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...
Most of the tiger reserves in India are going to be shut down in the months of monsoon. Ever wondered why? This is the time when tiger gets rest from the horde of tourists, the vehicular traffic and the accompanied noise. The ionic cat retires deep in the jungle to remain in serenity- much needed break from shutter sound and phone photography. Few years ago, a study in Kanha national park and Bandhavgarh tiger reserve had revealed high stress among the tigers because of tourist traffic Impact of Tourism on Tiger The study was conducted in 2015, the same year when the government of Madhya Pradesh decided to give only three months’ break to tiger to rest. It curtailed full one month from its yearly time table of shut down in forests to facilitate tourism. Before this, parks would remain closed from June 16 to October 16. In 2015, the government decided to stretch the tourism season and issued orders for the parks to remain closed for three months -June 30 to September 30. The same y...