Despite being founded six decades ago, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve remains one of the lesser known sites of the famous Royal Bengal Tiger. Situated in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district, it is the state’s oldest and largest national park. As one of the country’s 43 designated Tiger Project reserves, it continues to play a stellar role in the conservation of these extraordinary animals.
Visitors to Tadoba can get up and close with tigers fairly easily, and the national park is slowly gaining a fairly well-earned reputation for relatively easier tiger sightings. Spread over an area of 625.40 square km, this place is home to 43 tigers that move freely, as well as other amazing collections of flora and fauna. It’s a common saying about Tadoba that unlike other tiger sanctuaries, it’s not about whether tourists will catch a glimpse of tigers but how many they can actually find in the span of their journey.
History and Legend of Tadoba
The story behind the naming of Tadoba is very interesting; Tadoba is actually the name of a god worshiped by the locals and tribes who live in the area’s dense forests, through which the meandering Andhari River flows. According to legend, Tadoba or Taru, as he is also known, was a chief who was killed by a ferocious tiger in a mythological encounter. Now a temple dedicated to him is located on the shores of Lake Tadoba, and it has great religious significance for local residents. There is even a fair held every year in winter.
The forests adjoining the Chimur Hills were ruled by the kings of Gond. While hunting was declared illegal in 1935, it was only two decades later, covering 116.54 km2.2 designated as a National Park. In 1986, the Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary was established in the adjacent area, and the park and sanctuary merged in 1995 to form the current 1,727 km2 tiger reserve.2.
Amazing flora
The forest cover in Tadoba is mainly deciduous with forest covering about 87% of the protected area. While teak trees are common, other trees such as ain, dhauda, salai, tendu, hald, behead, karaya gum, hirda, mahua, and bija can also be found in large numbers. Tourists will find Axlewood’s whereabouts very interesting due to its fire resistance.
At a certain time of year, the entire forest erupts in vibrant color with the orange blossoms of forest fires. The many black plum trees that grow around Lake Tadoba are also a source of miracles. You can get more details about the flora and fauna of Tadoba at http://tigerheavenresort.co.in/.
It’s hard not to be enthralled by the dense groves of bamboo and patches of green grass which dry out in the hot summer sun and provide a better chance of seeing tigers, and other animals. Many of the herbs found here have medicinal value; for example the velvet bean climber is used to treat neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, while the leaves of the bheria plant produce an effective insecticide.
Amazing fauna
Tigers are understandably the main attraction of Tadoba, with the large population making it relatively easy for tiger hunters to return with fond memories. Forest guides, available to go on safari in four wheel drive jeeps, and mini buses, have excellent knowledge of their habits and habitat, and will most often give you sightings which can be quite elusive in other national parks. .
The forest is full of Indian leopards, bobcats, Indian badgers, sloth bears, striped hyenas as well as many members of the deer family, such as nilgai, gaur, spotted deer, chital, barking deer and the magnificent chausingha.
Among the great wonders are the swamp crocodile that you can find in the lake, and a wide variety of reptile life such as the Indian python (endangered), Indian cobra, and the deadly Russel’s Viper in addition to the more docile Indian common monitor. Indian star tortoise, and terrapin. More than 195 species of birds and 74 types of butterflies will make you wish you had more time.
