Everything in this forest seems to have slowed down, including the wind, the ground, and even the passage of time. Tadoba is filled with resonating echoes of rich sceneries and fills your eyes with wonder at the extraordinary things you encounter as you continue your adventures. The creatures you come across are so incredible that just seeing them for the first time causes you to fall in love and marvel at their beauty.
When our naturalist Arijit Das ventured into the Tadoba jungle, he had the privilege of witnessing such fantastic wildlife in their natural habitat. His wonderful discoveries at Tadoba are worth a trip into our imaginations, so let’s visit the forests with him.
Crested-Hawk Eagle
This bird has it all: razor-sharp beak, keen vision for hunting, a crown-like crest, a regal demeanour, and the speed of a jet. A Crested hawk eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus).
Its native range extends from Southern Gujarat and Eastern Rajasthan to the Gangetic Plain and into Southern West Bengal. The eagle is enormous and has broad wings with a long thick tail, and the adult’s crest is black with a white tip. Arijit spotted this horned splendour while on a nature stroll with his coworkers. All the birds were chirping and twittering as they prepared for another day of labour. Birds were doing their own thing: cormorants were sunning and preening, bee-eaters were busy capturing dragonflies, and a pond heron stood motionless in the water searching for fish. The Crested hawk eagle took off at that very moment, soaring to a nearby dead tree, where it sat, and everyone was quite excited to finally meet the wonder. It had been searching for its prey when suddenly two black drongos and a few crows appeared and began pursuing the eagle. Despite its best efforts, it was eventually driven away and found refuge in a neighbouring tree. This game of chase continued for a long, with the eagle doing all he could. Nonetheless, as is always the case when there is unity, success follows suit.
Common Bronze back tree snake
Arijit wondered on a brisk, sunny morning, what reptiles do besides hibernate throughout the winter, so he went exploring near our Red Earth Tadoba Resort. Arijit Wondered: Do they eat?? Do they wander a lot? Then, as he was looking around aimlessly, he spotted something long and slender in the distance; he was so convinced that he found his subject to investigate, but it turned out to be a regular old bronze back tree snake (Dendrelaphis tristris). Sunbathing in the warm rays, this non-venomous species was immediately recognisable by its long, slender body, wide bronze stripe along its body, yellowish white abdomen, flat head, huge round pupils, and, in most cases, a stripe across its eye. It has a bright sky blue interscale pattern that it displays when threatened; it eats frogs, lizards, and small birds; it has excellent vision and a gyroscopic head that helps it catch prey. Arijit was happy to see the fellow again after a long absence; and after a thorough inspection, he cheerfully continued on his way and let the snake go on his.
The Glowing Beetle: Fireflies
At Red Earth Tadoba Resort, Arijit witnessed this stunning event as the monsoon season came to a close. He took a picture of the incredible fireflies he saw while gazing at the starry sky and the Milky Way.
India is home to just eight of the world’s 2,000 odd-known firefly species. Do you know that only a fraction of them flash in unison? These insects breathe oxygen through specialised light organs located just below their abdomens, where specialised cells combine the element with a light-emitting chemical called luciferin. Male fireflies use the lights to signal to potential mates that they are ready to mate. These amazing beetles spend most of their lives as larvae, at which point they put on a brief but spectacular light show before reproducing and dying. It’s also possible that there are equally as many wingless, non-flashing females in the forest.
Tadoba’s treasures are timeless and magnificent and a true nature lover would not want to give up on the opportunity to witness such a marvel. Our resort in Tadoba helps you amplify your experience at the same time providing a comfortable stay to relax and rejoice in the wild.
