From the category archives:

Forests

TopSlip in the Anaimalais, TN – A Tusker’s Paradise!

Topslip is located in the Anaimalai Forest Range bordering Tamilnadu and Kerala. The erstwhile Anaimalai Wildlife Santucary is now known as IGWS – Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary. A Forest Preserve, this range houses a variety of wildlife and birdlife. Wild elephant and bison sightings are quite common. Quoting from an article in The Hindu, “The IGWS and National Park harbours over 250 species of birds of 49 families and is enormously rich in other biodiversity. According to the latest reports India is home to nearly 1,300 bird species in the diverse habitats.” The neighboring Parambikulam Sanctuary is to the West of Topslip in Kerala.

TopSlip_map1

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Wild Saga of Corbett

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxn1tZi_G7c[/youtube]

Shot in the heart of Corbett National Park, Wild Saga of Corbett is the only comprehensive travel guide on Corbett National Park. Loaded with safari tips, the film also showcases how we as tourists can help in the conservation efforts of the park authorities.

So in case you are planning a visit to Corbett and wondering what is the kind of preparation you need to do for your trip, grab a copy of this DVD by contacting the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) – India’s leading non -government organisation (NGO) or just call Nature Wanderers at +91 9871367945.

(Visit us at www.naturewanderers.com / www.flickr.com/photos/shivangmehta)

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The Ladakh Panorama

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNmSMFyoPN0[/youtube]

Photographs by Kahini Ghosh Mehta & Shivang Mehta – wildlife photographers who run a camp in Corbett National Park and Rishikesh. Contact them at www.naturewanderers.com

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Corbett National Park – the land of the roar, the trumpet & the song!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF9dQRB3-OA[/youtube]

Contributed by Shivang Mehta and Kahini Ghosh Mehta. They are wildlife photographers and film makers and also run a camp in Corbett National Park in Uttrakhand, India. Learn more about them by visiting www.naturewanderers.com

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8 Hours on a Machaan…

Tiger at Corbett NP

By Shivang Mehta and Kahini Ghosh Mehta

Deep inside the heavily wooded forest of Corbett National Park rests a Machaan that gives shelter to hundreds of photographers, naturalists and tourists visiting Corbett every year. Approximately 30 feet in height, this old machaan gives a panoramic view of the picturesque Dhikala grasslands and the Ramganga river that supports a multitude of life forms in Corbett National Park. “The forest is always buzzing with activity,” I realized this when I spent my 3 hours on this watchtower for the first time in early 2003. Since then the watchtower has been my popular hotspot and has played an instrumental role in helping me witness some of my most memorable wild moments in Corbett National Park. [continue reading…]

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Don’t mess around with the jumbos…

Tusker takes a mud bath
Tusker Taking A Mud Bath in Corbett

Many a times, people wonder and debate on the most feared animal in the forests of India. We have been asked this question on multiple occasions and the answer is difficult because when in the mild in addition to the big predators there are zillions of life threatening living bodies that one should fear. A lot of people believe that a confrontation with a big cat like a tiger or a leopard can be a nerve-chilling experience. That’s definitely true to a certain extent but the king of the Indian forests – the tiger – is not a wanton killer. It attacks in its defense only when it is provoked and in a lot of cases we have seen that a tiger can be the most harmless predator and gives a damn about your presence. When given his space, he can offer you some of the most wonderful moments of your life giving you the opportunity to get upclose with him and witness his glory. [continue reading…]

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The Real Jungle Book: Pench National Park in Madhya Pradesh

Royal Resting

To be born in the lap of nature is a blessing of God for me. People frequently ask me about my childhood experiences in the wild and are very curious to know why I chose wildlife as a field of study? Going down the memory lanes, I recall that my earliest association with wilderness started at my birthplace Chhindwara – a small town in Madhya Pradesh, India. I used to roam in and around the dense and wild forests of the buffer zone of what is popularly known as the Pench Tiger Reserve.

Who can forget Mowgli, the pint-sized child and his adventures with Sher Khan and Bagheera of Rudyard Kipling’s best-seller Jungle Book. Teaming with exotic wildlife, this is the land that inspired Kipling to visualise his most famous work. [continue reading…]

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Exploring Wild Kumaon – From Corbett to Binsar

Ramganga River - Panaromic View

The mesmerising view of the majestic Himalayas, the mysterious forests flooded with pine, deodhar and saal trees, a diverse variety of flora and fauna, a unique conglomeration of picturesque landscapes and a culture and history full of tales of bravery – this is what Kumaon has been offering to tourists from across the globe for centuries. Nestling in the foothills of the Himalayas, Kumaon is located in Uttrakhand – the northern hill province of India with its headquarters in Nainital.

The wilderness of Kumaon has continued to fascinate visitors since time immemorial but wild Kumaon actually came into the limelight because of Kumaon’s favourite son – the man who was known to the locals as the Gora Sadhu for his philanthropic work in the region and who thrilled the world with his famous hunting stories where he described his chilling experiences in the forests of Kumaon. The world knows him as Jim Corbett – the famous hunter who turned into a conservationalist and played an instrumental in bringing Kumaon on the world tourism map. His writings that are captured in a series of best selling books like the Maneaters of Kumaon, My India and Jungle Lore give a perfect depiction of the inimitable wilderness, culture and traditions of this region. [continue reading…]

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Is Lakshmi, the leopard cub, ready for the wild?
Lakshmi - the leopard cub

Lakshmi - the leopard cub

Remember I wrote about Lakshmi, the injured leopard cub, in the forests of Ranthambhore in the Indian state of Rajasthan who has been under the care of the forest department and hotelier Gerhard Wiehahn? Click here to read the previous post on Lakshmi.

I got this update from Gerhard a few days ago, and it certainly made for some cheerful reading. This is what he said: Continue Reading…

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Lakshmi, the leopard cub, in good hands

copy-of-laxmi-017.jpgI had written about a rescued female leopard cub, Lakshmi, in the forests of Ranthambhore in Rajasthan in India here as well as posted a YouTube video here. But apparently I was slightly misinformed, giving the impression that her future may not be so bright. But here is something from Gerhard Wiehahn, who works as a General Manager in a hotel in Ranthambhore, that may bring a smile to all our faces. (Thank you Gerhard, the world needs more people like you): [continue reading…]

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Lakshmi, the rescued leopard cub in Ranthambhore

Leopard cub in RanthambhoreThis is the story, so far, of a female leopard cub rescued by the forest department in Ranthambhore in Rajasthan in India.

For starters, why did the cub, now called Lakshmi, need to be rescued ? There were two theories going around when I visited the forest during the Christmas week of 2007. [continue reading…]

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