A TIGER PARADISE REBORN
Tiger Paradise
On final afternoon in Panna Tiger Reserve, we had been waiting most of the afternoon to see Tigress P141 who had four small cubs to no avail. There was only 90 minutes to go before the park gates shut, when we decided to take a gamble. We headed to the boat mooring to see if we could see any tigers on the shoreline of the River Ken. That gamble paid off after a few short minutes when we spotted tigress P151 coming out of the forest & descending towards the riverbank.
I hope this image reflects not only the splendor of this beautiful habitat in its post monsoon glow but also celebrates the power & beauty of a tigress in her prime after having a third litter of cubs.
However, Panna hasn’t always been a haven for Tigers. On my first visit to India over 17 years ago I spent time in both Bandhavgarh and Panna in the hope of seeing Tigers. The trip notes from my travel company referenced that tiger sightings would be plentiful in both places. Nothing could have been further from the truth, especially in Panna. Panna Tiger Reserve, located in the state of Madhya Pradesh had been known for its rich wildlife and thriving tiger population. The was home to numerous rare and endangered species of animals, including tigers, leopards, sloth bears, and various species of deer.
Whilst the habitat in Panna was stunning, the park’s tiger population had been declining rapidly due to poaching, habitat destruction, and human-wildlife conflict. When I visited I was told by the guides there was just two Tigers in the reserve at the time. It was like looking for a tiny needle in a haystack!
Due to that experience, I stayed away from revisiting Panna whenever I was looking to do a tiger safari in India. However, through the cajoling of my friend & guide Mithun Hunugund he assured me that the park had gone through a remarkable transformation & it was now a great time to visit.
Tiger in tall grass
Essentially, the shocking statistic of losing its tiger population in 2009 had prompted drastic action & so they launched the Panna Tiger Project in 2009.
A dedicated team of forest officials instigated a plan to reintroduce tigers from other reserves. In addition, other measures included the relocation of villages from the park’s core area, habitat restoration & anti-poaching measures,
The Panna Tiger Project was also successful because of the innovative conservation strategies used by the park management. For example, they used radio collars to track tigers and identify their preferred habitats. Based on this information, they developed a program to restore the degraded habitats and create new ones. This helped to increase the availability of prey for tigers, which in turn increased their chances of survival.
This plan despite setbacks, has resulted in a growth in the tiger population with over 60 tigers that call Panna home. In every sense it is a paradise reborn. In fact, whilst I was there two of the tigresses had recently given birth- P141 to four cubs and P151 had just had cubs but they were still in the den area.
Face of a Tiger: P663 Father of P141’s young cubs
Besides the tiger numbers themselves, which is a cause for celebration, I was also overwhelmed at times with the beauty of this Tiger reserve especially around sunrise & sunset. Searching for tigers in the early morning mist, with the most wonderful long grasses hugging the roadside, or the meadows filled with flowers & cheetal was magical.
Then afternoons looking at the glowing sunset by the river Ken hoping & praying for a Tiger to fill the frame is something I won’t forget & will be a reason I will return because there is so much photographic potential with the incredible habitat & wildlife in Panna.
And to top it all. Besides some wonderful Tiger sightings, a morning with this leopard which made my heartbeat faster.
