The Wildlife India

Madhya Pradesh , the tiger state of India, is facing  fresh tiger threat. Four cases of suspected poaching around Bandhavgarh national park in the last one month and tragic tiger killing in a road accident near Panna national park rattled the state forest department. Experts believe that this is an ominous sign and should serve as a wake -up call for the government to continue the tiger success story in the state. Already facing the issues of multiple threats to the tiger corridors and habitat, the recent happenings revolve around the revenge killing and poaching. There is also an urgent need to initiate retrofitting measures in the parks like Panna , recently included in the list of UNESCO biosphere reserves. Disturbing Trends Around the National Park As the special task force (STF) of wildlife rush to investigate the tiger killings around Bandhavgarh national park- 4 in about 25 days of time- it is suspected that “organised poachers” are behind the killings. Quite a sensation...

When Panna was included as  the 12th  Biosphere Reserve (BR),  it was yet another recognition to  its critical tiger reserve facing threat from a river  linking project and Bunelkhand’s unique ecosystem. “UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme today (October 29) included Panna in India and Fuvahmulah and Addu Atoll (both islands)  in the Maldives, to UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves'', the UNESCO website said. Sustainability: Hope for the Planets If we can make sustainability work at a local level, and scientifically document how it works, perhaps there is hope for the planet. That is the task UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme  (MAB) was given by its Member States 49 years ago, ’the website quoted ,Guy Broucke, head of Natural Sciences, UNESCO New Delhi.  Introducing Panna as the new BR, the UNESCO said “Located in the centre of India, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, Panna is characterized by forests and marshy vegetation,...

Solo with  her cub Any news about the death of a tiger always hurts.  Suspected poisoning of a tigress, one of the most popular, big cats of Bandhavgarh national park , surrounded by about 100 villages , shocked the wildlife lovers earlier this week. Before the exact reason of her death is known and viscera were sent for forensic analysis, various theories started floating by the mushrooming tiger experts over the suspicious death of Solo, the 10 year tigress.   A latest picture of the tigress showed wound marks on her body-a deep wound near her neck exposing flesh, caused, perhaps, after fight with Chakardhara male, a ferocious tiger of the park. Tragic End of Solo: Who Killed the Tigress Solo Officially known as T42, the name Solo  was given by   a crew of the BBC some years ago while shooting for its documentary ‘The Hunt’   in the tiger reserve. Solo was born to the legendary female Rajbehra and Jobhi -male in 2011. It was Rajbehra’s first litter of c...

She is just 15 and already a legend. And she is as famous as a bollywood actress. One of the most fertile tigresses of the world, Collarwali of Pench tiger reserve has many stories linked with her. Her catwalk on the pathways of the jungle ahead of tourist gypsies has made her immensely popular world over. Wildlife photographers are delighted when she walks along with their vehicles giving them ample opportunity to click pictures. But the incredibly fertile tigress is renowned more not for only giving birth to a record number of litters but also the success of their survival in the cruel world of the wild. The celebrated tigress has already given birth to 29 cubs in 8 litters, a world record of sorts. Her bulging stomach has already given birth to rumours; rumours abound in the land of Mowgli that Collarwali is pregnant yet again. Foresters, guides, mahouts- all talk about the bulging stomach of the celebrity. But the news is yet to be confirmed. However, one thing is certain -her...

As a country-wide exercise is underway to select the national butterfly of India, a dedicated group of naturalists wandering in the Amarkantak biosphere have identified some rare species including Blue Mormonand Crimson rose. So far almost 100 species   of   butterflies   have been identified in the jungles around Anuppur and Shahdol districts. Considered as the third   biggest butterfly of India,   Blue Mormonor Papilio polymnestor is a fascinating insect. It is a large swallowtail butterfly mostly found in southIndia and Sri Lanka. It is also the state butterfly of Maharashtra. Protected under the Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, the Crimson rose is   mainly found fluttering in the Western Ghats and South Indian hills .The brightly coloured flyers are also flourishing   from the eastern end of the Himalayas to its north-western parts. This is also a common visitor to Indian gardens and can even be found in crowded urban areas. The other b...

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...

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...

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-...