Accounts of the Esoteric Indian Wildlife

 Esoteric Experiences Indian Wildlife

It was first the discovery of the white tiger in India that made headlines the World Over. India is blessed with amazing wilderness. Even after centuries of hunting and wood logging the country still retains considerable wilderness in 32 hundred thousand square km of land. 

It is home to over 350 mammals, 2000 species of birds including the subspecies and an amazing number of reptiles and insects. India is known as the land of the tiger with more than half the global population of the predator. The most majestic and now critically endangered animal is the tiger. At the turn of the century, there were more than a hundred thousand big cats in India. Before independence, forty thousand tigers survived in the vast stretches of forests and grasslands. 

But habitat destruction due to increasing agrarian practices and livestock keeping, most of the habitats were converted into fields and settlements. Post-independence, the forest habitats are completely fragmented. They are restricted to 51 tiger reserves and many National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries in an area barely comparing over one hundred thousand kilometres. 

Wildlife habitats are in a disarray and cut off without any viable corridors facing the risk of extinction due to inbreeding and continuous habitat destruction. It was the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 that stemmed the rot.

Project Tiger Program was another saviour, and inviolate areas in the reserves provided succour to the beleaguered wildlife and the remaining ecosystems. Well, and good, the tiger numbers that had plummeted to 1400 or less have risen to 3000 plus now. 

A lot of revenue is being pumped up for conservation from overseas and domestic tourism. A large populace is now wildlife-aware, and tourism is on the rise. Not only revenue for conservation, but wildlife tourism is also providing an immense opportunity for employment to locals and empowerment is taking place among the women and children in remote confines. 

India's Esoteric Wildlife

The country is well known for the white tiger which has been found in the wild only once but the animal survives in very large numbers in captivity the World over.  It was discovered at Sanjay Dubri National Park in Central India by the erstwhile Maharajah of Rewa.  

The Cheetah once found all over the country became extinct in the fifties, but it has been again reintroduced in the wild.  Hope lingers that it will survive and multiply. 

Another charismatic animal that tourists seek in the country is the black panther. Its sighting has increased in Pench, Nagzira and Kabini. The Asiatic Lion once widespread in the plains and grasslands still survives in Gir National Park in Gujarat, and its numbers are growing. Indian one-horned rhino is found in many parks like Kaziranga, Manas, Pobitara and Dudhwa National Parks. These are the megafauna we are discussing here, but the country is home to amazing esoteric lesser-known wildlife.

• Red Panda
• Clouded Leopard
• Snow Leopard
• Takin
• Goral
• Hoolock Gibbon 
• Pigmy Hog
• Golden Langur
• Nilgiri Langur
• Lion Tailed Macaque
• Hog Deer
• Hard Ground Swamp Deer 
  

These are a few animals that find mentioned here. The list is endless. If you travel extensively you will discover amazing wilderness that still exists in the country. 

Photo Bengal Tiger 

Tiger Safari 

Organized and guided tiger safaris on jeep and canter are a good way of spotting these animals in India. Visit any National Park or Tiger Reserve, and you will also spot rare and enchanting animals mentioned here. 

Some of the places where you can spot the tiger and other esoteric animals are:

Kanha National Park (Hard GroundSwamp Deer)

Kaziranga Tiger Reserve (One Horned Rhinoceros)
Manas (Golden Langur)

Namdhapha (Hoolock Gibbon, Clouded Leopard)

Silent Valley National Park (Nilgiri Langur & Lion-Tailed Macaque

Corbett Tiger Reserve (Indian Elephant)

Periyar Tiger Reserve (Indian Elephant)

Ladakh Cold Desert (Wild Ass, Brown Bear, Snow Leopard) 

For Asiatic Lion Visit Gir National Park in Gujarat.

The Bengal tiger is the most sought-after predator by tourists from overseas as well as domestic ones. You can spot the beautiful animals at the destinations mentioned below.  But remember to book a safari permit in advance. Vehicle entry is limited and you will miss out on the game ride!

The best destinations for tiger safari in India are the popular reserves:

• Kanha National Park
• Corbett National Park 
• Bandhavgarh National Park
• Ranthambore National Park
• Pench National Park
• Tadoba National Park. 

While booking a permit for a tiger safari in India choose one of these reserves. Book safari permits in advance I repeat along with travel services and resorts. Avoid holidays, and weekends since you can expect a rush and no vacancy in accommodations and without a permit, the tour is doomed. 

Book your tours through Book My Safari Company based in Mumbai in India.  The URL is https://book-my-safari.com/. Discover amazing wilderness in the country on a holiday safari.

 

=========================================================

Uday Writes about tigers and safaris having worked as a naturalist for a number of years. He loves to write about Indian Wildlife. Uday provides content, SEO and digital marketing services as well. 

He can be contacted by emails

pateluday90@hotmail.com 

WhatsApp

  09755089323

Canids: Indian Wild Dog or Dhole

Hardly known as the Indian wild dog because its spread is Pan Asiatic right up to Russia. In the food chain, I would place it among the tertiary carnivores along with the leopard and the tiger in the tropical jungles. 

Classification

After much work, the animal was finally placed among the canids in the genus cuon and species alpinus. Dhole does have an affinity with African wild dogs but the latter is placed in a different genus due to some morphological differences.

The pack hunter is lightly built (ave 15 kg) and compact adapted through evolution for speed and rapacity that describes its phenomenal abilities as a carnivore. The black bushy tail, golden-red fur, and pointed dog-like head are the distinct features of this hunting animal. Another unusual characteristic feature is that it does not bark unlike our domestic breeds but rather whistles.  They usually live in a pack of around fifteen animals but large packs have been observed. The leaders are alfa male and female but several breeding females may be found in the pack. 

The mode of hunting is by the chase and not ambush like a tiger. A long chase leads to an ungulate being consumed midway this is gory but that is nature at work. In Indian tiger reserves, the main prey is the spotted deer or chital. Usually, the pack goes for mid-sized animals. Interesting tales have been told about conflicts with the tiger.....   

At Kanha, I have seen the pack sizes of fifteen animals in earlier times but it is difficult to gauge their present status since sometimes the pack size has not been observed. The population at Kanha seems to have slimmed down but research will extract the truth. The animal is subject to hunting and is usually considered vermin it is killed by locals due to livestock predation and threat perception associated with carnivores. A disease carried by pariah dogs may be another factor that could locally endanger the predator. Another aspect of this dog is that it is a wanderer and local migration is a regular activity. These animals at Kanha have been seen in and around human settlements but conflict with humans has not been noted.   

Wild Dog in Pictures

Indian Wildlife Videos

Sometimes wildlife is more interesting to watch than read about with digital cameras it has become possible to make and display videos on social media. Youtube and other video channels have proliferated the Internet so make hay when the sun shines.  

I keep on making videos to highlight various aspects of my wildlife adventures while working as a naturalist at Kanha National Park in India. The quality I believe is reasonably good to make it enjoyable. 

Hard Ground Barasingha 

Male Tiger at Kanha 

The herd of Hard Ground Swamp Deer was merrily grazing in the fields of Indri at Kanha National Park in India. The langurs are an expression of extreme delight whence they indulge in this grooming behavior. And nothing like an encounter with the majestic tiger hidden behind the veil of a misty curtain. 

My Tiger & Wildlife Video Channel

Tourism potential in India

India is an upcoming inbound tourism destination. The tourism potential of the country is not realized to the fullest yet. In spite of thousands of splendors that are present all over the country tourism is much wanted in places. The reason for the lack of inbound tourism in many places is purely due to the lack of proper infrastructure and awareness about the destination.

Much needs to be done in order to promote tourism in India. At present tourism is restricted to a few quarters - Rajasthan, Kerala, North India, and Central India for wildlife tourism. Since the rush for tiger safaris Central India or Madhya Pradesh experienced a surge of tourists to tiger reserves like Kanha, Bandhavgarh, and Pench National Park. In North India, tiger tours became popular in Corbett National Park and Ranthambhore in Rajasthan. Similarly, the former and Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary are popular birding destinations. 

For historical monument tours Agra especially the Taj Mahal takes the cake. Goa is also a popular travel destination but is more popular for beach tourism. Niche tourism has never been exploited in India. North  East does receive outbound tourists but mainly for Rhino safari and birding in Arunachal Pradesh. 

Kerala accounts for maximum inbound movement and the destination caters to all categories of tourism successfully. In the current scenario, it is recognized as the best destination in India and all over the world.          

The country offers amazing destinations and activities yet to be discovered to tourists from all over the but the infrastructure is wanting. States that wish to cash in on tourism should concentrate to infrastructure development. The development should include lesser-known destinations that can become prime spots for tourists coming to India. 

For accommodation, luxurious and well-located resorts in India are a must. the two most important factors are accommodation and transportation. Where ever possible airports that service small charter jets or helicopters should be set up. Road networks should be extensive and contain well-maintained roads for easy travel. This is much wanted in the country. Public culture is as important such that foreign tourists fell happy to be here.   

The most important facet of the tourism industry in India is tour operator companies that govern tourism. They play a key role in promoting tourism and a new destination. The packages offered by tour operators should conform to costs that are prevalent in other countries.

For increasing tourism not only the home aspects have to be looked after competition from other countries has to be faced. It is crucial that we out-compete other Nations in service and product as well.      

Endangered species in India

There are plentiful species in India that are threatened or near threatened. The threat level is based upon population statistics, habitat destruction, poaching or hunting by tribal, disease prevalence, and changing land use patterns - expansion of villages around the ecosystem. Weather and climate play a role as well but most of the species are highly adaptable to withstand such changes unless drastic.

Some species may be less in nature or survive only in niche ecosystems by nature's design. Nevertheless, they are always threatened due to the limited population or few remaining niches. One example is Hard Ground Barasingha which survives in the grasslands of Kanha National Park. Birds like Siberian Crane have not become extinct but the stock that used to migrate to India in winter has.   

Species facing extinction or near extinction are:

• Tiger
• Wild Dog
• Indian Wolf
• Asiatic Lion
• Leopard
• Asiatic Black Bear
• Fishing Cat
• Desert Cat
• One Horned Indian Rhino
• Indian Wild Elephant 
• Capped Leaf Monkey
• Ganges River Dolphin
• Swamp Deer
• Hispid Hare
• Indus River Dolphin
• Hoolock Gibbon
• Red Panda
• Snow Leopard
• Banteng
• Brown Bear
• Clouded Leopard
• Ganges River Dolphin
• Himalayan Musk Dear
• Asiatic Golden Cat
• Nilgiri Tahr
• Nilgiri Langur
• Lion Tailed Macaque
• Golden Langur
• Wild Goat
• Wild Yak 
• Jenkin's Shrew
• Mouse Deer
• Malabar Large Spotted Civet
• India Gazelle
• Namdapha Flying Squirrel
• Sarus Crane
• Black Necked Crane
• Pygmy Hog
• Black Necked Stork
• Salim Ali's Fruit Bat
• Green Avadavat
• White Rumped Vulture
• Sumatran Rhinoceros
• Long Billed Vulture
• Wroughton's Free-Tailed Bat

Fragmented habitats are imposing a serious threat of inbreeding among many species especially the tigers in India. Due rampant destruction of trees and grasslands for fuel wood and fodder is another cause of habitat loss. In the case of insects and birds apart from habitat loss, chemicals used by humans are reducing their breeding capacity.    

In the case of many species especially birds the status is unknown due to difficulty in gauging the numbers and migratory behavior. Research is crucial to uncover hidden facts behind decreasing number of species. 

Prevention

The common man can play a crucial role in preventing species extinction and habitat conservation in the country. 

The only solution to prevent extinction is habitat conservation and its expansion. This could be done by allocating abandoned land for habitat regeneration near the ecosystem. Relocation of villages inside wildlife sanctuaries and National Parks in India. 

Conservation of crucial natural resources, encouraging usage of renewable energy. A discouraging industry that depends heavily on wood - use less paper and recycle it. Discourage urbanization and industrial development near fragile ecosystems. 

Preventing wildlife crimes like poaching and illegal logging.  Responsible tourism with profit sharing by the hospitality industry. Fighting for pro-active policies for nature conservation.

Living in an eco-friendly manner in order to conserve natural resources. Love all life forms and throw away any myths and fears that encourage the vermin attitude. 

The diversity that exists in the wildlife of India is amazing and mind-boggling. Indian wildlife is our inheritance, it is crucial for our survival since we are very much dependent on nature. 

Every citizen of India should be concerned about nature and the environment. All life forms are interlinked hence their survival is crucial to us all. As our culture speaks we must respect all life forms on Earth. 

Wildlife Tourism in Central India

I am a strong advocate of controlled and regulated tourism in the parks and wildlife sanctuaries of India. Tourism creates awareness amongst people and at the same times generates economy which benefits the locals as well as the industry.

There are many popular wildlife sanctuaries in India where tourism is not organized at all. If this is done it will certainly reduce the tourist pressure on major National Park and Tiger reserves. These neglected wildlife habitats sometimes hold endemic or rare species tourism here will create a voice of the people and they will certainly receive much better protection. 

Achanakmar Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh needs much attention it has tremendous tourism and conservation protection. So is the case of Indravati National park the last refuge of wild Buffalo. Likewise Nauradehi Sanctuary offers good tourism potential. It is here that Indian Wolf is seen with ease albeit the tiger has become extinct. 

Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve should be protected from uncontrolled tourism. This destination in Central India is home to many species that are less seen in the MP State.Pachmarhi is the only hill resort in India which is untouched by the construction industry.

On my birding tours India I visit many birding spots in National Parks as well near urban centers. Some are well protect but many are in pathetic conditions. Many wetlands small and big are in state of neglect and most are inundated with polluted water. Bharatpur is a rare example which gets reasonable protection due to it popularity. In Karera Bustard sanctuary not a single bird is present and so would be the case of many others not heard of.

Like wise in India wildlife watching tours can be organized in far more forest habitats than are being used for tourism at present. In Madhya Pradesh only three parks Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench cater to tourism. Satpura National Park is next upcoming wildlife tourism center which will in future reduce load on the three reserves. Similarly Sanjay National Park in Sidhi offers great tourism potential. Panna is in lime light for wrong reasons. The park should be developed and tiger population restored.

Developing tourism infrastructure in less popular will be beneficial for the wildlife as well as the local communities. Making Govt. rest houses for accommodation at these places will be a good beginning till private entrepreneurs step in.

Indian Wildlife

Documentation of Indian Natural history goes back to the Vedas. The growth of Indian natural history in the modern era is due to the keen interest shown by the British rulers. India with its diverse landscape, fauna, and flora caught the eye of the British naturalists many of whom were in administrative service while serving in India.

The Vedas are the earliest record that lists the names of 250 species of birds besides notes on various fauna and flora. The Vedas mention brood parasitism in Koel. The method of capture, taming and eventual training of wild elephants in India was documented in a text dated 2000 years back.

The fauna and flora of ancient India are represented in clay potteries and tablets excavated from ancient civilizations. The protection of animals and forest conservation was first recorded in the Mauryan period, especially during the period when Ashoka became a Buddhist and relinquished royal hunting.

Among Moghul rulers hunting and falconry were regularly practiced and the kings took a keen interest in the documentation of nature Jehangir and Babur being the foremost. The notes from hired scribes during the Moghul rule indicate the wide range of many animals which are now locally extinct in those areas.

During the British Raj, Indian Civil Services employed British naturalists many of whom studied Indian natural history out of curiosity while other collected wild species for naturalists and museums in Europe and Great Britain. Unfortunately, the destruction of forests and hunting went on a large scale by Indian princes and British royalties. As a result, the lion was reduced to a small pocket in Gujarat and the India Cheetah became extinct. The precarious state of the Indian tiger is a result of indiscriminate poaching and habitat destruction.

During the British rule and post-independence period Bombay Natural History Society has done commendable work on Indian natural history by studying and recording nature and wild animals in India. Society is engaged in productive activities and nature conservation as well.

India records around 1300 species of birds including sub-species while there are more than 300 mammalian species. The list of reptiles and insects including butterflies is also very impressive. Due to the influence of various zoo geographical zones Indian wildlife is unique.

Many wild species in India are threatened with extinction and wildlife itself survives in badly fragmented pockets. The tiger is one such case where the population has decreased to a few thousand from estimated forty thousand during the British Raj.

Most of the flora and fauna in India now survive in tiger reserves, Indian National Parks and sanctuaries scattered all over the country, and contiguous forest belts are rare and diminishing. For tourists wildlife safaris at the conservation areas, NPs, and tiger reserves are the best way to see the tiger and other Indian wild animals.

Most of the National Parks and wildlife resorts have tourism zones for tiger safaris and bird watching. These are popular for tiger sightings, wildlife photography, and watching wild animals like deer and lesser carnivores. The most popular reserves in India are Corbett National Park, Ranthambhore, Kaziranga, Manas, Kanha National Park, Bandhavgarh also Pench in Central India.