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...
Promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Cop26 climate change summit in Glasgow in November 2021 seem to contradict actions taken by his government back home. Amidst protest and litigation, millions of trees are proposed to be axed for the projects including coal, diamond mining and river linking projects in Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. After protests against Ken Betwa River linking project threatening the very existence of a tiger reserve and voices against diamond mining in Madhya Pradesh, indigenous people in Hansdeo Arand , one of the richest bio-diverse Indian forests located in Chattisgarh, hold protests to save their “home”- a pristine virgin Sal forest. An estimated four and half lakh trees are expected to be axed to make way for coal mining in the jungle, an important wildlife corridor which is also the origin of the river Hansdeo. All this is happening when Climate Change has become a reality. The Environmental W...