Wildlife
TADOBA NATIONAL PARK
Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve
Maharashtra - India
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Tigress T7 known as Choti Tara
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Tigress T7 known as Choti Tara
Tadoba National Park is located in the state of Maharashtra in central India. It's Maharashtra's oldest and largest National Park and was created in1955. The park also includes the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, which was declared a Project Tiger reserve in 1993.
We visited Tadoba National Park in March 2024 and stayed at Camp Serai Tiger for five nights. We couldn’t have wished for a better place to stay whilst visiting Tadoba-Andari Tiger Reserve. On arrival we received an extremely warm welcome from the owner, Mr Mukul Rao and all his team. Our 10 game drives started from various gates in both the core and buffer zones and all presented us with wonderful sightings. We’ve been on many safaris in the past but to have Mukul join us on our safaris was an absolute pleasure. It was a privilege to share his immense passion, knowledge and expertise of the park and its wildlife. We have some wonderful memories of our time there.
We had a close encounter with Tigress T7 (also known as Choti Tara) walking on the road towards our vehicle.
Tigress Choti Tara is 12 years old.
Choti Tara on the move.
Tigress - Choti Tara
Close up of Choti Tara's whiskers and lower canine.
Choti Tara
Choti Tara
Marsh Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) on the shore of Lake Tadoba.
Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Tigress known as Choti Madhu
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Tigress known as Choti Madhu
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Tigress known as Choti Madhu
After entering the Buffer Zone through the Angazari Gate, we got a message, around 7am, that a tiger had killed a wild boar close to the water and had dragged it into long grass. When we arrived we couldn't see the tiger, only the grass moving and the sound of the tiger crunching through bone, devouring its prey. Our driver and guide said we should wait as the tiger would want to drink after feeding. We waited for 30 minutes, and as you can see from the images, the tiger did come out to drink!
Tigress known as Choti Madhu, drinking at the waterhole.
Choti Madhu, uses her tongue to lap up the water.
7:30 in the morning, Tigress Choti Madhu beautifully lit by the warmth of the rising sun.
Choti Madhu licks her lips, after a satisfying drink.
She gives us one last look, before disappearing into the long grass.
The Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus) is the most widespread bear species in India and is also known as the Indian Bear.
Sloth Bear drinking at a waterhole. If you look closely you can see it has large sharp claws, which it uses to dig up the soil to find ants and break into termite mounds. They have long lower lips which can be stretched over the outer edge of their noses, which allows them to suck up large numbers of termites or ants.
As well as ants and termites, Sloth Bears like to feed on available fruits. They also love the taste of honey. In March and April, they like to eat the fallen flowers of the Mowha tree, which can cause them to become intoxicated!
Bengal Tiger, well camouflaged within its dense forest environment.
This female Sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor), is constantly alert, turning her head and inhaling through her nostrils to smell the air for the scent of the tiger. She swivels her ears, like radar, to scan for any give-away sounds such as distant alarm calls from other forest animals.
Jungle Cat (Felis chaus)
The jungle cat (Felis chaus)
The jungle cat (Felis chaus)
The jungle cat (Felis chaus)
The Jungle Cat's preferred habitat is the tall grasses or reed beds surrounding wetlands and is often known as Reed Cat or Swamp Cat.
Male Tiger, five years old, known as Chota Dadiyal, partially hidden by bamboo, resting after mating with a seven year old Tigress, known as Collarwalli
Peacock (Pavo cristatus)
Peacock (Pavo cristatus)
Peacock (Pavo cristatus)
Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus). The male peafowl, known as a Peacock is brightly coloured and displays its tail feathers during courtship to the female Peahen.
The Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Black-winged Stilt wading in shallow water, in pursuit of tiny aquatic invertebrates.
We spot a tigress in the water, she stands, watching us as we approach.
She's joined in the water by a big male tiger, both watching our movement closely.
We stop our vehicle and both tigers relax in the water, but they continue to watch our every move.
Suddenly, the noise of a jeep approaching from the other side of the waterhole, spooks the tigers and they sprint across the water and head for cover in the long grass.
Hanuman Grey Langur (Semnopithecus entellus)
Langur monkeys play-fighting, showing off their acrobatic skills.
Male Chota Dadiyal and Tigress Collarwali mating. During copulation the male grips the female by the skin at the nape of her neck with his teeth.
During mating, males and females stay together for around four to five days. Mating will happen many times throughout the day and night over that period.
Male tigers will mate with many females within its territory, this ensures the survival of their genes.
The mating pair show a lot of mock aggression and produce loud roars during copulation, which looks and sounds more like a fight than mating.
Once the female is pregnant, the gestation period is approximately about three and half months.
Hanuman Grey Langur (Semnopithecus entellus)
Hanuman Grey Langur (Semnopithecus entellus)
Hanuman Grey Langur (Semnopithecus entellus)
Hanuman Grey Langur (Semnopithecus entellus)
Tigress Collarwali, approaching male Chota Dadiyal to continue mating after having had a break.
The pair continue mating.
Over four to five days, tigers can mate anywhere up to 250 times, copulation is brief and repeated frequently.
Female tigers reach sexual maturity at about three to four years of age, but male tigers mature a little later, at four to five years of age.
Chota Dadiyal dismounts his mate, Collarwali, quickly stepping back, trying to avoid getting injured by the female's teeth and claws.
Female Collarwali taking a break after mating.
Chota Dadiyal
Male Chota Dadiyal, resting after mating.
Collarwali, heads off to spend some time on her own.
Collarwali yawning, resting and cooling down in the water, after mating.
Collarwali decides to head off to rejoin her mate Chota Dadiyal.
Chota Dadiyal makes his way back towards his mate, Collarwali.
The couple are not separated for long and are soon heading back towards each other.
Back together, the pair cool off in the water.
The courting couple reunite and love is in the air.
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Chota Dadiyal and Tigress Collarwali
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Chota Dadiyal and Tigress Collarwali
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Chota Dadiyal and Tigress Collarwali
The pair relaxing in the water, rubbing their noses together and splashing their tails about.
Collarwali leads Chota Dadiyal from the water, enticing him to follow her and their mating ritual continues.
This image shows the size difference between the two tigers.
Collarwali snarls at Chota Dadiyal after he dismounts after mating with her.
Collarwali flops to the ground after mating, she lays flat on her back with her head back and paws in the air, she rolls from side to side whilst her mate Chota Dadiyal stands guard over her.
Chota Dadiyal stands over Collarwali after mating, with his tail held high.
Moon rising over Tadoba National Park, 18:07 - 23rd march 2024
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Chota Dadiyal
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Chota Dadiyal
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Chota Dadiyal and Tigress Collarwali
Chota Dadiyal and Tigress Collarwali, lit by moon light, continue their courtship into the evening.
Bison or Gaur (Bos gaurus) calf
Bison or Gaur (Bos gaurus) on the shore of Lake Tadoba
Grey-Headed Fish Eagle (Icthyophaga ichthyaetus)
Grey-Headed Fish Eagle (Icthyophaga ichthyaetus)
Grey-headed Fish Eagle (Icthyophaga ichthyaetus) standing in a tree with a fish in its talons after catching it in Lake Tadoba.
Tigress known as Sonam is 13 years old and has three cubs.
Sonam walking down towards the lake
Sonam walking in Telia Lake
Sub-adult male tiger cub (16 months old) stalking a huge Indian Gaur.
The gaur, sees the tiger and lets it know it's been seen by standing firm and staring back, showing no fear, hence, the young tiger, stops in its tracks.
The gaur and tiger stand motionless, staring back at each other.
The gaur throws its head back and snorts very loudly, warning the tiger not to come any closer. The tiger gets the message and slopes off in the other direction.
The young inexperienced tiger is not happy at having to back down, so he sits and has a good old growl before going on his way.
As one tiger leaves, another arrives - it's his brother!
The brother also tries his luck sneaking up to the gaur. He hides behind a large tuft of grass hoping he's not been seen, but the big gaur has seen him and, once again, is not phased by this attempt to get close to him.
The tiger decides not to take things any further and goes off to join his brother.
The brothers, known as Mama and Bhanja, are reunited and they have a swim together in the lake.
Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela)
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), known as Mowgli is an 8 year old male.
Mowgli, resting in the water, cooling off from the heat of the day.
Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela)
Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela)
Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela)
Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela)
Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela) on the look-out for predators whilst drinking.
Tigress, cooling down in the water after mating with her mate, Shambu.
The female rejoins Shambu.
She lets Shambu know that break-time is over and she's now ready to mate again.
The pair will stay together for a few days.
Bengal monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis)
Bengal monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis)
Bengal monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis)
Bengal Monitor Lizard (Varanus bengalensis)
Ruddy Mongoose (Urva smithii)
Mottled Wood Owl (Strix ocellata) sleeping in the nook of a tree, very well camouflaged against the tree bark.
Butterfly - Baronet (Euthalia nais)
Dragonfly
Beautiful sunset over Tadoba National Park, March 2024
Photographs: ©Don Davies
This was an exceptional five days for tiger sightings in Tadoba National Park and our grateful thanks go to all the guides and drivers who made it possible. Very special thanks to Mukul and Bapu.
