Naturalist eyes (Part 1)

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The first Game drive.






We were driving from the bamboo forest fully bathed in caterpillar poop, tracing tiger pug marks in hope to see one...our guide was told that a female Tigress was seen crossing from this area one day before. We were fully geared up to follow the pug mark, waiting for deer or Langur alarming calls and waiting for an hour or two…...



                                           

It was the post monsoon season, I still remember that year monsoon came too late. In India monsoon will knock your door in June but that year it came in July end, in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region. Vidarbha region is famous for two things...hot summer and TIGERS. Vidharb is surrounded by forest areas covering Chimur hills, Moharli and Kolsa Range, and dense forest from north to west. It is a southern tropical dry deciduous forest with Bamboo and Teak dominated trees and Tigers as top Carnivore.




Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve(TATR) is the First National Park of Maharashtra. Except for some regions, this park is closed during monsoon season. I started my career as a trainee with two more  trainees in a small Resort in Tadoba. I joined in July so most of the parts are closed but fortunately we managed to explore the buffer region of Tadoba. Soft paw animals...avoid rain so that means rare luck of tigers, so then what's the use of it right?? Well many people come to see Tigers only and if they can't you can tell it just by seeing their faces.


I chose to be a Naturalist, so I just don't want to see a Tiger.....no I am kidding, well I want to see it but that doesn't mean I'll be upset if I can't because I had a lot to explore birds, plants, reptiles, insects many many things.  We got the chance to explore those areas several times but we didn't see a Tiger, but we saw those things which made us feel happy . I grew up in Chandrapur and Tadoba is in Chandrapur district. have I ever been to Tadoba before.....NO. Well I was always into animals, nature but never got a chance to explore, till I was in my post graduation and then I decided that I want my Career in this field only. But let me tell you It's not easy, I had no support, people were like, you did your M.Sc crack NET or GATE be a lecturer you will earn more and everything, this field doesn't have much money...but it has...it has  everything I wanted.  



“No matter how few possessions you own or how little money you have, loving wildlife and nature will make you rich beyond measure.”
― Paul Oxton



So we joined in,monsoon our game drives were not easy for us. We used to get wet, bathed with caterpillar poops ( in Bamboo areas), our vehicle sometimes stuck in water and mud, but it was quite an extraordinary experience for me. I was happy...like real happiness, enjoying each and everything, learning, exploring, asking questions it was amazing. The beauty of Tadoba is amazing, natural reservoirs, lakes, Boating and watching sunset at Irai lake. I learned a lot about birds, more about animal behaviour, insects, and even though we haven't seen one but heard all kinds of stories of Tigers of Taru land. 


I learned a lot about different plants , how the villagers use the resources from the forest, how they are helping the forest department in maintaining forest safe for all animals, and how forest department is helping them by providing local people employment and other resources, and all this was taught by our Gypsy drivers and and our guides.


We learned about herbivores and how their population affects prey-predator population, we saw this gigantic white socked Indian Gaur/ Bison, Wild boars, Wild dogs, lots of peacocks and peahens, lots of water birds, Raptors. When I came back from my first Game Drive I decided that no matter what I will never leave this field, that I will explore more and more but never stop .  

                                                                                                  
                                                              
                                                         




Tadoba taught me a lot, I met some Extraordinary people there who came to Explore Tadoba,even though I was learning a new thing everyday, I was happy to share that knowledge with those who came to explore Tadoba. I made good friends for life, I learned a lot from my friends there too. I learned how to lead a simple life from local people here, what problems they face and how they tackle it. I used to hear a lot of stories about how they lived side by side in Tiger dominated regions. I learned to satisfy myself in little things. I learned to be brave about your choices, and fight for it if you really want it by heart. I got this power to do what I really want when I truly decided to be here, in the forest experiencing wilderness and I think I got this strength from none other than mother nature. One life lesson I learned is that you can never be to educated when it comes to nature, next day a new version of it will come to mesmerize you and make you wonder.





NATURE ALWAYS REMIND ME WHO I AM AND WHY I AM HERE....







Pic Credit: Neela Madhu Babu (nmb)




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