Rewilding the land : the heart of our set-ups
Getting hotels and resort up on its feet is challenging for both the curators and the nature. Along with a possibility of growth comes the trade off of habitat destruction that comes in form of landscape alteration, felling of trees, diversion of natural water systems and profiling of exotic species into the natural. These tradeoffs if managed responsibly could bring social, economic and environment prosperity.
To turn responsible tourism goals into reality, Pugdundee Safaris and many other sensitive operators consider re-wilding the land as the very heart of their setup and operations. We strive towards avoiding unchecked damage from the very genesis stage of construction and into full fledged operations. Infact we have experienced that just a few mindful steps could create this harmonious balance between our presence with the wild. Our lodges have been set up on primarily agricultural or abandoned over-grazed patches.
By choice, we earmarked no interference areas during construction phase and we have noticed the plants came back thriving in no time. Special attention was paid post construction in regenerating the area that was once fallow by supplementing it with local species of trees and grass. Now what we have is ‘mini forests’ that add to corridor forests or provide a strong refuge for animals. For the nature’s delight we have recorded more than seventeen mammal species that frequent, reside and even breed to raise families at the natural forested estate of the lodges. Some of the mammals that have been sighted are – Spotted Deer, Wild Pig, Jungle Cat, Tiger, Leopard, Langur Monkey, Rhesus Macaque, Jackal, Fox, Palm Civet, Small Indian Civet, Sloth bear, Rhino and Hare along with a long list of birds and reptiles.
Our guests love the natural wilderness, feeling a marked difference from the usual landscaped gardens and urbanisation. Not only is it economical to maintain but also a joy for us to be living with these wild denizens in today’s times. Plant a tree, maybe just a few pots in your balcony and you will soon have company.
Wishing you all a cleaner, greener and a wilder New Year!
Sharing some of the photographs of our rewilding efforts at the lodges
Photographs of Kanha Earth Lodge in 2007 (top) and as on today (bottom)
Photographs of Ken River Lodge in 2010 (top) and as on today (bottom)
Photographs of Kings Lodge in 2007 (top) and as on today (bottom)
Pugdundee Safaris is recognized as one of India’s leading responsible safari companies. With seven intimate jungle lodges in Central India and many bespoke wilderness experiences it presents the very best of the Indian subcontinent wildlife & hospitality. Between 2009 and 2026, we have been awarded for our excellence in wildlife safaris, our commitment to sustainability, our experienced naturalists and our pioneering mobile safari initiative. Pugdundee is a Hindi word meaning a foot trail commonly used by humans and animals, this word is popularly used for such beaten paths in the Indian jungles. We continuously strive to deliver the best possible guest experience, while still integrating the conservation of jungles and the people living around. We are motivated by the hope of reaching out to people in the remotest areas of our country, as we believe that they are the front-runners of wildlife conservation. However, maybe just a drop in the ocean we consider that we are making a significant contribution to wildlife conservation and rural economy wherever our lodges are.
