decided to explore buffer areas and Kolsa range. Next day I went to Kolara buffer. The buffer jungle is very beautiful and very rich with wildlife. My guide told me about the shifting of a few tigers there from Telia region due to the fire incident . However I didn't spot any.
I spent next 2 days at Kolsa range. Though the distance to Kolsa from Kolara gate, where I was staying, is about 50kms but it was worth exploring Kolsa .Since only 3 Gypsies are allowed from the Pangdi gate , the entrance to Kolsa , there was no traffic rush nor any chaos inside the jungle. I found Shivenjahri empty but met the Hirdinala female along with her 3 cubs late in the evening near Sukhdibodi. The next day brought more luck when I met the Kuhani female with her 3 cubs. The Kuhani female is a magnificent tigress . One needs to see it on order to appreciate her immense grace and beauty.
My next four safaris, and the last also, were in the Alizanza buffer zone. This newly opened buffer is about 12 kms south of Kolara gate in the vicinity of a village of the same name. It has a rocky terrain with two current hotspots , Kinichua and Jharna , for the big cat sightings. I found Jharna empty . The resident tigress had moved out along with her four months old cubs due to increased vehicle movements in that small area. However the Kinichua was very much alive and I witnessed some very interesting scenes there enacted by its resident male tiger called Rana .
The Kinichua area is a small depression ensconced between the hill slopes on its eastern and western sides. The northern side has a sloping green meadow of about thirty acres with a small stream flowing through supplying water to the Kinichua waterhole which is accessible from the northern and western sides. It's a good birding spot also. I found Kingfishers, Asian Paradise Flycatchers and Hawk Eagles there. Herbivores especially the Indian Guars come from the northern side as it provides a clear visibility to the waterhole. The western side passage, though short in approach , is through a dry Nala which is dark with a steep left turn . Rana, the tiger, ambushes it prey on these two spots and the whole area appeared to be a graveyard of the mighty Gaurs. Rana had killed a calf and the mother Gaur at the western entry a day before and was enjoying both the kills at his leisure.
In the evening of my last safari when the visiting hour was about to be over, Rana stepped into the waterhole . I was near to the entrance and aimed my camera instantly. The tiger was not pleased . See his displeasure in the photo below.
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