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Showing posts from September, 2020

End of an Era In Bandhavgarh: Tiger Pujari Killed In Territorial Battle With D1

The iconic male tiger, admired by thousands of tourists and feared by rivals, reportedly died after a fierce clash in the Khitauli range. Bandhavgarh National Park has lost one of its most recognizable and beloved tigers. Pujari (priest in English) , the majestic male who ruled hearts as much as territories , is believed to have died following a violent territorial clash with D1, another dominant male from the Khitauli range. Tourist guides noticed his sun-salutation poses at water bodies and a priest  like calm in the cat, giving him the moniker.  For wildlife lovers and regular visitors to Bandhavgarh, the news marks the end of an unforgettable chapter in the park’s rich tiger history. Several WhatsApp groups of tourists, guides, and wildlife enthusiasts have been flooded with tributes to the iconic tiger. While many stories circulating after Pujari’s death may not fully conform to scientific wildlife interpretations, they reflect the immense popularity of the big cat and t...

Lantana: World’s Worst Weed Devouring Jungles

When people from the world of glamour take up some issue like conservation of forest and environment, the message is sent far and wide. Versatile Bollywood actor Rahul Singh, famous for films like Ghazi Attack, Tere Bin laden and  Delhi Belly among others,  decided to convert the  corona crisis into an opportunity and joined the  wonderful initiative of Inspector General of police Binita Singh to uproot Lantana ( Lantana Camara) from Sajjangarh  wildlife sanctuary in Udaipur. As the campaign continues, more and more people joined to get rid of one of the world’s 10 worst weeds,  fast spreading in the country' s forests.  Rahul Singh shares his views on the  issue. Tarachand I live near the 519.61 hectare Sajjangarh wildlife sanctuary in  Udaipur,  home to leopards, jackals,  jungle cats and a variety of antelopes and deer  including , sambhar ,cheetal  ( spotted deer) and blue bull or the nilgai among others .  But th...

The Legacy of White Tigers - Mohan, Virat to Mukundpur Safari

Scion of Rewa royals, Pushpraj Singh fondly remembers the legacy of white tigers. He had seen the legendary Mohan - the white tiger captured by his father Martand Singh Judeo from  Mukundpur  forest region. He also remembers vividly, Virat- Mohan’s progeny. Mohan is considered a progenitor of all known white tigers in the world. Like his father, Pushparaj is passionate about wildlife conservation. The Legacy of White Tigers- Mohan, Virat to Mukundpur Safari During my childhood, way back in the mid 60s, I used to return back from Bombay (Now Mumbai), for summer vacations to Rewa, my native place and major lures awaiting me would be mangoes and the   white tiger at Govindgarh fort   as well as the visit to the Bandhavgarh tiger reserve. I had never imagined that one summer holiday would mark the end of one of the major attractions, the white tiger era when in 1972-73 my father, Maharaja Martand Singh Judeo decided to close the curtains on keeping this beautiful anima...

Protect This Wildlife Corridor To Save The Ganges

A simmering man- animal conflict zone- a wildlife corridor spread over almost 1 lakh hectares of forest area - is waiting to explode. The corridor connects two beautiful tiger reserves of Madhya Pradesh- the Bandhavgarh tiger reserve (BTR) in Umaria district and the Sanjay -Dubri tiger reserve in Sidhi.As many as 30 tigers jostle for space with over 5 lakh people in the highly fragmented    jungle corridor seeking immediate attention of the government and execution of a concrete wildlife management plan. The wildlife corridor :   Victim of government apathy The glib -talk –saga of tiger conservation continues and solid conservation works are missing. Protecting tigers in this corridor assumes greater environmental significance.   When wildlife conservation works start, human intervention is restricted which leads to various    precious environmental benefits. And no price tag can be attached to them . Here, the catchment of two big rivers – Son and Banas-...