A Critical Look at Bandhavgarh National Park, India

India's Bandhavgarh National Park has been called the best place in the world to see tigers. As part of my academic requirements for Allegheny College's Summer 2008 India Seminar, I've created this mini-documentary with my own video to demonstrate the ups and downs of the park as I experienced them.

Some highlights:
A pregnant tigress (in the high grass)
A baby langur
A close-up with a Nilgai, or blue bull

Questions, comments, & suggestions welcome.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• bandhavgarh
• national
• park
• tiger
• india
• madhya
• pradesh
• allegheny
• college
• chital
• tigress
• wildlife
• sambar
• indian
• tourism
• spotted
• deer
• rhesus
• macaque
• sanctuary
• peacock
• peahen
• peafowl
• mongoose

[tiwaringp]

Great work. It certainly looks bad in the video and it certainly is in the iconic parks like Bandhavgarh or Kanha. Still, we must concede that tourist traffic also helps preserve the forests and wildlife through generating revenues and maintaining vigil. There are also many less known parks that do not have as many tourists. Unfortunately, in India ecotourism means tiger tourism and people are disappointed if they do not see the tiger. A forest is about a lot more than just seeing tigers.

[kyleripman]

You are absolutely right. I had just as much (if not more, due to the more relaxed atmosphere around them) enjoyment spotting the smaller wildlife that I put in the latter half of the video.

[gavdj17]

I totally agree with you - a beautiful place which is dreadfully managed and, sadly, where harrassment of tigers is the norm. It's really interesting to note just how very different the approach is to the sympathetic approach of safari guides in Africa who - in my experience - will go to great lengths to prevent animals being unduly disturbed.

[kyleripman]

Thanks! Can you provide any examples?

My only game park experience in Africa is Kruger NP in South Africa, where you are allowed to drive your own vehicles along the roads in the park. People still jockeyed for position there on ocassion, but it's safe to say it wasn't anything like Bandhavgarh (although I didn't see any lions; maybe it would've been more chaotic if I had).

[StripyCurtain]

I am going in late October this year, can anyone tell me how busy it will be? What zones shall i go in for safari, I am hoping to go on 3 or 4 safari's in 3 days :)

[jennyphil04]

This brought back many happy memories of our India trip - Om Shanti Om, Ish as our mongoose mother, breaking my toe, and our beloved bus driver who somehow got us safely to Chail . Hope you're doing well, and that you're taking many new adventures!

[cater91]

That's why I do 6 safari's. 4 in Khaitauli zone [which has only 2 or 3 Jeeps at a go] 1 in Magdi Zone and 1 in Tala Zone of Bandhavgarh National park.

Khaitauli has less chances of spotting but once you spot a tiger there , there is no chaos u can see it for as longer as you want to as they are very relaxed n there is no one around you.

[superpuneite]

I returned from Ranthambore National Park(which is Ranthambhore Rashtriya Udyan in Hindi) and I saw people standing on the seats of the 4X4 Car . People especially Indians tend to do such thing(No offence) In our canter there were Indians as well as foreigners.. The foreigners were pretty civilized..but OMG! The Indians were eating popcorn and whatnot and were cracking jokes while theor babies cried their brains out!

Change is a must in these areas! :(

[elijahpup]

Those other people need to be queit.

[unclebobny1]

I was in Kenya Maasai Mara for 4 days and we did not see any violations. People were respectful for the most part. The only disrespectful and annoying people were the guides hired from outside the Mara, like the coast or Nairobi. Those drivers/guides ignorance showed; they did not how to behave themselves. But nothing to the point of beeping horns or shouting. Maasai guides were professional and respectful of the wildlife. We really enjoyed our trip. Mara is full of tigers and cheetas.

[slyvatsan]

kyleripman - Welcome to Inida!!

[ChinababyProductions]

I went towards the very end of the season and the traffic wasn't this bad. More comparable to the Ngorongoro Crater. The park really is beautiful with some great archeological sites. Had the most fun ever being caught in a deluge and far from camp. The poor tiger has really been exploited globally if this is as good as it gets. We drove from Kajaraho through the villages. Someone's sacred cow had died along side the road and it was covered with beautiful flowers. Thanks for the video!