Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), about 150 km south
east of Nagpur towards Chandrapur, had been on my radar for some time now.
Safari bookings are a tricky affair and multiple safaris
increase chance of a ‘sighting’ therefore joined up with a group. Another
advantage of the group was the interaction with the group leader - a seasoned
wild life conservationist and sharing of the day’s experience with the rest of
the group.
Landed at Nagpur in the month of May when it’s really hot
and dusty. The road from Nagpur to Moharli was decent and took about three and
half hours.
We got lucky in the first safari in the afternoon with a
chance meeting with Bajrang and Matkasur both well-built young male tigers.
While Bajrang snoozed peacefully on the banks of the
Andhari River under a canopy of trees, us tourists sweated it out in the open
gypsies about 100 mtrs away. Any movement by Bajrang was met by a barrage of
camera clicks! Finally around 5-530 pm, snooze over, Bajrang walked away into
the thick dry vegetation.
Matkasur was out watching over and marking his territory.
The sight of 10-20 gypsies with overzealous tourists didn’t seem to bother him.
Well-built fellow, almost as long as the gypsy, every step he took oozed tons
of grandeur.
The two safaris the next day didn’t yield any sightings.
Apparently Choti Tara at Jamini Talao and her two cubs kept to the thicket
while we were around.
The next day morning we chanced on Choti Tara lazing just
outside a thicket near Jamni Talao. We missed Maya by a couple of minutes at
another water hole.
While the focus tends to be on tiger sightings the
reserve is teeming with a lot other animals and birds and is a super place to
catch up with nature.
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| Oriental Honey Buzzard |
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| Brown Fish Owl |
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| Monitor Lizard |
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| Green Bee-eater leaving its nest |
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| Gaur |
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| Langur |
You may want to:
- Dress in dull coloured clothes and cover yourself as much.
- Be prepared to handle dust – glares, cap and a scarf / hiking headband help.
- Carry a bottle of water (and perhaps an ORS like Enerzal) when out in the sun.
- Carry your longest lens.
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