Wagh Aala Patil...

T54 aka Matkasur at Tadoba Lake Photo: Dwaipayan Ghosh (Canon 60D/Canon 400 mm)

Exploration Series Seven of Exploring Nature

Wagh Alaa Patil Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve By Subhashish Panja, Dwaipayan Ghosh & Arnab Basu 14th to 20th January, 2017 Reviewed by Anwesha Ghatak 1

Wagh Alaa Patil Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve By Subhashish Panja, Dwaipayan Ghosh & Arnab Basu 14th to 20th January, 2017 Reviewed by Anwesha Ghatak

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Wagh Alaa Patil Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve By Subhashish Panja, Dwaipayan Ghosh & Arnab Basu 14th to 20th January, 2017 Reviewed by Anwesha Ghatak

Š All the Information and Photographs published in this report are the properties of Exploring Nature and cannot be used for commercial or research purposes without the prior permission of the explorers.

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CONTENTS Topic

Page 01 03 04

Cover Page Copyright Statement Contents Chapter One Why this visit?

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Chapter Two Visit plan and day to day activity

06 08

Chapter Three Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve Chapter Four

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From the Shadow to Light End of Story

35 37 40 42 56

Annexure One: The Explorers’ Profile Annexure Two: The Journey Itinerary Annexure Three: List of Species Identified Annexure Four: Reference

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Chapter One: Why this visit?

Being nature lovers and students of Natural Sciences for more than two decades, the members of Exploring Nature decided to pay tribute to Mother Nature. They took an oath to spread cognizance from some of the well traversed as well as relatively obscure biodiversities around the world. In the light of that, they carry out high level rapid biodiversity explorations, relentlessly. After culminating some of the biggest explorations of the year 2016, like Exploration Series – IV – “The Tigers’ Terrain –Visit to Satpura, Pench and Kanha National Park, with flying colors, the explorers planned, in the beginning of 2017, to endeavor the “Jewel of Vidarbha” – Tadoba National Park, Maharashtra. Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is a tiger reserve in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra state in central India. It is notable as Maharashtra's oldest and largest national park. It is one of India's 43 "Project Tiger" - tiger reserves.

Therefore, the team Exploring Nature launched - Exploration Series – VII – “Wagh Alaa Patil”, in January 2017.

The recognition of Vidarbha as the “tiger capital of India” is befitting.

Vidarbha, the eastern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra, boasts large national reserves as the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, Pench National Park, NagziraNavegaon Tiger reserve, Melghat Tiger reserve, Bor Tiger Reserve and Umred Karhandla Wildlife Sancuary.

Tadoba National Park and Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary amalgamated to constitute the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. The National Park derives its name from the local tribal God “Tadu (Taru)”, whereas the Andhari River flowing through the forest gives the sanctuary, its name.

This is the oldest national park of Maharashtra, equipped with the newest forest protection norms. As a result, Tadoba has become the best known “maternity centre” for tigers. With the newer camera trapping technologies available, newly bred tigers are found travelling long distances into neighboring states, into newest forests to establish their territories. The tiger reserve is believed to be the “Mother” of all conservation tools – to provide opportunities to all nature lovers and conservation activists. To appreciate this venture of tiger conservation, Exploring Nature launched these series, “Wagh Alaa Patil”.

This report and all the photographs of explorations of Exploring Nature are available at http://www.exploringnature.org.in

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Chapter Two: Visit plan and day to day activity It was a week-long visit, consisting of 10 safaris, by three biodiversity explorers (Refer Annexure 1 for the profiles of the explorers), which excludes travelling to and fro between their respective home bases and subjects exploration locations. For detailed journey itinerary please refer Annexure 2 of this report.

The explorers assembled at the nearest Airport, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur (140 km from the reserve via Umrer, Bhisi and Chimur) in th the morning of 14 January, 2017 and then headed towards Chimur, subdivision of Chandrapur district. From Chimur, they would commence their first 5 safaris through Kolara gate of Tadoba National Park. The 90 km road trip from Nagpur Airport to Chimur took 2 hours and at around 10 AM they reached at Safari Hotel of Chimur, where their accommodation was arranged till 17th January morning. The hotel was approximately 12 km away from the Kolara gate.

Explorers started their first safari on the same day afternoon at 2:30 PM, in the Buffer zone of the reserve; safari ended at 6:00 PM. Next day safari started at morning 6:30 AM at the Core zone and ended at 10:30 AM. After coming back to the hotel, they finished breakfast and lunch and then a quick shower, before they could start their afternoon safari at 2:30 PM in the Core zone which concluded at 6:00 PM. Till 16th January evening, th the explorers followed the same schedule. On 17 January morning, at 9:00 AM, they shifted base towards Moharli gate of the reserve. On the way they finished their breakfast with local Maharashtrian food and reached at MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) resort at 11:00 AM, where their accommodation was booked till 20th January. The resort was 2 km away from the core zone gate of the reserve. At Moharli gate, all the five safaris occured in the Core zone, morning safaris used to start at 6:00 AM and end at 10:30 AM. Afternoon safaris used to start at 2:30 PM and end at 6:00 PM. There are six gates in the Tadoba Tiger Reserve that gives access to the wild world of animals consisting of tiger, leopard, sloth bear, hyena, jackal, wild dog, sambar, cheetal, langoor, nilgai, etc. The movement of tourists inside the park is not restricted like in other reserves; therefore one can completely enjoy a jeep safari all over the park.

The names of the gates at Tadoba National Park are listed below: Moharli Gate: Moharli Gate is the oldest entrance to the park, which is located approximately 180 kilometers away from Nagpur. Entries of total nine vehicles are allowed each morning and evening for tiger safari from this gate.

Kuswanda: The distance between Nagpur and Kuswanda Gate is 140 km.

The number of vehicles allowed for tiger safari from this gate is four in each 6

morning and evening.

Kolara Gate: This gate is located at a distance of 120 km from Nagpur and the number of jeeps allowed for tiger safari from this gate is nine each morning and evening. Hence eighteen rides are available for the tourists in a day.

NaveGaon Gate: The distance from Nagpur to the gate is 140 km. The park authority permits the entry of six vehicles each morning and evening for tiger safari from this gate.

Pangdi Gate: The distance between Pangdi gate and Nagpur is 250 km. The number of vehicles allowed for tiger safari is two each morning and evening, making it a total of four rides a day.

Zari Gate: Zari Gate is located at a distance of 190 km from Nagpur and it allows six vehicles each morning and evening for tiger safari, hence twelve rides are available for the tourists in a day.

Out of above six gates, explorers did their 10 safaris through Kolara and Moharli gates (5 safaris through each gate).

The last safari took place on 20thJanuary morning and then explorers travelled to the nearest railway station Chandrapur (on the Delhi-Chennai main line), 45 km away, and then went about their respective home bases via train or flight.

During this 7 day visit, comprised of total ten safaris in open top gypsy vehicles, around 1065 photographs were taken by the explorers. The instruments used for photography was a 60D Canon SLR with 400 mm lens, a 600D Canon SLR with 200500 mm and 18-55 lens, a D3100 Nikon SLR with 150-600 mm and a D5000 Nikon SLR with70-300 mm lens and Sony Cybershot Point and Shoot. Out of these 1065 photographs, 60 high impact and effectively informative photographs were selected to use in this report and published in the website of Exploring Nature.

In these 10 safaris, the explorers had spotted and identified around 93 animal species. Out of those, there were 8 butterflies, 3 reptiles, 14 mammals and 68 bird species.

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Chapter Three: Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve Location: Chandrapur district, Maharashtra, India Nearest city: Chandrapur , 45 kilometres Coordinates: 20°10′0″N 79°24′0″E Coordinates: 20°10′0″N 79°24′0″E Area: Core 625.4 square kilometers (241.5 sq mi), Buffer 1100 square kilometers Established: 1955 Governing body: Maharashtra Forest Department Tadoba Andhari Reserve is the largest national park in Maharashtra. Total area of the reserve is 625.4 square kilometers (241.5 sq mi). This includes Tadoba National Park, created in the year 1955 with an area of 116.55 square kilometers (45.00 sq mi) and Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary was created in 1986 with an area of 508.85 square kilometers (196.47 sq mi). The reserve also includes 32.51 square kilometers (12.55 sq mi) of protected forest and 14.93 square kilometers (5.76 sq mi) of other areas.

Densely forested hills form the northern and western boundary of the tiger reserve.

The elevation of the hills ranges from 200 m (660 ft) to350 m (1,150 ft).

To the southwest, 120 hectares (300 acres) Tadoba lake is situated, which acts as a buffer between the park's forest and the extensive farmland, which extends up to Irai water reservoir. This lake is a perennial water source which offers good habitat for Muggar crocodiles to thrive. Other wetland areas within the reserve include, the Kolsa lake and the Andhari river.

Tadoba reserve covers the Chimur Hills, and the Andhari sanctuary covers Moharli and Kolsa ranges. It’s bounded on the northern and the western side by densely forested hills. Thick forests are relieved by smooth meadows and deep valleys, as the terrain slopes from north to south. Cliffs, talus and caves provide refuge for several animals. The two forested rectangles are formed by Tadoba and Andhari range. The south part of the park is less hilly. Recently a Photo captured from this reserve, by Amol Bais, posted on Postal stamp, to be released on July 29 this year, on World Tiger day.

There are 41,644 people living in and around the reserve in 59 villages, of which 5 are inside the core zone. The villages in the core zone still do farming activities inside the core area. The process of rehabilitation is going on, but the Indian bureaucracy has been at its slowest in the forest department. Recently the Navegaon village is rehabilitated and grassland is expected on the territory where the village existed.

There are 41,820 cattle with the villagers in the core and buffer zone. While cattle 8

grazing are not allowed in the core zone, regulated grazing in the buffer zone is allowed to cattle that belong to village inhabitants. However, cattle of peripheral villages sometimes sneak into the reserve and cause additional damage to the habitat.

Forest fires are a constant problem in the dry season, consistently burning between 2% and 16% of the park each year. Killing of domestic livestock by tigers and leopards is a frequent phenomenon in the areas neighboring villages. This has an adverse impact on the economic condition of the local people and results in antagonism towards the management. In the year 2013, up to 4 people and 30-50 cattle have been killed by leopards, tigers or sloth bears.

Instead of protecting tigers only within the Tadoba Sanctuary, the Tadoba National Park was created with its core area being provided with utmost protection.

Later on, by bringing in the neighbouring Andhari Sanctuary, the Tadoba – Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) was demarcated with a distinct core area and a multipurpose buffer area to prevent human intrusion on the core. However, today, conservationists have evolved a conservation model that aims at protecting the tiger clan in the entire Chandrapur landscape, also to include the neighbouring anthropogenic areas. This is an indication that the Maharashtra Forest Department is now extensively involving local communities to protect tigers, the forest habitat and the corridors connecting human. Now, with the active involvement of the forest dwellers, Forest department seems to be working earnestly to protect the apex predator of our forests.

The forests of TATR, widely spread in Chandrapur, Sindewahi, Bhadrawati, Brahmaputri and Chimur talukas in the district, are also, notably, identified as the oldest national park in the state. The Tadoba National park was established in 1955 and was followed by the foundation of Andhari Sanctuary in 1986. Later, on February 23, 1995, the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve was established with an area of approximately 625.4 sq.km, which was divided into Moharli, Kolsa and Tadoba forest circles.

Tadoba reserve is a predominantly southern tropical dry deciduous forest with dense woodlands, comprising of 87% of the protected area. Teak is the predominant flora. Other deciduous plant species include ain (crocodile bark), bija, dhauda, hald, salai, semal and tendu. beheda, hirda, karaya gum, mahua madhuca (crepe myrtle) and Lannea coromandelica (wodier tree).

Axlewood (Anogeissus latifolia) is a fire-resistant plant species growing here. Palas or flame of the forest (Butea monosperma) adds vibrant colour to the forest. Black plum trees grow in the riparian habitat around the lake. At the waterhole in Panchadhara, huge arjun trees are seen.

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Patches of grasses are found throughout the reserve. Bamboo thickets grow throughout the reserve. The climber kach kujali (velvet bean) found here is a medicinal plant used to treat Parkinson's disease. The leaves of bheria are used as an insect repellent and bija is a medicinal gum. Beheda is also an important medicine found here

Along with the keystone species, the Bengal tiger, Tadoba Tiger Reserve is home to other mammals, including: Indian leopard, sloth bear, gaur, nilgai, dhole, striped hyena, small Indian civet, jungle cat, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, chital, chausingha and honey badger. Tadoba lake sustains the marsh crocodile, which were once common all over Maharashtra.

Reptiles here include the endangered Indian python and the common Indian monitor.

Terrapins, Indian star tortoise, Indian cobra and Russel's viper also reside in Tadoba.

The lake is an ornithologist's paradise with a wide diversity of water birds and raptors.

250 species of birds have been recorded, including three endangered species. The grey-headed fish eagle, the crested serpent eagle, and the changeable hawk-eagle are some of the raptors.

Other interesting species include the orange-headed thrush, Indian pitta, crested treeswift, stone curlew, crested honey buzzard, paradise flycatcher, bronze-winged jacana and lesser goldenbacked woodpecker. Warblers and the black-naped blue flycatcher exist here and the call of the peacock may often be heard.

74 species of butterflies have been recorded including the pansies, monarch, Mormons and swordtails.

Insect species include the endangered danaid egg-fly and great eggfly. Dragonflies, stick insects, jewel beetles and the praying mantis are other insects located in the reserve.

The signature spider, giant wood spider and red wood spiders are often seen during the monsoon and soon after. Some hunting spiders like the wolf spiders, crab spiders and lynx spiders are also common.

The forest of TATR abounds in a variety of biodiversity, including 41 species of mammals, 250 species of birds, 26 species of spiders, 74 species of butterflies, 23 species of fishes, 30 species of reptiles and 5 species of amphibians.

There are 88 tigers, as of August 2016 in the reserve, and 58 in the forests immediately outside the reserve.

During their 7 days visit, the explorers spotted 67 bird species, 14 mammal species, 3 reptile species and 8 species of butterflies.

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Refer Annexure Three: List of Species Identified for detail.

Spotted and Identified Species: Key Reptile spotted and identified by explorers: 1. The mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), "crocodile of the marsh", also known as the Indian, Indus, Persian, marsh crocodile or simply mugger, is found throughout the Indian subcontinent and the surrounding countries, like Pakistan, where the Sindhu crocodile is the national reptile of Pakistan. It is one of the three crocodilians found in India, the others being the gharial and the saltwater crocodile. It is a medium-sized crocodile mostly inhabiting freshwater lakes, ponds, sluggish rivers, swamps and marshes.

Males of the species are said to grow up to 4–5 m (13–16 ft) in length.

Like the other crocodilians, females are smaller. The mugger crocodile has the broadest snout of any extant crocodile, giving it an alligator-like appearance. It is a heavier armored species with enlarged scutes around the neck. Adults are dark grey or brown, while hatchlings are tan colored.

IUCN status : Vulnerable.

Key Birds spotted and identified by explorers: 1. The white-browed fantail (Rhipidura aureola) is a small passerine bird.

The white-browed fantail breeds across tropical regions of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

The species ranges from India east to Vietnam, also being seen in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. This Old World flycatcher species is found in forest and other woodland. Three eggs are laid in a small cup nest in a tree. The adult white-browed fantail is about 18 cm long. It has dark brown upperparts, with white spots on the wings, and whitish underparts. The fan-shaped tail is edged in white, and the long white supercilia meet on the forehead. The throat and eyemask are blackish and border whitish moustachial stripes. The white-browed fantail is insectivorous, and often fans its tail as it moves through the undergrowth.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

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2. The pied bush chat (Saxicola caprata) is a small passerine bird, whose habitat extends from West Asia and Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. About sixteen subspecies are recognized through its wide range of occupancy, with many island forms. It is a familiar bird at countryside and open scrub or grassland, where it is found perched at the top of short thorn trees or other shrubs, looking out for insect prey. They pick up insects mainly from the ground, and are, like other chats, placed in the thrush family Turdidae, but are now considered as Old World flycatchers. They nest in cavities in stone walls or in holes in an embankment, lining the nest with grass and animal hair. The males are black with white shoulder and vent patches, whose extent varies among populations.

Females are predominantly brownish while juveniles are speckled.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

3. Temminck's stint (Calidris temminckii) is a small wader.

This bird's common name and Latin binomial commemorate the Dutch naturalist Coenraad Jacob Temminck.

The genus name is from Ancient Greek kalidris or skalidris, a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. Temminck's stint is one of the species, to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

IUCN status: Least Concern 4. The jungle babbler (Turdoides striata) is a member of the Leiothrichidae family found in the Indian subcontinent.

They are gregarious birds that forage in small groups of six to ten birds, a habit that has given them the popular name of Seven Sisters or “Saat bhai� in Bengali, with cognates in other regional languages, meaning "seven brothers". The jungle babbler is a common resident breeding bird in most parts of the Indian subcontinent and is often seen in gardens within large 12

cities as well as in forested areas. In the past, the orange-billed babbler, Turdoides rufescens, of Sri Lanka was considered to be a race of this babbler, but is elevated to a species.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

5. The Oriental darter or Indian darter (Anhinga melanogaster) is a water bird of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia. It has a long and slender neck with a straight, pointed bill and, like the cormorant; it hunts for fish while its body submerged in water. It spears a fish underwater, bringing it above the surface, tossing and juggling it before swallowing the fish head first. The body remains submerged as it swims, and the slender neck alone is visible above the water, which accounts for the colloquial name of snakebird.

Like the cormorants, it has wettable feathers and it is often found perched on a rock or branch with its wings held open to dry.

IUCN status: Near Threatened.

6. The

black-headed

ibis

or

ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) is a species of wading bird of the ibis family, Threskiornithidae, which breeds in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia from northern India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka east up to Japan. It builds a stick nest in a tree and lays 2–4 eggs. It resides in marshy wetlands inland and on the coast, where it feeds on various fish, frogs and other water creatures, as well as on insects. It walks actively on marshy land probing with its bill into soft mud and often feeds in shallow water with its head momentarily submerged.

Like storks and Spoonbills, it lacks a true voice-producing mechanism and is silent except for peculiar ventriloquial grunts uttered when nesting.

IUCN status: Near Threatened.

7. The bronze-winged jacana (Metopidius indicus) is a jacana. It is the only member of the genus Metopidius. The jacanas are a group of waders in the family Charadriidae, which are identifiable by 13

Oriental

white

their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes which are their preferred habitats. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone. For the origin and pronunciation of the name, see Jacana. The bronze-winged jacana breeds in India and Southeast Asia. It is sedentary, apart from seasonal dispersion. It lays four black-marked brown eggs in a floating nest. The males, as in some other wader families like the phalaropes, take responsibility for incubation.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

8. The white-breasted waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) is a waterbird of the rail and crake family, Rallidae, which is widely distributed across Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. They are dark slaty birds with a clean white face, breast and belly. They are bolder than most other rails and are often seen stepping slowly with their tail cocked upright in open marshes or even drains near busy roads. They are largely crepuscular in activity and during the breeding season, just after the first rains, make loud and repetitive croaking calls.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

9. The brown-capped pygmy woodpecker or Indian pygmy woodpecker (Yungipicus nanus) is a species of very small woodpecker found in Nepal, India and Sri Lanka. A small brown and white woodpecker with distinctive pinkrimmed white irises. Barred brown and white above, lightly streaked dirty white below. Tail is spotted white, paler brown crown (edged red in male) and eye stripes contras with white supercilia and cheeks.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

10. The Asian palm swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis) is a small swift. It is similar to the African palm swift, Cypsiurus parvus, and was formerly considered to be the same species. It is a common resident breeder in tropical Asia from India to the Philippines. The down and feather nest is glued to the underside of a palm leaf with saliva, which is also used to secure the usually two or three eggs. This is a bird of open country and cultivation, which is strongly associated with oil palms. This 13 cm long species is mainly pale brown in color. It has long swept-back wings that resemble a 14

crescent or a boomerang. The body is slender, and the tail is long and deeply forked, although it is usually held closed. The call is a loud shrill scream. Sexes are similar, and young birds differ from adults mainly in their shorter tails. Asian palm swift has very short legs which it uses only for clinging to vertical surfaces, since swifts never settle voluntarily on the ground.

These swifts spend most of their lives in the air, living on the insects they catch in their beaks. Asian palm swifts often feed near the ground, and they drink on the wing.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

11. The black drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) is a small Asian passerine bird of the drongo family, Dicruridae. It is a common resident breeder in much of tropical southern Asia from southwest Iran through India and Sri Lanka, east to southern China and Indonesia. It is a wholly black bird with a distinctive forked tail and measures 28 cm (11 in) in length. It feeds on insects, and is common in open agricultural areas and light forest throughout its range, perching conspicuously on a bare perch or along power or telephone lines. The species is known for its aggressive behavior towards much larger birds, such as crows, never hesitating to dive-bomb any bird of prey that invades its territory. This behavior earns it the informal name of king crow. Smaller birds often nest in the well-guarded vicinity of a nesting black drongo.

Previously grouped along with the African fork-tailed drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis), the Asian forms are now treated as a separate species with several distinct populations. The black drongo has been introduced to some Pacific islands, where it has thrived and become abundant to the point of threatening and causing the extinction of native and endemic bird species there.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

12. The southern coucal or crow pheasant (Centropus sinensis parotti), is a large non-parasitic member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. A widespread resident in Asia, from India, east to south China, Nepal and Indonesia, it is divided into several 15

subspecies, some being treated as full species. They are large, crow-like, with a long tail and coppery brown wings and found in wide range of habitats from jungle to cultivation and urban gardens. They are weak fliers, and are often seen clambering about in vegetation or walking on the ground as they forage for insects, eggs and nestlings of other birds. They have a familiar deep resonant call which is associated with omens in many parts of its range. IUCN status: Least Concern.

13. The plum-headed parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala) is a parakeet endemic to the Indian Subcontinent. Along with Psittacula roseata of the Himalayas it was sometimes known by the name of blossom-headed parakeet which is now used to refer only to Psittacula roseata. Plum-headed parakeets are found in flocks, the males having a pinkish purple head and the females, a grey head. They fly swiftly with twists and turns, accompanied by their distinctive calls.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

14. A parakeet is any one of a large number of small to medium-sized species of parrot, in multiple genera, that generally have long tail feathers. Older spellings, still encountered, are paroquet or paraquet. The roseringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri), also known as the ring-necked parakeet, is a gregarious tropical Afro-Asian parakeet species that has an extremely large range. The roseringed parakeet is sexually dimorphic. The adult male sports a red or black neck ring and the hen and immature birds of both sexes either show no neck rings, or display shadow-like pale to dark grey neck rings. Both sexes have a distinctive green color. Rose-ringed parakeets measure on average 40 cm (16 in) in length, including the tail feathers, a large portion of their total length. Their average single-wing length is about 15–17.5 cm (5.9–6.9 in). In the wild, this is a noisy species with an unmistakable squawking call. It is herbivorous and not migratory. One of the few parrot species that have successfully adapted to living in disturbed habitats; it has withstood the onslaught of urbanization and deforestation. As a popular pet species, escaped birds have colonized a number of cities around the world. Since the population appears to be increasing, the species was evaluated as being of least concern by the IUCN in 2012, but its popularity as a pet and unpopularity with farmers have both reduced its numbers in some parts of its native range.

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IUCN status: Least Concern.

15. The Siberian stonechat or Asian stonechat (Saxicola maurus) is a recently validated species of the Old World flycatcher family (Muscicapidae).

Like the other thrush-like flycatchers, it was often placed in the Turdidae in the past. It breeds in temperate Asia and easternmost Europe and winters in the Old World tropics. IUCN status: Least Concern.

16. The rufous-tailed lark (Ammomanes phoenicura), also sometimes called the rufous-tailed finch-lark, is a ground bird found in the drier open stony habitats of India and parts of Pakistan.

Like other species in the genus it has a large finch-like bill with a slightly curved edge to the upper mandible. The dull brown color matches the soil as it forages for grass seeds, grain and insects. Males and females are indistinguishable in the field but during the breeding season, the male has a courtship display that involves flying up steeply and then nose-diving and pulling up in a series of stepped wavy dips accompanied by calling.

They forage on the ground in pairs or small groups.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

17. The common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), also known as the Eurasian kingfisher, and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter.

This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual 17

adaptations to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

18. The long-tailed shrike or rufous-backed shrike (Lanius schach) is a member of the bird family Laniidae, the shrikes. They are found widely distributed across Asia and there are variations in plumage across the range. The species ranges across much of Asia, both on the mainland and the eastern archipelagos.

The eastern or Himalayan subspecies, L. s. tricolor, is sometimes called the blackheaded shrike. Although there are considerable differences in plumage among the subspecies, they all have a long and narrow black tail, have a black mask and forehead, rufous rump and flanks and a small white patch on the shoulder. It is considered to form a superspecies with the greybacked shrike (Lanius tephronotus) which breeds on the Tibetan Plateau.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

19. The black-shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris), Australian black-shouldered kite, or simply Australian kite, is a small raptor found in open habitat throughout Australia.

It resembles similar species found in Africa, Eurasia and North America, including the blackwinged kite, a species that has in the past also been called "black-shouldered kite". Measuring 35–38 cm (14–15 in) in length with a wingspan of 80–95 cm (31–37 in), the adult black-shouldered kite is a small and graceful raptor with red eyes. Their primary call is a clear whistle, uttered in flight and while hovering. Black-shouldered kites form monogamous pairs, breeding between August and January. The birds engage in aerial courtship displays which involve high circling flight and ritualised feeding mid-air. Three or four eggs are laid and incubated for around thirty days. Chicks are fully fledged within five weeks of hatching and can hunt for mice within a week of leaving the nest. Juveniles disperse widely from the home territory.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

20. The changeable hawk-eagle or crested hawk-eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus) is a bird of prey species of the family Accipitridae. It was formerly placed in the genus Spizaetus, but studies pointed to the group being paraphyletic resulting in the Old World members being placed in Nisaetus (Hodgson, 18

1836) and separated from the New World species.

Changeable hawkeagles breed in the Indian subcontinent, mainly in India and Sri Lanka, and from the southeast rim of the Himalaya across Southeast Asia to Indonesia and the Philippines. This is a bird occurring singly (outside mating season) in open woodland, although island forms prefer a higher tree density. It builds a stick nest in a tree and lays a single egg.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

21. The white-eyed buzzard (Butastur teesa) is a medium sized hawk, distinct from the true buzzards in the genus Buteo, found in South Asia.

Adults have a rufous tail, a distinctive white iris, and a white throat bearing a dark mesial stripe bordered. The head is brown and the median coverts of the upper wing are pale. They lack the typical carpal patches on the underside of the wings seen in true buzzards but the entire wing lining appears dark in contrast to the flight feathers. They sit upright on perches for prolonged periods and soar on thermals in search of insect and small vertebrate prey. They are vociferous in the breeding season and several birds may be heard calling as they soar together.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

22. The painted spurfowl (Galloperdix lunulata) is a bird of the pheasant family found in rocky hill and scrub forests mainly in peninsular India. Males are more brightly coloured and spotted boldly in white. Males have two to four spurs while females can have one or two of the spurs on their tarsus. The species is found mainly in rocky and scrub forest habitats unlike the red spurfowl. They are found in the undergrowth in pairs or small groups, escaping by running and rarely taking to the wing when flushed.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

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23. The Crested honey buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus) is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles and harriers.

This species is also known as the Oriental honey buzzard.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

24. The brown fish owl (Bubo zeylonensis or Ketupa zeylonensis) is a species of owl that is part of the family known as typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most living owls. It inhabits the warm subtropical and humid tropical parts of continental Asia and some offshore islands.[2] Of the four living species of fish owl, it is the most widely distributed, most common and best-studied. It occupies a range of over 7,000 km (4,300 mi) from eastern China to Palestine. The four fish owls were previously generally separated in the genus Ketupa. mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data is equivocal on which genus name is applied for them, and today they are commonly lumped with the horned and eagle-owls (Bubo) – which they also resemble, osteologically so – for the sake of convenience.

Depending on whether some little-studied tropical eagle-owls are closer to the fish-owls than to the typical eagle-owls, Ketupa might be a valid genus if these as well as the fishing owls (formerly Scotopelia) are included in it, although there are a number of osteological differences that suggest that fishing and fish owls are not directly related to each other.

IUCN status: Least Concern.

25. The lesser whistling duck (Dendrocygna javanica), also known as Indian whistling duck or lesser whistling teal, is a species of whistling duck that breeds in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. They are nocturnal feeders that during the day may be found in flocks around lakes and wet paddy fields. They can perch on trees and sometimes build their nest in the hollow of a tree. This brown 20

and long-necked duck has broad wings that are visible in flight and produces a loud two-note wheezy call. It has a chestnut rump, differentiating it from its larger relative, the fulvous whistling duck, which has a creamy white rump.

IUCN Status: Least concern Key Mammals spotted and identified by explorers

1. The four-horned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis), or chousingha, is a small antelope found in India and Nepal. This antelope has four horns, which distinguish it from most other bovids, which have two horns (sparing a few such as the Jacob sheep). The sole member of the genus Tetracerus, the species was first described by French zoologist Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville in 1816. Three subspecies are recognised. The four-horned antelope stands nearly 55–64 centimetres (22–25 in) at the shoulder and weighs nearly 17– 22 kilograms (37–49 lb). Slender with thin legs and a short tail, the four-horned antelope has a yellowish brown to reddish coat. One pair of horns is located between the ears, and the other on the forehead.

The posterior horns are always longer than the anterior horns, which might be mere fur-covered studs. While the posterior horns measure 8–12 centimetres (3.1–4.7 in), the anterior ones are 2–5 centimetres (0.79–1.97 in) long.

The four-horned antelope is diurnal (active mainly during the day).

Though solitary by nature, fourhorned antelopes may form loose groups of three to five –with one or more adults, sometimes accompanied by juveniles. This elusive antelope feeds on grasses, herbs, shrubs, foliage, flowers and fruits. It needs to drink water frequently; as such it stays in places near water sources. The breeding behavior of the four-horned antelope has not been well studied. The age at which they reach sexual maturity and the season when mating occurs have not been understood well. Gestation lasts about eight months, following which one or two calves are born. They are kept concealed for the first few weeks of their birth. The young remain with the mother for about a year. Four-horned antelopes tend to inhabit areas with significant grass cover or heavy undergrowth, and avoid human settlements. Earlier common throughout deciduous forests in India, the antelope now occurs in widely disjunct, small populations. Most of the populations are in India, and lower numbers can be found in adjoining Nepal. The four-horned antelope is threatened by the loss of its natural habitat due to agricultural expansion. Moreover, the unusual four-horned skull and the horns have been a popular target for trophy hunters. The four-horned antelope is classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

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2. The gaur (/ˈɡaʊər/, Bos gaurus), also called Indian bison, is the largest extant bovine, native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986, as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% during the last three generations.

Population trends are stable in well-protected areas, and are rebuilding in a few areas which had been neglected. The gaur is the tallest species of wild cattle. The gaur is a strong and massively built species with a high convex ridge on the forehead between the horns, which bends forward, causing a deep hollow in the profile of the upper part of the head. There is a prominent ridge on the back. The ears are very large; the tail only just reaches the hocks, and in old bulls the hair becomes very thin on the back. In color, the adult male gaur is dark brown, approaching black in very old individuals; the upper part of the head, from above the eyes to the nape of the neck, is, however, ashy grey, or occasionally dirty white; the muzzle is pale colored, and the lower part of the legs are pure white or tan. The cows and young bulls are paler, and in some instances have a rufous tinge, which is most marked in groups inhabiting dry and open districts. The tail is shorter than in the typical oxen, reaching only to the hocks. They have a distinct ridge running from the shoulders to the middle of the back; the shoulders may be as much as 12 cm (4.7 in) higher than the rump. This ridge is caused by the great length of the spinous processes of the vertebrae of the forepart of the trunk as compared with those of the loins. The hair is short, fine and glossy, and the hooves are narrow and pointed. Classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

3. The ruddy mongoose (Herpestes smithii) is a species of mongoose found in hill forests of peninsular India and Sri Lanka.

This mongoose along with the striped-necked mongoose is the only mongoose species endemic to India and Sri Lanka.

The ruddy mongoose is a very closely related to Indian grey mongoose, but distinguished by its slightly larger size and black tipped tail extending for 2 to 3 inches at the distal end. There are two subspecies of this mongoose, H. smithii smithii in India, and H. smithii 22

zeylanicus (Thomas, 1852) in Sri Lanka. The ruddy mongoose is mainly a forest living animal in contrast to the grey and small Indian mongooses and prefers more secluded areas. They have also been recorded from secluded paddy fields and in comparatively open fields.

Like other mongooses, it hunts by day and by night. IUCN status: Least Concern.

4. The sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), also known as the labiated bear, is a nocturnal insectivorous bear species found wild within the Indian Subcontinent.

The sloth bear evolved from ancestral brown bears during the Pleistocene and shares features found in insect-eating mammals through convergent evolution. The population isolated in Sri Lanka is considered a subspecies. Unlike brown and black bears, sloth bears have lankier builds, long, shaggy coats that form a mane around the face, long, sickle-shaped claws, and a specially adapted lower lip and palate used for sucking insects.

Sloth bears breed during spring and early summer and give birth near the beginning of winter. They feed on termites, honeybee colonies, and fruits. Sloth bears sometimes attack humans who encroach on their territories. Historically, humans have drastically reduced their habitat and diminished their population by hunting them for food and products such as their bacula and claws. These bears have been used as performing pets due to their tameable nature. The species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to habitat loss and poaching.

5. The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is the most numerous tiger subspecies. By 2011, the total population was estimated at fewer than 2,500 individuals with a decreasing trend. None of the 'Tiger Conservation Landscapes' within the Bengal tiger's range is considered large enough to support an effective population size of 250 adult individuals. Since 2010, it is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. As of 2010, Bengal tiger populations in India have been estimated at 1,706–1,909. As of 2014, they had reputedly increased to an estimated 2,226 individuals, but the method used in the census may not be accurate. Bengal tigers number around 440 in Bangladesh and 163–253 in Nepal. Prior censuses placed the population of tigers in Bhutan at around 65-75 individuals, however, 23

the latest census estimated that 103 wild Bengal tigers are living in the country. Bengal is traditionally fixed as the typical locality for the binomen Panthera tigris, to which the British taxonomist Reginald Innes Pocock subordinated the Bengal tiger in 1929 under the trinomen Panthera tigris tigris. The Bengal, Caspian and Siberian tigers, and lion rank among the biggest cats. It is the national animal of both India and Bangladesh The Bengal tiger's coat is yellow to light orange, with stripes ranging from dark brown to black; the belly and the interior parts of the limbs are white, and the tail is orange with black rings.

The white tiger is a recessive mutant of the Bengal tiger, which is reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, and Bihar, especially from the former State of Rewa. However, it is not to be mistaken as an occurrence of albinism. In fact, there is only one fully authenticated case of a true albino tiger, and none of black tigers, with the possible exception of one dead specimen examined in Chittagong in 1846.

Male Bengal tigers have an average total length of 270 to 310 cm (110 to 120 in) including the tail, while females measure 240 to 265 cm (94 to 104 in) on average. The tail is typically 85 to 110 cm (33 to 43 in) long, and on average, tigers are 90 to 110 cm (35 to 43 in) in height at the shoulders. The weight of males ranges from 180 to 258 kg (397 to 569 lb), while that of the females ranges from 100 to 160 kg (220 to 350 lb). The smallest recorded weights for Bengal tigers are from the Bangladesh Sundarbans, where adult females are 75 to 80 kg (165 to 176 lb). Bengal tigers have exceptionally stout teeth, and the canines are the longest among all living felids; measuring from 7.5 to 10 cm (3.0 to 3.9 in) in length.

The basic social unit of the tiger is the elemental one of mother and offspring. Adult animals congregate only on an ad hoc and transitory basis when special conditions permit, such as plentiful supply of food.

Otherwise they lead solitary lives, hunting individually for the dispersed forest and tall grassland animals, upon which they prey. They establish and maintain home ranges. Resident adults of either sex tend to confine their movements to a definite area 24

of habitat within which they satisfy their needs, and in the case of tigresses, those of their growing cubs. Besides providing the requirements of an adequate food supply, sufficient water and shelter, and a modicum of peace and seclusion, this location must make it possible for the resident to maintain contact with other tigers, especially those of the opposite sex. Those sharing the same ground are well aware of each other's movements and activities

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Chapter Four: From the Shadow to Light th

Explorers in 7 Heaven

The relationship between man and tiger is in existence since time immemorial. Our ancestors looked upon the tiger as a symbol of power. The tribes still worship tiger as god. Some of their deities are called Waghjai or Waghdev. In the Sundarbans, a littleknown goddess Bon-bibi graces its forests. The story goes that Bonbibi, the “lady of the jungle”, was chosen by God to protect people who worked in the Sundarbans against a greedy man-eating half sage half tiger-demon named Dokkhin Rai. Tigers were present in large numbers at the beginning of the twentieth century. They were found in almost all the forests. But since those days man has been determined to make them extinct. Looking at the large number of tigers in India, they will never perish here, is what all hunters seem to agree upon. During the rule of British Empire, tigers dwindled in a big way.

Tiger is a very sensitive animal and spotting a tiger in the forest is exciting for any nature lover. The explorers have been searching for this reclusive and enchanting animal of forest for a long time now. They were in Bandipur National Park, in the winter of 2015, when the news of killing of Gaur by a male tiger spreaded across the country and wildlife photographers and experts from all corners of the nation, rushed towards Bandipur, with a hope of sighting the killer tiger.

There they spotted another elusive big cat – leopard and also witnessed the rarest natural phenomena of their courtship, but no luck with Bengal Tiger.

They took part in one of the most difficult forest trekking of the country – bush walk in the tiger trail of Periyar Tiger Reserve, with Forest Officials and rehabilitated poachers.

They felt the presence of the beautiful beast very closely – spotted fresh pug mark of huge male tiger on the muddy trail, heard strong warning call of Sambar in the vicinity of their tents, in core area of the forest, but no sight of the animal itself.

They explored forests of central India, in the summer of 2016 – and again they were pretty close to spot the most powerful predator of Indian forests. They heard strong warning calls of Sambar, Langur, Spotted Deer, Jackal, Peafowl, and Jungle Fowl – which were indicative of big cat movements -– the kind of call which they never heard before – nothing could be more affirmative than such calls, to confirm a big cat on the move. Such calls were also corroborated by evidences of fresh pug mark on soil. But the animal didn’t reveal itself.

With several close and failed attempts, they almost decided to declare that “they don’t want to spot Bengal Tiger in forest anymore!” And, then, they launched their seventh exploration – at the beginning of New Year, 2017 – in the tiger capital of India, at the jewel of Vidarbha – Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) – as their last dedicated attempt to spot Bengal Tiger in the wild.

Just the night before the exploration would start, Dwaipayan called Arnab and the enlightening conversation followed: “I did some numerology!” he sounded super excited.

“What Numerology?”

“What is the number of this series of our exploration?” “’Wagh Alaa Patil’ is the 7th Exploration of Exploring Nature.”

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“How many tiger reserves we have visited so far?”

“Six already and Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve will be the 7th Tiger Reserve to be visited” “And what is the number of Indian Big 7 member, we are searching for?”

“We are in search of the 7th Member of Indian Big-7, i.e. Bengal Tiger, this time….wow everything is falling in line.” – Arnab was amused to notice this symmetry.

“And it doesn’t end here” – Dwaipayan kept telling – “Exploration will start on 14th of January 2017, 14 is a multiple of 7; T-Shirt of "Tigers' Terrain (exploration in central India)" was released on 14th of January 2016; "Tigers' Terrain" ended on 14th of May 2016; "In the cave with Orangutan” was announced on 14th July 2016; Exploring Nature in African Safari started on 14th February 2016, therefore, 7 is a lucky number for us, something different will definitely happen this time” That was a hilarious but interesting observation and explorers, literally, to be on the 7th heaven this time.

On the 14th of January, at 2:30 PM they started their 7th exploration in the buffer zone of TATR through Kolara gate. This time they had a third explorer – Subhashish in the team. Spotting rare wild lives in the buffer zone was less likely and so the anticipation was not nail-biting. Guide Praveen was telling them, that, animals are generally shy in the buffer zone, as they are not used to human beings and safari jeeps. Not many tourists visit the buffer zone. Forest is sporadic and there are less colonies or herds of herbivores in this part of the forest. That also reduces the movement of predators in this part. Therefore, spotting predators is more challenging in the buffer zone than in the core area.

Praveen was actually telling them; the job of forest guides and gypsy drivers of the core area, is easier than their counter parts in the buffer area, as in the core area they know where a territorial predator can be spotted. Every predator has their defined territory in the core area. But in the buffer zone, they are always in movement, so they need to move throughout the forest to spot them.

Literally, they didn’t find even a single spotted deer, which was very unusual for them with respect to their experiences in Indian rain and dry or moist deciduous forest. The most common animal glimpsed in this type of forest is spotted deer.

However, at their surprise, they spotted a big male antelope looking at their gypsy, curious and scared. Driver Ashish stopped the vehicle, so that everybody could get an opportunity to take pictures.

Initially they were confused, if it was an Indian Muntjack, but later they realized that, it was one of the rare ungulates to spot in the forest – a four horned antelope or Chausingha.

At the same place, where the Chausingha was grazing, they saw one sacred grove decorated with lot of colorful scarves (dupatta used as part of dress by Indian women). Guide Praveen told them the folklore of a village woman, who was chased by a tiger in this forest. While running away, the woman threw her dupatta and the tiger pounced on the dupatta instead of her and tore it apart. The woman escaped and her life was spared. After that incident, the local villagers started worshipping that place and offered colored scarves, symbolizing protection from tiger attacks.

Generally tigers of TATR are not known for man eating; however, just two days before the exploration, reportedly one village woman was killed by a tiger. Driver Ashish told them, there were more such cases of tiger attacks on human, but not all were reported officially. TATR is a good maternity center for Bengal Tiger and number of tigers is on 27

the rise, in good proportion. Currently there are 88 tigers in a 624 sq km forest area.

Not enough space for such territorial animals. Based on news published in national print media – “For more than four years now, one person dies in tiger attacks around Tadoba every month—a frequency of conflict higher than anywhere, recorded, except the Bangladeshi Sunderbans, in recent times”. In TATR, most of these incidents took place in the buffer zone.

Their first safari ended at 6:30 PM, key species spotted were, Male Nilagai, Northern Plain Langur, Female Bison, Herds of Sambar, Male Wild Boar and 23 different species of birds. nd

Next day onwards, all safaris were in the core zone. The 2 safari in the morning of th 15 January, started at 6:00 AM. Subhasish could not join, as his entry permit was not ready, so it was the duo Dwaipayan and Arnab. The early morning was dark and freezing cold, temperature was around 7-8OC. In the open top moving gypsy, in the core area of TATR forest, the chilling wind was piercing their bodies. Guide Eknath and driver Nikhil were hopeful and enthusiasts for tiger sightings, as in the previous evening, a tigress with her cubs were spotted near Panderpouni water hole. Explorers were familiar with the kind of enthusiasms from the forest guides, which eventually yielded nothing in all previous cases. So, they were not as cheerful as their fellow forest mates. On top of that, they were struggling to keep their fingers on camera shutters in that biting cold. Gradually the light was improving; accordingly, explorers were adjusting exposure and ISO setting of cameras. At around 6:45 AM, strong call of a spotted deer was heard from the North East direction of their movement.

The call did not excite them, as warning call of spotted deer can hardly be trusted.

“Wild Boars are running away” – Both Eknath and Dwaipayan whispered at the same time.

“Similar situation we witnessed in Kanha, near Munna’s den” – Arnab, was not optimistic enough.

An entire herd of spotted deer and two wild boars were found running away to opposite direction. Eknath asked Nikhil to turn around the vehicle and move towards water body number 01, where a forest department watch tower was stationed. Skilled gypsy driver Nikhil, parked the vehicle diagonally opposite to the watch tower and in few seconds, B3 aka Maya, the queen of TATR appeared through bushes. She was moving slowly towards a herd of spotted deer, she was waiting for a kill. The spotted deer was giving warning call furiously.

Arnab looked at his watch – it was exactly 7:00 AM! Tiger Tales

The life of the tiger is entwined with the forest. His color, built, size, and habitats are all attuned to that particular forest. A tiger moves around the forest like a predator. A predator has to be superior to its prey, or else it will be difficult for him to survive. Whether it’s a deer, an antelope or a bison, the tiger has to employ several more tactics and his strength to dishearten the prey. In this regard, nature has created tiger in such a manner, that he has all the requisites to be a good hunter. He almost seems like a 28

destructive hunting machine. The tiger is the supreme hunter of the forest. There is no animal in the forest that hunts the tiger for meal; an almost every animal can be a tiger’s prey. So the forests are filled with the terror of the tiger, and celebrated tigress of TATR, Maya’s movement in front of the explorers, in her territory at Panderpouni, was depicting all these features. She was hungry and stalking the herd of spotted deer. The explorers watched her movement for one hour before she disappeared into thick forest.

Maya grew up as part of a recognized and noticeable family, by the Telia lake, with three other siblings, two boisterous sisters and a very shy brother. Maya was the most boisterous and gregarious one in her family and till today reigns in the area. After the NTCA directive, Tadoba has cut down on many routes which resulted in overcrowding of vehicles in Maya's territory at Pandharpaoni. Currently, the entire Kolsa range has been kept inviolate as all the premium routes like Kakadghat, Shivanzari, Kuoni, Suklibodi Lake and Yenbodi have been closed for tourism. Besides, the route between Moharli-Kolsa has also been shut. Only village roads from Pangdi and Zari to Kolsa and Rantalodi are open for tourists. Moreover, in Tadoba range, Vasant BhandaraKatezari-Kala Amba-Ambe Paat route has also been closed. Hence, the other popular tigers like Namdeo, Gabbar, Pandu are not being sighted. Jamni's 'Chhoti Tara' has left for a secluded spot as she is busy nursing her new borns, while 'Sonam' of Telia and her cubs are not regularly sighted. Hence, tourists make a beeline for Maya.

When Maya was spotted for the first time, through apertures of trees and the watch tower, the explorers held their breath for a while and for the next few minutes they remained awestruck, in disbelief, that, finally lady luck favored them. They were unaware what was happening around them for the next half an hour, their eyes laid on view finders of the cameras, left hand occupying and adjusting lenses and index finger of right hand was restless pressing the shutters.

They could not notice anything but the beautiful creature; they didn’t hear anything but the sound of shutters. Beyond Maya, space-time continuum was standstill. The spectators were hypnotized by her “Maya”, magic spell.

After Maya’s disappearance into dense forest, water hens in the water hole number 1 were clicked. Shortly after, Eknath and Nikhil moved their gypsy towards Tadoba lake via Jamni, with a hope to encounter Choti Tara and her cubs. But fate didn’t approve in the next two and half hours of combing through the forest.

While passing through the Tadoba lake, Nikhil stopped his gypsy again and Eknath exclaimed “Tiger”!

The very word tiger evokes an image of courage and cruelty, and inspires awe. A huge male tiger T54 aka Matkasur was spotted near Tadoba Lake at 9:30 AM, a living image of that vigor and ferocity. He was moving along the lake-shore, pausing intermittently and looking at the water. A huge marsh crocodile was basking on the bank. Matkasur tried to attack it, and the explorers heard a large noise of water splash, the crocodile jumped into water to save its life. After that, the mighty Matkasur kept walking again along the brink of the lake and en route, he was halting and smelling tree trunks.

Tigers practice it to identify smell of his or any previous tiger’s urine to identify their territory. After 15-20 minutes of walk, the explorers followed him in gypsy; he crossed the road in front of them and vanished into the other side of the forest.

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The safari ended at 10:30 AM and other key species identified were Bronze Winged Jacana, Pied Bush Chat and few birds of prey like Oriental Honey Buzzard, White Eyed Buzzard and Changeable Hawk Eagle. While exiting forest, they found another eluding, nocturnal animal, a Tree Shrew and before reaching their base camp at Chimur, one venomous Russel’s Viper snake was spotted sprawling near a paddy field.

The explorers began their third safari on the same day, between 2:15 and 6:30 PM. Pug mark of female tiger and cub were noticed at around 4:00 PM. But the animals were nowhere to be found. th

th

The 4 Safari started on 16 January, at 6:15 AM and ended at 10:30 AM. The forest was very quiet on that day, with no indication of any big cat movement, which reminded Arnab about the experiences in the forest of Pench and Kanha in last summer. Subhashis missed the drama on previous day and was hopeful of big cat sightings. But so far the situation was disappointing.

At around 8:30 AM, pug marks of Leopard and big cat was found on the way towards Navengaon area. Around 10:00 AM near Panderpouni area, mild warning calls of Sambar and Spotted deer was heard. The explorers interpreted the calls to be Maya and her cubs movements from one side of their territory to other.

On their return, the gypsy driver Nikhil was briefing on the tiger community of TATR. He was stating the conflict between Maya and Matkasur. Matkasur wanted Maya’s surrender but the cubs were a hindrance to that. Once Matkasur attacked her cubs, Maya and her sons defeated him, fighting all together.

Maya’s cubs were borne by another male tiger Gabbar (also known as Leopard face) aka Sher Khan aka Ma7 (TAD), who was once the undisputed king of TATR. After the rise of Matkasur, the conflict between Gabbar and Matkasur was inevitable. Recent fight was reported at water body number 97, probably over Maya. Another tigress Choti Tara is incognito in the forest nowadays, as she has young cubs to protect and feed. However, cubs of Choti Tara were borne by Matkasur. Maya had three cubs with Gabbar, out of that one male and one female were separated from her, because of frequent attacks by Matkasur. Now the parted male cub cannot come back to Maya as his brother has grown up and would not allow him to come close to her mother. However, he would not have any problem with her once isolated sister to come back, as he would require a mating partner soon.

All these stories suggest that Maya aka B3’s sub adult cub has all the potential to give a good run for the money to all contemporary male tigers of TATR, over right of the territory.

The Road Show

The 5th Safari started at 2:30 PM of 16th January and that was the last safari for the explorers through Kolara gate. After that, their plan was to move towards Moharli gate which would be around 40 km from their current base location. Three explorers with guide Dilip and driver Vinod started towards North-West direction. Afternoon in the forest of TATR was quite bright and warm with approximately 30-35 O C temperature.

After 30 minutes of driving, pug mark of female with cubs were spotted. They started following the pug mark which lingered into South East direction. Fresh pug mark of sloth bear was spotted along the way. After few kilometers of driving, they moved again into North-West direction, and pug mark of male tiger was observed, along with mild call of Sambar. Their previous guide Eknath was in another gypsy ahead of them, he signaled to move towards water body number 79, close to Nawachila.

The explorers, along with 6 other gypsies, stopped in front of water body 79 at Nawachila. They waited there for 15 minutes, but no indication of any movement was 30

sensed. The call stopped long time back. One after another, gypsies left that place, tourists who regarded forest as a zoological park, lost patience in no time.

However, Dilip and Vinod decided not to move at all. If there was any possibility of sighting a tiger at all, under the circumstances, it was there in that particular spot. The logic was simple, fresh pug mark followed the route and faded near the bushes, on the side of the forest path. The tiger moves as stealthily as a shadow. It is difficult to believe that, this animal, weighing 150-250 kg, can walk in utter silence. The tiger’s paws are padded. So, their foothills are cushioned while walking, and dry leaves or twigs don’t crackle under his foot. But as their paws are padded, they don’t prefer to walk in thorny undergrowth. The tigers roam the paths in the forests and also the roads. Therefore, there was strong a chance that, a male tiger whose pug mark they followed, had a temporary hideout in the undergrowth alongside the forest path and he would come out at some point of time. However, nobody knew for sure, might be after dusk, might not before tourists leave the forest at the closing hour of safari, defined by forest department.

After waiting there for 45 more minutes, at around 3:45 PM, Arnab muttered, “Langur’s call!”

Dilip nodded his head in agreement; langur’s call was heard twice. Vinod moved the gypsy little further towards North-West direction, from where the call was coming.

Arnab cried again, “Stop, stop!”

Around 5-6 langurs were found at a tree top – restless and giving warning calls gazing underneath, inside the forest; as frequent as five times. Dilip advised to go back to the original place, and wait there. Dwaipayan assured, “Definitely there is a tiger, and there is no doubt about it, only it’s a matter of time when it will come out in clear!”

Vinod parked the vehicle again in front of water body number 79. Next 15 minutes was plain waiting, in apprehension, realigning position of cameras, checking and readjusting camera settings anticipating from where the tiger could come out and what should be the light setting requirements of that area.

“Alarm call again!” yelled Dwaipayan and Dilip almost at the same time. A spotted deer was bellowing ceaselessly, in life and death situation and the call was coming from not more than 500 meters of distance from their gypsy.

It was confirmed; as the forest proclaimed to each and every living and non-living beings in the wilderness of TATR, the terror of TATR, the most dreaded predator of any Indian forest, manifested in close proximity.

Other gypsies were coming back one by one; everybody in forest heard that call.

At around 4:00 PM, one sub adult male tiger appeared near water body number 79, at Nawachila. He was the male descendent of B3 aka Maya. The explorers’ gypsy was at the nearest within 200 meters from the fascinating creature.

The explorers froze at the juncture, with their eyes on the view finder, bodies bent over side railing of the gypsy, left hands on lenses, placed carefully on bin bags and index fingers of right hand didn’t know how to stop pressing the shutter.

What they saw through the view finders, was a proportionate long body, silent foothills, long back stripes on brownish-orange or tawny coat body, round head - coming closer and closer. With his every sturdy step, he was exuding the message loud and clear – why every animal in the forest should be terrified of him. Through the view finder it seemed, the head was growing bigger and he was approaching right towards them, 31

conquering distances, from 200 meters to 100 meters to 50 meters. His bright yellowish eyes were fixated on them, sending chills down the spine, causing stress on the nervous systems. Was that the time to throw away cameras and scream for life?

No way! That was the rarest moment of life, probably would never come again!

They could not remove their eyes from the view finder or their right index fingers from the shutter. That was the moment they were yearning for such a long time, since winter of 2015, since Nagarhole and Bandipur.

He started moving towards the course of South-East, sniffing everything around him. He had the requisite to smell urine spread by him or any other previous tigers, to identify the safe territory, he was a cub after all, an adolescent cub who was learning how to live life in the forest without his mother’s protection. Then he needed to spread urine furthermore, to mark the territory and kept walking on the forest path in the same direction. All the gypsies (by that time there were around 50 gypsies gathered, if not more) started following him.

The road show continued for around 10 minutes, before he became invisible in the deep forest. In last 5 minutes, explorers shut their cameras, and enjoyed the whole exhibit through their naked eyes, rather than the view finders of their cameras.

Natural phenomena are enjoyed best by natural tools.

That was Bhola, the sub adult cub of B3 aka Maya. For most of the forest guides and gypsy drivers, that very evening was the first moment of seeing him alone, travelling out of his territory and moving from one corner of forest to other.

After 15 days of these explorations, Dwaipayan received news from his special source, that Bhola had a fight with T54 aka Matkasur near Panderpouni, resulting in his defeat and eventual expulsion.

Probably, very soon, whole of TATR will witness a coronation ceremony of their new crown prince.

On 17th January, in the morning, the explorers left for Moharli gate and reached at MTDC resort by afternoon. They didn’t have any safari planned for that day, therefore in the evening; they decided to go near the entry gate of the core area of the forest to replenish their rations. The idea was to walk around 2 kms from the MTDC resort to the Moharli gate at around 7:00 PM. However, at the last minute, they changed their plan and booked a cab to go to Chandrapur town, which was 35 kms away from the resort. The road between MTDC resort and Chandrapur passes through the forest area of Tadoba. On their way, they found a Palm Civet on the side of the road, and again at around 9:30 PM, on their way back. Driver Palash informed them about his countless exposures with Leopards while driving through this road, and the incidents of Leopards attacking local villagers. The tale of a man eating Leopard, killing 5-6 32

villagers, before it was caught by forest department and sent to rescue center, was particularly haunting.

Then he mentioned something, which left the explorers shivering. On that evening, when he was on his way to pick up the explorers, caught a glimpse of a Leopard near MTDC resort, and that was not an unfamiliar occurrence for him. The explorers were hesitant, their initial idea of walking 2 km to go to the entry gate of the forest from MTDC resort at 7:00 PM, was certainly not wise and they were saved by the bell.

The 6th Safari and the first one from Moharli gate of TATR undertook at 6:30 AM, they started off South, reached Aswalhira and then Telia lake, which was known for M6 (TAD) aka Sonam’s area. Sonam was residing there with her adolescent cubs. After one and half hour of driving through the forest, they started moving towards North and at around 8:45 AM reached Jamni lake. There were strong calls of spotted deer, but the Safari ended at 10:00 AM without a glance of any big cat.

The afternoon safari started at 2:00 PM, towards South again and after crossing Telia Lake, they reached near Jamunbudi. Already 5-6 gypsies were waiting there. Apparently, warning call was heard from the other side of the lake. They waited there for about 30 minutes. One Ruddy Mongoose was spotted multiple times, running here and there; searching for food, gave good photo opportunities for the explorers. After that they started moving towards East and fresh pug marks of female tiger was spotted.

After driving 1-2 kms further, they stopped after seeing couple of gypsies waiting there on the forest path at Ayanbodi area. Apparently B3 (Maya) was sleeping in the bushes and people were waiting there with a hope of her spectacle. The anticipation was that, she would wake up in a while and come out of the bush to give a road show.

Gypsies started queuing there and in no time, there were at least 30 gypsies, from all six gates, hopeful to see the celebrity tigress of TATR. As usual, there were huge speculations among all kinds of visitors, likely the “zoological park type”; “selfie type”; “DSLR type”; “so-called forest and wild life experts”; and the forest guides; gypsy drivers – on what route she would follow to give the “road show”. Every time she was moving her head or shaking her hinge legs, swaying her tail tip to keep away flies - the excitement was getting multiplied.

After one and half hours of suspense, Maya woke up and quickly dissipated deep inside the forest.

Such an anti-climax! The jungle is where the silence is profound, lend a keen ear and one can listen to the quietude. One would be ignorant to think, he can witness the mysteries of the jungle unfolding in just couple of hours of a jeep safari. The involvement of Edward James Corbett or Kenneth Anderson with India’s wild was long and persistent, which lasted for decades.

Disappearance th

The 8 safari started on usual time, at 6:30 AM, towards West, on the way to Telia. On their way, one male sloth bear was spotted grazing. After realizing human invasion, he hid himself into the camouflage of the forest. However, the crackling sound of movements of heavy paws on twigs and undergrowth were still audible. They waited 33

there for some time. The sloth bear came out after 5-10 minutes briefly and dwindled inside the thick bushes.

Guide Sanjay suggested, the bear ought to cross the path, but could not, because of human interference. They decided to wait for few more minutes to ensure his unimpeded passage.

Driver Kankesh parked the vehicle at a safe distance from his anticipated route. They waited there for another 45 minutes. But the bear didn’t come out in the open and early morning light did not suffice to take snaps.

Meanwhile, strong call was ascertained from Jamni water body. When they arrived at Jamni, already few Gypsies assembled there and reportedly, Choti Tara just crossed the forest path, 2 minutes before. The spotted deer were still giving call. The explorers decided to wait there and were all ears to Sanjay’s story on “False mating”.

In September, 2016, Maya was seen mating with Gabbar, Sanjay voiced, Maya was bold enough to engage in such strategic “False Mating”.

“False mating” is a mother’s desperate measures to confuse all the male tigers in the forest, in order to save her cubs. Normally one male tiger does not kill his own cubs, but he maneuvers to eliminate other contender’s genes. When a female tiger copulates with multiple male tigers, all her pairs in the forest think, her cubs are actually their offspring and let them to thrive.

Some local naturalists think that, Maya’s behavior is actually evidence of a crafty new strategy to safeguard her cubs’ survival: “false mating” exists among many mammals—including bears, lions and bottlenose dolphins—male tigers kill the cubs of their rivals whenever they can, so as to precipitate a new estrus cycle and impregnate the tigress with their own offspring. Tiger moms typically seek to protect their cubs from such a fate for 18 to 24 months, before pushing them out to establish their own territories. (Tiger fathers have no role in raising the young, so no help there.). But the crowded conditions in Tadoba and other Indian national parks are making that increasingly difficult. The ranges of several roving rivals frequently overlap with the dominant males, bringing danger precariously close to vulnerable cubs.

According to Bilal Habib, a carnivore researcher at the Wildlife Institute of India, “In high-density areas, where there are more males, the best strategy for a female is to try to leave the cubs early, go with the males, and then go back and look for her litter again,” Habib explains. “A brawl with a male might turn out to be lethal for her and the cubs.”

The name “false mating”—which occurs among lions and other species—is a little misleading. It refers to actual sex, just not at the time when a female is able to conceive. (Typically, female tigers go into estrus once every three to nine weeks, and are most likely to conceive during three to six days within that period). Habib’s theory is that, Maya deceived the roving male tigers to placate them and perhaps to make them think, they have successfully impregnated her.

Afterwards, she could return back to her cubs, leaving the appeased male none the wiser.

Explorers waited there for another 2 hours, and there was no indication of any big cat movement, eventually they left the forest to end that safari at 10:30 AM. th

The 9 safari started in afternoon at 2:30 PM and the explorers kickstarted towards Jamni lake. On the way, another male sloth bear was glimpsed.

Immediately after 34

seeing the gypsy, he concealed himself into the dense woods. The explorers started tracking him by the forest path of Aswalhira, covered by heavy bamboo trees and they spotted him again. This time the bear was within 100 meters from their gypsy. He crossed the path and hid inside thick vegetation again.

After that not so “sloth”, rather “busy” moments with the bear, the explorers travelled upto Jamni lake, then Tadoba lake, Panderpouni and finally Telia. News emerged that, M6 (TAD) aka Sonam, an adult female tiger was spotted with her sub adult cubs. Already two gypsies were waiting there, and the guide from one of the gypsies asserted them, “Sonam is there, sitting in the grass land”.

The grassland of Telia zone is absolutely thick and an ideal hide out for tigers. With little or no effort, the dark stripes on pale fur, breaking up an outline of long slender body, lying in the grassland and well camouflaged – was spotted – the white spots behind the black ears – a characteristic mark of tigers – were also noticed. The presence of the beast was conspicuous, resting in that grass land, but was not obvious, how many of them, one or could be more, an adult or with cubs.

The tiger stood up and started moving, now it was clearly visible even with bare eyes. Sanjay confirmed the striking fourlegged to be Sonam. Sonam is part of the famous litter of four very illustrous female cubs, brought up by Madhuri in the Telia Lake area, overseen by their caring father Scarface. She has an S shape mark on her right neck which is noticed easily, but through thick grasses the explorers could not discern that.

Sonam became invisible again in the grasses and the explorers moved towards the fire line, with the hope that she would come out from there. They waited there from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM, but she was not seen further.

They ended the safari there, and while coming out of the forest found one male barking deer crossing the path in front of their gypsy. The last safari of this series was in the morning of 20th January. They set another goal to spot Sonam and travelled towards Jamni lake and waited there for 2 hours. There were sporadic calls of peafowl, spotted deer and jungle fowl on seeing of tiger. When the tiger is idle, the calling animals stop at a place and signal. When the alarm call redirects from different places, it implies that the tiger is on the move. Taking into account the motion of the calling animal, the direction the petrified animal signifies, it is easy to trail the movements of the tiger. Birds and animals alert everybody in the forest precisely, if there is a spectre of a tiger. Sometimes, human intrusions alarm Langur and Sambar, but once they recognize human beings, they cease their calls.

However, 2 hours of waiting didn’t yield much result and they moved towards Telia lake, but in vain!

They concluded their safari at 10:30 AM and retreated to MTDC resort to culminate the series.

End of Story: The explorations of “Wagh Alaa Patil” discontinued there. While returning to the comforts of their homes, the explorers were reminiscing about all the phenomena of the forest in the last week and the wisdom they are imbibed with. Especially, the story of 35

Roshan who owns a souvenir shop near Kolara gate of TATR. Once, he worked as a tour guide and also with forest guards for tree cutting contracts. He used to go inside the forest with daily wage workers from local villages. Once he was attacked by Kankrajhuri Male, a famous male tiger of the buffer zone of TATR. To save his life he climbed up a tree and injured himself.

Thankfully, he was rescued by the forest guards. After that incident, Roshan was traumatized and decided to cease operating in the forest and thus, the souvenir shop.

Roshan enlightened us; Kankrajhuri male generally roams in the buffer zone, where he is seldom defied by human. The tigers in the buffer zone are more inclined to attack humans, as there is a scarcity of prey and minimal exposure to mankind.

Definitely the number of tigers is increasing in this so called “maternity center� of Bengal Tiger in Indian Forests. But the state of congestion in tiger population, throws TATR at the risk of aggravating inter and intra species conflict.

The whole series would be memorable for the explorers, as acquiring knowledge on the behavioral patterns of Bengal Tigers, the altering traits of tigers in the buffer and core zone; the effect of space on deriving new survival strategy for female and her cubs.

They also learnt the significance of understanding such familiarities, to trace those reclusive creatures of Mother Nature.

The explorers endeavored to capture all their experiences in this report and to promote the biodiversity culture and awareness among common people; and the explorers of Exploring Nature will continue to do so.

Till the next exploration bring us together, adieus!

36

Annexure One: The Explorer’s Profile

Dwaipayan Ghosh, Founder Member of Exploring Nature • Born in Kolkata on 27th September, 1978 and currently based out of Hyderabad.

• An Electrical Engineer by profession and holds B. Tech in Electrical Engineering from 2004 batch of University of Kalyani.

• Has been working for Construction, Renovation & Modernisation of EHV Electrical Sub-Stations; Erection, Testing and Commissioning of Power Transformers and Equipment (Like Transformer, Circuit Breaker, Current Transformer, Potential Transformer, Isolator, Control & Relay Panels etc.) for last twelve years.

• Worked for ALSTOM T&D India Limited (Systems Business); Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd. (Electrical Contract Division); and Utility Powertech Ltd. (A Joint Venture Of Reliance Energy Ltd. & NTPC) etc. Currently working as Manager – Execution in Genus Power Infrastructure Limited (ECC Division).

• Holds Certificates in Nature and Wildlife from Wildlife Campus, South Africa on Digital Wildlife Photography; Anti-Poaching; Birding by Habitat; Animals Tracks & Signs; Trails Guiding; and Snakes & Reptiles of Lowveld.

• Participated in about 22 biodiversity expeditions, which include Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserves, Maharshtra; Jawai Dam and its surroundings, Rajasthan;Tiger Reserves of Satpura, Pench and Kanha (Madhya Pradesh); Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary (Karnataka); Nagarhole National Park (Karnataka); Bandipur National Park (Karnataka); Eravikulam National Park (Kerala) and Periyar Tiger Reserve (Kerala); Kaziranga National Park (Assam); Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (Assam); Clouded Leopard National Park/Sipahijala Wildlife Sanctuary (Tripura); Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary (Tripura); Bandhabgarh National Park (Madhya Pradesh); Sundarban Tiger Reserve (West Bengal); Gorumara National Park (West Bengal); Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary (West Bengal); Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary (West Bengal); Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary (Andhra Pradesh); Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park (Telangana) – for Butterfly Photography; Gir National Park (Gujarat); Wild Ass Sanctuary (Gujrat); and Urban and Sub-Urban Bird Photography in West Bengal, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh etc.

37

Arnab Basu, Member of Exploring Nature

•

• •

•

• •

• Born in Kolkata on 17th June, 1978 and currently based out of Bengaluru.

• An Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Consultant by profession and holds B.Sc with major in Botany and Zoology from 2000 batch of University of Calcutta; MBA in Environment Management from 2004 batch of Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management (IISWBM), Kolkata; Diploma in Chemical Engineering and Industrial Safety.

Has about 12 years of experience in overall management and supervision of Sustainability, Safety Transformation, Industrial and Construction Environment, Occupational Health & Safety and Quality Systems; compliance assessment, assurance, verification and evaluation of EHS legal requirements and Corporate EHS management system; implementation, evaluation and assurance of Corporate Sustainability Reporting and GHG accounting; training and consultancy for Quality, Health, Safety, Social Accountability and Environmental Management Systems.

Worked with National and multinational EHS consultancy farm like EQMS, Deloitte etc, currently working as Principal Consultant in ERM. Has provided consultancy services to a number of major national and multinational companies including TATA Steel, Shell, Chevron, GAIL, GSK, Reckitt Benckiser, Boehringer, PEPSI, Raymond, US Pharmacopeia, Morgan Crucibles, NALCO, Unilever, British Petroleum, Becton Dickinson, and Vedanta.

Participated in about 13 biodiversity expeditions, which include Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, Maharshtra; Gunug Leuser National Park, North Sumatra, Indonesia;Tiger Reserves of Satpura, Pench and Kanha (Madhya Pradesh); Kruger National Park in South Africa, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary (Karnataka); Nagarhole National Park (Karnataka); Bandipur National Park (Karnataka); Eravikulam National Park (Kerala) and Periyar Tiger Reserve (Kerala); Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (Assam); Gir National Park (Gujrat); Wild Ass Sanctuary (Gujrat); and Biodiversity study of Ghatshila and Jhargram (West Bengal), Araku Valley and Vizag Port (Andhra Pradesh), Forest of Bankura and Midnapore (West Bengal) etc.

Conducted assessment of urban and sub urban biodiversity at Kolkata, Salt Lake Wetland, South Bengal (West Bengal).

Conducted Study on Joint Forest Management and Wild Life in South West Bengal under the supervision of Department of Forest, Govt. of West Bengal and under the joint guidance of Environment *Management department of IISWBM and National Afforestation and Eco-development Board, Govt. of India.

38

Subhashish Panja, Member of Exploring Nature • Born in Kolkata on 1st December, 1977 and currently based out of Mumbai.

• An engineer by profession holding Diploma in Mechanical Engineering • Currently working as Procurement Specialist in energy sector with an US MNC in •

• •

Mumbai Has been working in energy sector for about 15 years now in various capacities including Gas Turbine Maintenance, Power Plant Operations, Supply Chain and Contract Management.

An enthusiast in wildlife expeditions.

Participated in tours to Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, Maharshtra; Sundarban, Bauxa Forests etc.

39

Annexure Two: The Journey Itinerary Day One (Saturday, 14thJanuary): • 0800 Hours: Started from Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur • 1000 Hours: Reached at Kolara camp (Safari Hotel), Chimur • 1300 Hours: Lunch • 1430 Hours to 1830 Hours: Afternoon Safari at Kolara Gate Buffer zone • 2000 Hours: Dinner • 2100 Hours to 2300 Hours: Data logging, species profiling, photo processing Day Two (Sunday, 15th January): • 0630 to 1000 Hours: Morning Safari at Kolara Gate Core zone • 1100 Hours: Breakfast • 1300 Hours: Lunch • 1430 Hours to 1830 Hours: Afternoon Safari at Kolara gate Core zone • 2000 Hours: Dinner • 2100 Hours to 2300 Hours: Species Profiling, Data logging for the day, photo processing, book keeping Day Three (Monday, 16th January): • 0630 to 1000 Hours: Morning Safari at Kolara Gate Core zone • 1100 Hours: Breakfast • 1300 Hours: Lunch • 1430 Hours to 1830 Hours: Afternoon Safari at Kolara gate Core zone • 2000 Hours: Dinner • 2100 Hours to 2300 Hours: Species Profiling, Data logging for the day, photo processing, book keeping Day Four (Tuesday, 17th January): • 0900 Hours : Started from Chimur to Moharli Gate • 1105 Hours: Reached at MTDC Resort near Moharli gate • 1300 Hours: Lunch • 1900 to 2200 Hours: Travel from Moharli gate to Chandrapur and back through forest road and dinner Day Five (Wednesday, 18th January): • 0600 to 1030 Hours: Morning Safari at Moharli Gate Core zone • 1100 Hours: Breakfast • 1300 Hours: Lunch • 1430 Hours to 1830 Hours: Afternoon Safari at Moharli gate Core zone • 2000 Hours: Dinner • 2100 Hours to 2300 Hours: Species Profiling, Data logging for the day, photo processing, book keeping Day Six (Thursday, 19th January): • 0600 to 1030 Hours: Morning Safari at Moharli Gate Core zone • 1100 Hours: Breakfast 40

• • • •

1300 Hours: Lunch 1430 Hours to 1830 Hours: Afternoon Safari at Moharli gate Core zone 2000 Hours: Dinner 2100 Hours to 2300 Hours: Species Profiling, Data logging for the day, photo processing, book keeping

Day Seven (Friday, 20th January): • • •

0600 to 1030 Hours: Morning Safari at Moharli Gate Core zone 1100 Hours: Breakfast 1200 Hours: MTDC Moharli to Chandrapur Railway Station by Road

41

Annexure Three: List of Species Identified Sl.

Name Species

of Scientific Name

Date Location

1.

Indian Darter

Anhinga melangoster

14th to 20th January, Tadoba Lake

Near Threatened ver 3.1

2.

Little Cormorant

Phalacrocorax niger

3.

Greater Egret

Casmerodius albus

4.

Intermediate Egret

Mesophoyx intermedia

5.

Little Egret

Egretta garzetta

6.

Cattle Egret

Bubulcus ibis

7.

Purple Heron

Ardea purpurea

8.

Indian Pond Heron

Ardeola grayii

9.

Woolly-necked Stork

Ciconia episcopus

14th to 20th January, Tadoba Lake 16th to 20th January, Tadoba Lake 18th January, Tadoba Lake 16th to 20th January, Tadoba Lake 16th to 20th January, Tadoba Lake 15th January, Tadoba Lake 15th and 19th January, Tadoba 16th January, Tadoba Lake

Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Vulnerable A2cd+3cd+4cd ver 3.1

10.

White Stork

Ciconia ciconia

17th January, Irai river

11.

Painted Stork

Mycteria leucocephala

17th January, Irai river

Least Concern ver 3.1 Near Threatened ver 3.1

12.

Black-headed Ibis

Threskiornis melanocephalus

15th to 20th January, Tadoba Lake

42

and IUCN Conservation Status

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Justification

This species is classified as Near Threatened because its population is suspected to be in moderately rapid decline owing to pollution, drainage, hunting and the collection of eggs and nestlings.

This newly split species is listed as Vulnerable because it is suspected to be undergoing a rapid population decline owing mainly to habitat loss and persecution.

Although one of the most abundant of the Asian storks, this species is classified as Near Threatened because it is thought to be undergoing a moderately rapid population decline owing primarily to hunting, wetland drainage and pollution.

In common with most large wetland species in Asia, this species is thought to be undergoing a population reduction, which is suspected to be moderately rapid. It faces the full gambit of threats, from hunting and disturbance at breeding colonies to drainage and conversion of foraging habitats to agriculture. It consequently qualifies

Sl.

Name Species

of Scientific Name

Date Location

and IUCN Conservation Status

Justification

as Near Threatened.

However in some areas the species is increasing and further information is required to ascertain whether the population as a whole is decreasing less rapidly than currently suspected.

Evidence to demonstrate this could result in the species being downlisted to a lower threat category.

13.

Black Ibis

Pseudibis papillosa

14.

Lesser Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna javanica

15.

Pernis ptilorhynchus

16.

Oriental Honeybuzzard Black-shouldered Kite

17.

White-eyed Buzzard

Butastur teesa

15th and 19th January, Tadoba 16th to 20th January, Tadoba Lake 15th and 19th January, Tadoba 15th and 19th January, Tadoba 15th January, Tadoba

18.

Spizaetus cirrhatus

15th January, Tadoba

19.

Changeable Hawk Eagle Painted Spurfowl

Galloperdix lunulata

20.

Small Buttonquail

Turnix sylvatica

16th to 20th January, Tadoba 16th January, Tadoba

21.

Indian Peafowl

Pavo cristatus

22.

Grey Jungle Fowl

Gallus sonneratti

23.

Amaurornis phoenicurus

24.

White-breasted waterhen Bronze-winged Jacana

25.

Red-wattled Lapwing

Vanellus indicus

26.

Grey eagle

Icthyophaga ichthyaetus

15th to 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 15th January, at Water body number 1, Tadoba 16th to 20th January, Tadoba Lake 16th to 19th January, Tadoba 16th January, Tadoba

27.

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

18th January, Tadoba

28.

Spotted Dove

Streptopelia chinesis

29.

Plum-headed Parakeet

Psittacula cyanocephala

14th to 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba

Headed

Fish

Elanus caeruleus

Matopidius indicus

43

Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Near Threatened ver 3.1

Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1

Although widespread, this species is now only locally common and may have a moderately small population, which is thought to be undergoing a moderately rapid population reduction owing to habitat degradation, pollution and over-fishing. It is therefore classified as Near Threatened as it almost qualifies for listing under criteria A2cd+3cd+4cd;C1+2a(i).

Sl.

Name Species

30.

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

31.

Southern Coucal

32.

Brown Fish Owl

Centropus sinensis parroti Ketupa flavipes

33.

Asian Palm Swift

Cypsiurus balasiensis

34.

Indian Roller

Coracias bengalensis

35.

Pied Kingfisher

Ceryle rudis

36.

Halcyon smyrnrnsis

37.

White-throated Kingfisher Common Kingfisher

38.

Green Bee-eater

Merops orientalis

39.

Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Black-hooded Oriole

42.

Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark Rufous-tailed Lark

43.

Black Drongo

44.

Dicrurus paradiseus

45.

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Long-tailed Shrike

46.

Common Myna

Acridotheres tristis

47.

Rufous Treepie

Dendrocitta vagabunda

48.

House Crow

Corvus splendens

49.

Large-billed Crow

Corvus macrorhynchos

50.

Red-vented Bulbul

Pycnonotus cafer

51.

Jungle Babbler

Turdoides striatus

52.

Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher White-browed Flycatcher Oriental Magpie Robin Indian Robin

Cyornis banyumas

14th to 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 16th January, Tadoba

Rhipidura areola

16th January, Tadoba

Copsychus malabaricus

14th to 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba

40.

41.

53.

54.

55.

of Scientific Name

Date Location

and IUCN Conservation Status

14th to 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 18th and 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 16th and 19th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba

Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Near Threatened ver 3.1

Dendrocopos nanus

14th to 20th January, Tadoba 20th January, Tadoba

Oriolus xanthornus

18th January, Tadoba

Ermopterix grisea

16th January, Tadoba

Ammomanes phoenicurus Dicrurus macrocercus

16th January, Tadoba

Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1 Least 3.1

Alcedo hercules

Lanius schach

Saxicoloides fulicata

14th to 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 18th January

44

Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver Concern ver

Justification

This species exists at naturally low numbers, as a result of its narrow habitat requirements, thus it may have a moderately small population, and is likely to be declining as a result of habitat loss and fragmentation throughout its range. It is therefore listed as Near Threatened.

Sl.

Name Species

of Scientific Name

56.

Common Stonechat

Saxicola torquata

16th January, Tadoba

57.

Pied Bushchat

Saxicola caprata

16th January, Tadoba

58.

Paddyfield Pipit

Anthus rufulus

59.

Oriental White-eye

Zosterops palpebrosus

60.

House Sparrow

Passer domesticus

61.

Common Moorhen

Gallinula chloropus

15th and 18th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 16th January, Tadoba

62.

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

16th January, Tadoba

63.

Treron phoenicopetra

64.

Yellow-footed Green Pegion White-bellied Drongo

65.

Jungle Prinia

Prinia sylvatica

15th and 18th January, Tadoba 15th and 18th January, Tadoba 15th January, Tadoba

66.

Common Hoopoe

Upupa epops

14th January, Tadoba

67.

Streptopelia decaocto

68.

Eurasian Collard Dove Temminck's stint

69.

Russel’s Viper

Daboia russelii

70.

Marsh crocodile

Crocodylus palustris

14th to 20th January, Tadoba 15th and 18th January, Tadoba 15th January, on village road to chimur 15th to 20th January, Tadoba lake

Dicrurus caerulescens

Calidris temminckii

Date Location

45

and IUCN Conservation Status Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Vulnerable A2cd ver 3.1

Justification

A past population decline of 30% over three generations (75 years) has been inferred due to direct observations of declines in abundance, reductions in range and habitat quality and extirpation from part of the range.

These declines, due to threats such as habitat destruction and illegal poaching, are now thought to have stopped with populations generally stable or recovering. Total global population estimated at less than 8,700 nonhatchlings and overall stable and increasing although continuing decline is reported in some areas, populations are restricted between drainages, regions and countries and not in contacttherefore fragmented and no single population estimated to be more than 1,000 mature individuals.

An

Sl.

Name Species

of Scientific Name

Date Location

and IUCN Conservation Status

Justification

assessment of Vulnerable under criterion A2cd has therefore been made for Crocodylus palustris.

71.

Common Skink

Sphenomorphus aruensis

72.

Northern Plains Langur (pride) Indian or Red Muntjac (male) Sambar (herds)

Semnopithecus entellus

73.

74.

Muntiacus muntjak Rusa unicolor

18th January at MTDC resort 14th to 20th January, Tadoba 19th January, Tadoba 14th to Tadoba

20th

46

January,

Least Concern 3.1 Least Concern 3.1 Least Concern 3.1 Vulnerable A2cd+3cd+4cd 3.1

ver ver ver

ver

Sambar is listed as Vulnerable through sustained declines across its range. These vary in severity between regions, and in some areas considerably exceed the threshold for Vulnerable. In the last three generations (taken to be 24–30 years), declines in mainland South-east Asia (Viet Nam, Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia), Bangladesh, and possibly Borneo and Sumatra have exceeded 50%, probably by a substantial margin.

Despite this Sambar remains common in some localized logged, unprotected areas on Borneo, such as the Hose Mountains of Sarawak (where a national park is proposed but not yet enforced), but only where human access is difficult. The overall decline rate in India has been less, given the presence of large populations in a fair number of well-secured protected areas which have probably remained stable, but a decline rate averaging 30% is reasonable in India outside these areas (i.e. in the less effective protected areas and outside the protected areas network), and in Sri Lanka and Nepal.

The situation in China is unclear as in some areas, for example Hainan, population recovery

Sl.

Name Species

of Scientific Name

Date Location

and IUCN Conservation Status

Justification

may be occurring, whilst major declines in other regions may have taken place prior to the 24–30 year assessment window; the population on Taiwan appears to be relatively stable.

Although declines seem to be reversing very locally in a few sites, these numbers are a very small proportion of the whole population.

There is no indication that declines will, at the species level, slow until populations are extinguished outside well-secured protected areas, which currently comprise only a small proportion of protected areas holding the species. Current trends of wild meat and antler marketing in South-east Asia and China suggest declines have probably sped up in some areas especially Lao PDR, Cambodia and Viet Nam. Since the 2008 assessment trends in wildlife exploitation and natural habitat conversion in mainland Southeast Asia, have if anything increased, thus although the relative size of the Southeast Asian population subcomponent has probably decreased compared with that in South Asia, the rate of decline has probably increased. The global population trend is still considered to be a decline somewhere between 30 and 50 % over three generations, for the past, present and future. The fact that Sambar is at least locally common in a number of high profile protected areas, such as Khao Yai National Park, Thailand and Cat Tien National Park, Viet Nam, and is commonly kept captive and proliferates in

47

Sl.

Name Species

of Scientific Name

Date Location

and IUCN Conservation Status

Justification

menageries in the region, was probably a significant factor in the failure to recognize the plight of the species prior to the 2008 reassessment.

These same factors no doubt still to some degree cloud the issue.

75.

Spotted Deer (herds)

Axis axis

76.

Gaur (herds)

Bos gaurus

15th to Tadoba 14th to Tadoba

20th

January,

20th

January,

48

Least Concern ver 3.1 Vulnerable A2cd+3cd+4cd ver 3.1

The Gaur qualifies as Vulnerable under criterion A (VU A2cd+3cd+4cd).

The population decline in parts of its range especially Indochina and Malaysia, perhaps also Myanmar and China, is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations (generation length estimated at 8-10 years), whereas in India and Nepal the overall decline rate is considerably lower. This reflects that in the various reasonably wellprotected areas, and a small number of animals in some non-protected areas where they are protected for cultural reasons, population trends are stable, and in a few areas which have been neglected but are the focus of improved protection, populations are rebuilding. Karanth et al. (2010) estimated average local extinction rates of Gaur distribution at 60% over past 50 years in India with the rates varying from 7% from reasonably protected habitats to a high of 98% from unprotected habitats. The global distribution of the Gaur has reduced by over 80% in past 100 years and Gaur is now mostly limited to habitats within protected areas (Groves and Grubb 2011). Weighting these by population size gives an overall decline of at

Sl.

Name Species

of Scientific Name

Date Location

and IUCN Conservation Status

Justification

least 30% over the last three generations.

Similar reductions are projected, largely because the causative factors (especially wild meat hunting and hunting for the trade in horns in Southeast Asia, habitat loss and hunting for meat in South Asia) are still operative.

Although the proportion of the global population which is in relatively well protected habitats in India is increasing, and thus the averaged global decline rate ought to decrease, an ongoing decline of 30% (in the next three generations) or more is adjudged likely. The recent history in Malaysia proves that directed Gaur poaching can induce rapid declines in regions previously judged relatively safe. Poaching in Malaysia is undertaken by international gangs and it is likely that once returns in Malaysia drop they will move to other countries, though there is no evidence for this yet; the patterns in other high-value species in more advanced declines (e.g. southeast Asian otters) indicate that incursion even to southern India is likely.

The species could potentially qualify for Vulnerable under criterion C, although there are not enough quantitative data available.

77.

Nilgai (male)

Boselaphus tragocamelus

14th January, Tadoba

78.

Four-Horned Antelope (male) Indian Wild Boar(herds) Bengal Tiger (male, female, sub-adult cub)

Tetraserus quadricornis

14th January, Tadoba

Sus scrofa

14th to 20th January, Tadoba 15th, 16th, 18th and 19th January, Tadoba

79.

80.

Panthera tigris tigris

49

Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1 Endangered A2abcd; C1 ver 3.1

The Tiger is listed as Endangered under criterion A2abcd.

Comparing a breeding recent range estimate (42 “source sites� totalling

Sl.

Name Species

of Scientific Name

Date Location

and IUCN Conservation Status

Justification

90,000 km² : Walston et al. 2010b) to a 2006 total range estimate (1.1 million km² : Dinerstein et al. 2007) suggests a range decline much greater than 50% over the last three generations (7 x 3 = 21 years). As per IUCN guidelines (Nowell et al.

2007, IUCN 2013), we calculated generation length at seven years based on approximate age of maturity (four years) plus half the length of the reproductive lifespan (six years) (based on Smith and McDougal 1991 and unpublished information).

This decline continues and at least two of the source populations listed in Walston et al. (2010b) have apparently been lost (one from Lao PDR and one from Thailand).

In 2006, it was believed that breeding populations existed in 13 countries, but now known breeding Tiger populations occur only in eight (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand and Russia).

In 1998, the global Tiger population was estimated at 5,000 to 7,000 Tigers (Seidensticker et al.

1999). A comparison of these population estimates of the 1990s (many with little scientific rigour) to similar current ones (many of better quality; see Table 1 in attached Supporting Material) suggests a decline of about 50% (taking the upper bound of 7,000 as the number of mature individuals in 1993, using a precautionary approach, declining to approximately 3,500 in

50

Sl.

Name Species

of Scientific Name

Date Location

and IUCN Conservation Status

Justification

2014), but differences in methodologies and accuracy make such comparisons uncertain.

This declining trend is likely to persist in the face of continuing threats such as direct poaching, prey depletion and habitat degradation which continue in all range states. Although several sites in India and Nepal have indeed reported recent recoveries, population reductions may not be reversible in other areas where Tiger habitat itself has been lost.

Given the uncertainties about future declines, criterion A4bcd is no longer used.

The Tiger is also listed as Endangered under criterion C1 because the population of mature individuals may be fewer than 2,500 individuals. Walston et al. 2010a estimated 2,154 tigers in 42 protected source sites where there is evidence of breeding (two populations are since known to have been lost, as described above), and the numbers in Table 1 (see Supporting material) could be overestimated.

Generally Tiger status outside the source sites is poor and large breeding populations are unlikely to exist. To ensure tiger persistence, large population sizes (implying highest possible densities) and high survival rates of breeding adult females are critical. Although well-protected tiger populations may achieve recruitment rates that can sustain annual losses from mortality and emigration of 20% or more (Karanth et al.

2006), some theoretical

51

Sl.

Name Species

of Scientific Name

Date Location

and IUCN Conservation Status

Justification

models suggest declines to extinction when annual mortality of breeding females exceeds 15% (Chapron et al. 2008). Population declines in recent years have been most pronounced outside protected areas (Walston et al. 2010b). For the purposes of Red List assessment, the estimated population in Source Sites is a good proxy for the breeding population of adult Tigers. This population has declined by over 20% during the last two generations (14 years); the decline continues and may not be reversible in all sites.

Previously, Tigers were also listed under criterion C2a(i), but we have removed this criterion because the population in the Western Ghats in India has increased to >250 adults (Karanth unpublished data).

Other subpopulations in Terai, Central India, and Russia may also have >250 adults (Karanth et al. 2010).

81.

Common Palm Civet

Paradoxurus hemaphroditus

82.

Ruddy Mongoose

Herpestes smithii

83.

Sloth Bear

Melursus ursinus

17th January, on the way between MTDC resort and Chandrapur town 16th January on the village road to forest and 19th January at Tadoba 19th January, Tadoba

52

Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1

Vulnerable A3c ver 3.1

There are no reliable large-scale population estimates for Sloth Bears, nor any reliable large-scale estimates of population change.

Since the total occupied area in India has been variously estimated at between 200,000 km² (Johnsingh 2003, Akhtar et al. 2004, Chauhan 2006) and 400,000 km² (Sathyakumar et al.

2012), or even more (Puri et al. 2015), it is impossible to gauge

Sl.

Name Species

of Scientific Name

Date Location

and IUCN Conservation Status

Justification

population trend from changes in occupied area. However, there is, throughout most of the range, a clear trend in deterioration of habitat, which has caused Sloth Bear populations to decline (Akhtar and Chauhan 2008). This deterioration in habitat is expected to accelerate in the future.

Habitat outside of protected areas is under severe and growing pressure due to demands for natural resources and the ever increasing populations of both humans and livestock in the region (Akhtar et al. 2006a).

This problem is compounded by many factors including that in India, where the vast majority of Sloth Bear habitat is located: 1) the per capita forest area is only one-tenth of the world’s average; 2) there is a demand–supply gap for construction timber leading to overharvesting and degradation of natural ecosystems; 3) an estimated 78% of forests are subjected to heavy grazing causing degradation of forest habitat; and 4) vast stretches of forest are still diverted for a variety of developmental and infrastructural projects (Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India 2009). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO 2015) reported that India had a 0.3% rate increase of forest area during 2010-2015, due to afforestation. However, the type and location of all the forest planted is unspecified. Much of

53

Sl.

Name Species

of Scientific Name

Date Location

and IUCN Conservation Status

Justification

this afforestation effort is occurring in more urban areas and it is not known how much is accessible to Sloth Bears.

The human population growth in India is presently the greatest threat to Sloth Bears. It drives the loss and degradation of habitat and is likely the cause for growing human-bear conflicts in the country.

The population of India is expected to increase by 366,000,000 people (roughly 30%) over the next 30 years (US Census bureau, International database http://www.census.gov /population/internation al/data/idb/informatio nGateway.php).

This extraordinary population growth is likely to have major direct and indirect impacts on Sloth Bear populations, especially those existing outside protected areas. The human population growth of India is particularly alarming because 90-95%of the range of Sloth Bears is in India.

Likewise, Ratnayeke et al. (2007) predicted a future decline in Sloth Bear numbers in Sri Lanka due to burgeoning human densities and commensurate habitat deterioration and increasing conflicts.

The recent extirpation of Sloth Bears in Bangladesh (Islam et al.

2013) highlights serious concerns over persistence of small, isolated Sloth Bear populations, especially outside of protected areas, where half or more of the populations exist. Sloth Bears are particularly vulnerable to loss of habitat because

54

Sl.

Name Species

of Scientific Name

Date Location

and IUCN Conservation Status

Justification

of their reliance on lowland areas, which tend to be the places most readily used and developed by people.

Moreover, the aggressiveness of this species makes them incompatible with high human populations (Ratnayeke et al. 2014).

Given the lack of effective measures to control the rate of habitat loss and exploitation, Sloth Bear populations are expected to continue declining, at an increasing rate, resulting in a >30% loss over the next 30 years (three generations).

84.

Southern Tree Shrew

Anathana ellioti

15th January, Tadoba

Least Concern ver 3.1

85.

Five-Striped Squirrel

Palm

Funambulus pennatii

14th to Tadoba

Least Concern ver 3.1

86.

Common Butterfly

Crow

Euploea core

15thJanuary, Tadoba

Least Concern ver 3.1

87.

Common Butterfly

Rose

Pachliopta aristolochiae

15thJanuary, Tadoba

Least Concern ver 3.1

88.

Common yellow

Grass

Eurema hecabe

16thJanuary, Tadoba

Least Concern ver 3.1

89.

Danaid Eggfly

Hypolimnas misippus

16th January, Tadoba

Least Concern ver 3.1

90.

Common Jazebel

Delias eucharis

16th January, Tadoba

Least Concern ver 3.1

91.

Common butterfly

Papilio demoleus

16thJanuary, Tadoba

Least Concern ver 3.1

92.

Mottled Immigrant

19th January, Tadoba

93.

Orange tip

Least Concern ver 3.1 Least Concern ver 3.1

Lime

Anthocharis cardamines

20th

January,

19th January, Tadoba

55

Annexure Four: Reference 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

http://en.wikipedia.org/ http://www.iucnredlist.org/ https://www.tigernation.org https://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/ http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/india/tadoba-s-bloodytrails http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tourists-make-abeeline-for-Maya-as-Tadoba-shuts-manyroutes/articleshow/50469502.cms http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/sorry-tiger-dudesyour-ladies-are-faking-it-2-180959731/ Birds of Indian Subcontinent – 2nd edition Birds of India by Krys Kuzmierczal; illustared by Ber Van Perlo The Book of Indian Animals by S.H. Praler The Book of Indian Reptiles and Amphibians by J.C. Daniel Indian Mammals by V. K. Menon Plant Species by H. P. Sharma Jungle Trees of Central India, by Pradip Krishen Flowering Trees – Shrubs and climbers of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal by Rupinder Khullar Maharashtra Unlimited – Volume 5 – Issue 1 – Vidarbha special – publication of Maharashtra Tourism Trailing the Tiger by Atul Dhamankar

56