Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve
The Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is a wildlife sanctuary in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra state in India. It is Maharashtra's oldest and largest national park. Created in 1955, the reserve includes the Tadoba National Park and the Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary. The reserve consists of 577.96 square kilometres (223.15 sq mi) of reserved forest and 32.51 square kilometres (12.55 sq mi) of protected forest.
"Tadoba" is taken from the name of the god "Tadoba" or "Taru", worshipped by the tribes who live in the dense forests of the Tadoba and Andhari region, while "Andhari" refers to the Andhari river that meanders through the forest.
Legend holds that Taru was a village chief who was killed in a mythological encounter with a tiger. Taru was deified and a shrine dedicated to Taru now exists beneath a large tree on the banks of Tadoba Lake.[3] The temple is frequented by adivasis, especially during a fair held annually in the Hindu month of Pausha (December–January).
The Gond kings once ruled these forests in the vicinity of the Chimur hills. Hunting was banned in 1935. Two decades later, in 1955, 116.54 square kilometres (45.00 sq mi) of this forest area was declared a national park. Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary was created in the adjacent forests in 1986. In 1995, the park and the sanctuary were merged to establish the present tiger reserve.[2]
Tadoba Andhari Reserve is the largest national park in Maharashtra. The total area of the reserve is 625.4 square kilometres (241.5 sq mi). This includes Tadoba National Park, with an area of 116.55 square kilometres (45.00 sq mi) and Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary with an area of 508.85 square kilometres (196.47 sq mi). The reserve also includes 32.51 square kilometres (12.55 sq mi) of protected forest and 14.93 square kilometres (5.76 sq mi) of uncategorised land.
To the southwest is the 120 hectares (300 acres) Tadoba Lake which acts as a buffer between the park's forest and the extensive farmland which extends up to Irai water reservoir. This lake is a perennial water source which offers a good habitat for Muggar crocodiles to thrive. Other wetland areas within the reserve include Kolsa Lake and the Andhari river.
Tadoba Reserve covers the Chimur Hills, and the Andhari sanctuary covers the Moharli and Kolsa ranges. Nearest village from this place is Durgapur. It is bounded on the northern and western sides by densely forested hills. Thick forests are relieved by smooth meadows and deep valleys as the terrain slopes from north to south. Cliffs, talus, and caves provide refuge for several animals. The two forested rectangles are formed of the Tadoba and Andhari ranges. The south part of the park is less hilly than the remainder.
Winters stretch from November to February; during this season, daytime temperatures are in the 25°–30 °C range and the park is lush green. While summers are extremely hot in Tadoba, with the temperature rising to 47 °C, it is the ideal time to sight mammals near lakes as vegetation is minimal. The monsoon season begins in June; the area receives heavy rainfall during this season (approx.1275 mm) and humidity hovers around 66%.
After the scorching summers where the mercury rises up to 48 degrees, the arrival of monsoon in June is a big relief. Though the climate becomes highly humid, the rains do not fail to revive the jungle. As the rains make the terrain inaccessible the core zones of the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve are closed between July and September and only buffer zone is open for the tourists. The visit to Tadoba National Park in monsoon is a sheer bliss where you can witness a completely different Tadoba.
Winter is the ideal time to explore Tadoba with lush greenery around. Starting from October winter lasts till February. Though the winters are not very cool in Tadoba the temperature ranges between 20°C and 30°C.
Tadoba Reserve is a predominantly southern tropical dry deciduous forest with dense woodlands comprising about eighty seven per cent of the protected area. Teak is the predominant tree species. Other deciduous trees found in this area include ain (crocodile bark), bija, dhauda, hald, salai, semal and tendu. Beheda, hirda, karaya gum, mahua madhuca (crepe myrtle), palas (flame-of-the-forest, Butea monosperma) and Lannea coromandelica (wodier tree). Axlewood (Anogeissus latifolia, a fire-resistant species), black plum and arjun are some of the other tropical trees that grow in this reserve.
Patches of grasses are found throughout the reserve. Bamboo thickets grow throughout the reserve in abundance. The climber kach kujali (velvet bean) found here is a medicinal plant used to treat Parkinson's disease. The leaves of bheria are used as an insect repellent and bija is a medicinal gum. Beheda is also an important medicine found here.