Season 2022 – 2023
Bandhavgarh National Park is a much-desired destination among nature lovers for its scenic landscape, inherent historical significance, tigers, and wildlife. It accommodates more than 200 species of birds, around 80 species of butterflies, 37 species of mammals, and other reptiles. It got worldwide recognition for its frequent tiger sightings.
Bandhavgarh can boast of having the highest density of wild tigers living in much smaller territories, as compared to their counterparts in other national parks of India. A female tiger’s territory here ranges from 10 to 20 square kilometers, whereas males’ territories range from 20 to 50 square kilometers. There are around 70 – 75 tigers roaming around the 1536 sq. km area which includes both core (716 sq. km) and buffer (820 sq. km).
Tigers are elusive by nature and till date quite less is known about their secretive lives. Yet, for the past 10 years, tiger sightings have improved by leaps and bounds, where some bold males and females tigers have showcased their true characteristics among tourists. That’s how some of our national parks like Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, and Tadoba became famous. These mighty kings of the jungle have attracted myriad homosapiens to their domain, and provided a certain amount of chance to discover their reclusive lives.
Every season, we come across audacious felines who have been sighted frequently, in their respective territories, in the tourism zones in Bandhavgarh National Park. Some female tigers are seen while raising their brood of cubs, thus keeping the park alive with their activities and attics. There is a change in their regular movements; they are seen visiting their cubs in the dens, or changing their location and then making a kill and bringing the cubs to the kill for a royal feast. All these activities provide ample opportunities for our guides, drivers, and naturalists to track them in their sphere. Similarly, male tigers and other non-breeding females are sighted marking territories, near waterholes and strolling the game road.
Here’s introducing you to some of these tigers who delighted our guests this season (2019-20) with their sheer presence. We also share some lesser-known details of their descent.
Spotty (Female Tigeress in Bandhavgarh)
Spotty was born in 2012 in the Magadhi zone to Sukhipatiha female and a Blue-eyed female. Her distinctive ‘T’ marking on the right side of her forehead (above the right eye) gave her this name. She became famous from 2015 onwards when she arrived in Mirchaini’s territory demolishing her reign and conquering the ravishing grounds of Tala. She died in September 2022, leaving her fans devastated by her untimely demise.
Dotty (Female Tiger in Bandhavgarh)
Dotty was born in 2012 at the Magadhi zone to Sukhipatiha female and Blue-eyed male. She is also Spotty’s sister and named so due to ‘D’ mark on the right side of her forehead (above right eye). This season we had some amazing sightings with her three male offsprings in a Magadhi zone. And now the cubs are sub-adult and almost ready to part ways from each other.
Kajri
Kajri or Bachchi was born in 2016 to Spotty and Mangu male at the peak of our summers. We first sighted her in mid-June when she was hardly 2 months old, frolicking with her two other sisters. She has made her territory adjacent to her mother’s area and was also responsible of dragging and taking over Banbehi female’s territory. She has been reported to have successfully mated with Chakrdhara male, and we look forward to seeing her first litter very soon.
Solo
Solo was born to the legendary female Rajbehra and Jobhi male in 2011. It was Rajbehra’s first litter of cubs, out of which Solo seemed to dominate amongst the rest of her three other siblings. She was named by the BBC team while filming the wildlife documentary, ‘The Hunt’ as she was found to move around solo or solitary. She dethroned her mother in 2018 and now raised her first litter of four with 3 females and 1 male cub.
Chota Bheem tiger in Bandhavgarh
Chota Bheem was born in 2017 to Choti Mahaman and Bheem, the largest male tigers of Bandhavgarh National Park. Like father, like son; Chota Bheem exhibited all the charming characteristics of a bold tiger right from his young age. Last summer’s he was the show stopper in Khitauli Zone when he caught the photographers’ eye. He has now taken over one-third of Khitauli’s tourism zone, which is frequently spotted in this region.
Contributed by – Ashish Tirkey, Tree House Hideaway, Bandhavgarh
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