Tigers in Satpura National Park

Introduction

It was period of 2009 when Satpura national park name came into the knowledge of tourism world, due to the introduction of some luxury safari lodges. They started introducing it in trave fairs thus people become aware of its existence. In those days, tiger sighting is not so easy in any tiger reserve thus visitors want to take bet those national parks where tiger sighting probability is better in compare to other national parks thus focus was on Bandhavgarh, Kanha national park, Ranthambore, Pench national parks. Tadoba national park was also at its initial days. Both Tadoba and Satpura national park started gaining attention of wildlife lovers but due to high tiger density, this national park took away the fame and Satpura national park remained a place for relaxation and isolation with birding, sloth bear and leopard destination. In those days, tiger sighting happens once or twice in 10-12 days period. Even the local lodge naturalists were struggling for tiger photography. From 2009 to 2019, things changed gradually for Satpura national park with the hard work done by park management on village relocation, prey-base improvement, controlling the poaching activity, effective patrolling. There hard work paid back with improvement in tiger population and sighting. Now tourists take Satpura national park more seriously as a tiger photography destination.

Habitat

Satpura tiger reserve offers varying topography and healthy bio-diversity. Here we can find sal forest and teak forest in same tiger reserve area. Whole forest is spread over satpura hills and presence of Denwa river, Sonbhadra river, Tawa river, Bheemkund river etc have helped in development of healthy river forest valleys. Relocated village areas are now converted into amazing grasslands meadows offering healthy platform for sustainence of deer and antelope species in this reserve. They are the prime preybase for tigers. Presence of rocky hills, valleys offer some ideal natural cave like locations for tigers to relax, especially when tigress have baby cubs. Recent successful re-introduction of hard-ground Barasingha species in Bori wildlife sanctuary is a live example for the world understand the fact that its habitat is favorable for deer species and also confirms the claim that at one time, Satpura tiger reserve was home of many wildlife species which were disappeared from this forest but now things have changed and they are reclaiming there old territories.

Tiger Locations

At present, tiger sighting in Satpura national park in core and buffer zones like Madhai zone, Bheemkund zone, Mallupura zone. They are core zones thus here chances are good. Panaarpani zone is also a core zone but here tiger sighting is challenging or rare due to geographical challenges and limited safari trails. Even if you visit buffer zones like Parsapani, Jamani dev etc., occasionally tourists have seen tigers as they are just attached to core zones and there is no boundary to restrict any animal movement from one zone to another. This forest is vast and have comparatively dense foliage due to which many times, despite of presence, we can hear the jungle calls, sometimes roaring of tiger but not able to see them. Here patience and experience of safari team plays important role.

Sighting

Satpura national park assures good tiger sighting for wildlife photographers and nature lovers. Speciality of Satpura national park is that here tourists can expect tiger sighting while doing jeep safari, boat safari, walking safari and night safari drives. Presence of backwater ensures good chance to access the core zone areas through boat safari and thus during summers, tigers can be located nearby backwater area, manytimes on islands, developed due to dam backwater.