Tigers of South India & Western Ghats

[Pckts]

(08-07-2018, 11:37 AM)Rishi Wrote:

(08-07-2018, 02:43 AM)Pckts Wrote: I have read that Bandipur and Kabini are very poorly managed reserves, for one... The jeeps are enclosed so you're not able to take long lens shots from the roof which is a must, especially since those jeeps are small to begin with and for taller people like my self, standing was a nice reprieve. I have also read that the guides are late getting in, they don't go to the core area since it's far from the gate and they don't communicate well. 
This is a serious problem, they really need to fix these issues, S. India is such a treasure trove of Wildlife, it should be one of the most popular safari destinations in India but it's a long way from that.
Has anyone else heard these issues or other issues like this?

Both lack standardisation. With the renewed tourist boom many private tour operators companies want in & some resorts also manage their private safaris. Understandably a good portion of them are not very professional. System of on spot booking exists, which is often misused.

The Forest Department safaris contain a bus safari. Never seen anyone praise it.

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As far as i know, the jeep safari are mostly conducted by the jungle lodges (govt ones included). Mostly noisy older models, not Gypsy like Kanha.

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Although, now-a-days newer models like Bolero are being inducted. Much superior to Gypsys, quieter too.

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Still a long way to go. Might become oe of the tourist-friendly reserves like Kanha, or turn into a ripoff-heaven like Ranthambore. Only time can tell...

I was able to find the reports:

Sahasrangshu Choudhury
I travelled between 4th and 5th August 2018 to Bandipur. We were a group of naturalist and photographers. We stayed at Chital 1 and Chital 2 of the State government guest house. The booking was done online. They allowed only one jeep safari to book online. After doing the safari in so many parks around India and the world I was not sure why they are allowing only one safari booking online. We reached by late noon. The entire cottages were in jungle area open from all ends beautiful within nature with spotted deer around.. Now the shabby parts started the cottages were broken from the entrance, the door does not shut down properly, they kept water in the room which was at least 5 days old. Even safety net of the balcony and main balcony door opening towards the jungle was broken giving you enough reason to worry. Let's ignore that but still, you need a powerful man to be able to close the door of your room as all door hinges were misaligned. Geyser was non-functional at Chital 2. The canteen serves one of the most pathetic foods with zero taste and sometimes stale Gobi Manchurian. Breakfast was good.
Now Safari time: They charge INR 3000 for the jeep and INR 590/pp for lens above 200mm. Here starts the setback I was surprised to find that safari timing was just for 1:30 mins and the charge was nearly 80% as that of any other tiger reserve of India charges where at 4.2k and safari is for 3-4 hours. Re-booking was not allowed to increase the time, one has to stand in the queue again. The significant part the drivers: They were just giving us a joy ride of the forest until we requested him he was not even looking around for species but was just driving. This was not the problem of one driver but has happened in all 2 safaris we took in the jeep with 2 different drivers. Whereas in Tadoba or Kanha the drivers are proactive to show species etc and keep track of tiger sightings while they drive us around. At Bandipur intentionally they do not take you to the core because they can't come back in 1:30 mins hence they have some defined routes where soon you will find all Jeeps and buses going on like regular traffic. Unlike all Tiger reserve they jeeps have all covered tops they believe the leopard can jump from the top, the cover does not allow photographers to stand up and use the open space with 500mm+ lens to click good pictures, that 500mm for which they charge extra INR 590/pp. I hope this experience goes to the management of the Forest and they take quick corrective actions. Such a large forest cannot be enjoyed in 1:30 mins and that's well understood by the authorities who exploit it quite well.

Jitesh Mohanan It is a fact that Bandipur offers an experience which is nowhere near what can be experienced at jungles of central and northern India like Pench, Kanha and Tadoba. You can sense that right at the parking lot of the reserve forest entrance where they charge you a parking fee of Rs 50/- for one hour !!! (happened to me during last Diwali) and that too without issuing any receipt. Their safaris are a joke, considering the cost and time allowed for the safari. In fact every other person who has visited the jungles of central India come back disappointed after having been to Bandipur.

Jitesh Mohanan As far as JLR is concerned, they cater to the exclusive rich who can afford almost 10k per person per night, which comes to a whopping 20k per day for a couple!! No wonder they were not able to pay salaries on time to their staff, as per a recent news article. This rate is on par with what you are charged at Mara in Africa, where sighting is almost guaranteed.
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[parvez]

Nagarhole tigers, 

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[Rage2277]

kabini subadults Reply

[Rage2277]

bandipur female Reply

[Shir Babr]

Can't see two previous post's images. Reply

[parvez]

Mudumalai,

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Source: mudumalai tiger reserve fb page Reply

[Rage2277]

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Scar in the face denotes the history of battles won and territory defended ..

He is another Dominant male called the "Mooka" AKA Cut nose...enjoying his time in the private jaccuzzi AHAM Brahmasmi-Photography Reply

[Rage2277]

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Mooka - The Warrior AHAM Brahmasmi-Photography Reply

[Rage2277]

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Mating Pair-Tigers 

Son of Mastigudi is now a King...Good to see him AHAM Brahmasmi-Photography Reply

[Rishi]

(08-27-2018, 05:53 AM)Rage2277 Wrote:

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Mating Pair-Tigers 

Son of Mastigudi is now a King...Good to see him AHAM Brahmasmi-Photography

Hey, i just noticed that your using the direct link to Facebook images. That is: https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/35828989_1947388648646584_6630429881450627072_n.jpg?

NEVER do this. All these links will become invalid after a certain amount of time. Previous pages of all threads have thousand of such images that aren't visible anymore, you can check.

Please just download the image & upload it here. Reply

[Rage2277]

i noticed a while back too but wasn't sure why it happened thought it might be different this time Reply

[Rage2277]

i'll repost Reply

[Suhail]

The curious case of a tiger in the backyard of the bustling city,bengaluru
https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.deccanherald.com/city/curious-case-bannerghattas-689759.html&ved=0ahUKEwjt7vyo7o7dAhVMU30KHTrcDUUQqQIIMigBMAg&usg=AOvVaw1vJUHPhagtF_oIOLhKrFRA Reply

[Roflcopters]

that’s incredible, same male tiger almost three years later. I wonder how much he travels if he’s not frequently sighted? hope they are able to track his movements. Tfs!

edit: wasn’t this the same male that ended up on the news a few times?

Quote: Tourists returning from the safari trip in Bannerghatta, about 25 km from the city, had a rare opportunity of sighting a wild tiger on Saturday evening. It is for the first time that a wild tiger has been sighted in Bannerghatta, officials said.
The tiger was spotted near Mulegundekere, near the Rescue Centre that houses lions and tigers at the Bannerghatta Biological Park around 3.45 p.m., official sources said.
Confirming the sighting, Executive Director Range Gowda said, “Visitors spotted the tiger during the evening safari. This is the first such spotting of a tiger close to the tiger rescue centre.”
According to the master plan prepared by the Zoo Authority of Karnataka for Bannerghatta Biological Park, Mulegundekere, where the wild Tiger was found, falls in the elephant corridor.
However, a wildlife activist on condition anonymity said the spotting doesn’t imply that the national park is capable of rearing tigers. “The tiger was probably a transient from the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. There have been documented cases where tigers have moved hundreds of kilometres through human habitation without being noticed,” he said.
Incidentally, in October 2013, a tiger was spotted nearly 80 km from Bengaluru at the edge of Bannerghatta National Park and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, which is almost a contiguous patch of forest land.

(July/5/2015 sighting) according to the article, a wild tiger was first sighted around there back in (October/2013). perhaps this could be the same male? 

Quote:The lone wild tiger sighted recently at the Bannerghatta National Park has made the BNP its home and is said to be doing well. Despite the park’s proximity to Bengaluru City, the tiger has posed no threat to humans.

Quote:According to the forest department and Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) officials, the lone male is now in search of a mate and this explains why it is frequenting the safari and rescue centre area. It is possible that this lone male is looking for a female after establishing its territory at the BNP, said Santosh Kumar, Director, BBP.

Since the tiger made the BNP its home, visitors to the BBP have sighted it twice. The first time was on July 5, 2015, at Mulegundekere (near the animal rescue centre) and the second was at the famous Barber Stone, en route to the safari on January 12. However, the forest department and zookeepers say they have been frequently seeing pugmarks, hearing calls and sighting him in this region. 

The BBP has been carved out of theBNP and both share common boundaries. The places where the tiger was sighted twice are close to the lion and tiger safari and the rescue and rehabilitation centre. The BBP houses 35 tigers (30 Royal Bengal and five white) of which 21 are males and 14 breeding females, Kumar said.

 The carnivore is feeding well on deer, Sambar and wild boar in the wild. No cattle attack cases have been reported so far. The tiger is roaming around the BNP. Since people are permitted only into the safari area, they have seen the tiger there, added Sunil Panwar, BNP Director.

Since there is a well-established corridor from the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary to the BNP, the presence of another tiger in the region cannot be ruled out. Camera traps need be installed in this region to verify it, said a BBP official.

January/12/2017 sighting

I remember a few posts made by Pckts last year about the same male

https://wildfact.com/forum/topic-tigers-of-s-india?page=3

posts #34 and #36 

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I managed to find a better picture of him

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looks like a big male, probably just attracted by the captive females. 

the big male outside the fence is the same male i believe, on the other side is a captive female. looks like they just wanted to mate. (2016 video)

in this encounter, (2017 video) looks like it was an encounter with a captive male tiger, you could see the safari bus at 0:16, the male to the left is captive and the bigger male on the right is the same wild tiger that has been visiting this park. Reply

[Rage2277]

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Basavanakatte male bandipur king photo:Mohan Kumar Gowda‎ Reply