The Tadoba National Park in the Indian state of Maharashtra hosts a wide variety of flora and fauna. The prime attractions of this mystical jungle include the Royal Bengal Tiger, the elusive leopards, including a black panther, and the nimble-footed chousinghas among several others.
Every trip we take to these mesmerising jungles leaves us spellbound and hungry for more! This blog is our humble attempt to portray the magnificent wildlife of Tadoba.
Situated in the district of Chandrapur, the jungles and the brimming wildlife in Tadoba lure many travellers every year with the promise of peace, a tryst with the big cats and moments full of surprises! This wild haven is a two and half hour drive away from its closest city - Nagpur.
Read our blog ‘How to reach Tadoba’ to know how to reach Tadoba in the most efficient way. This forest boasts a plethora of wildlife species and never ceases to amaze wildlife lovers and photographers. So let us guide you through the diverse wildlife of Tadoba.
Mammals of Tadoba
The main attraction for people on safari in Tadoba is the tiger and it is safe to say that Tadoba seldom fails. But, many other mammal species such as leopards, gaurs, wild boars, dholes, sloth bears, deer, monkeys and several others call these mystical woods home. Read on to know more about these beautiful creatures of the natural world!
Tigers of Tadoba
A boom in tiger numbers in the last couple of decades has resulted in Tadoba emerging as one of the best places to spot these charismatic striped felines in the world! Tadoba is a relatively smaller park and a high tiger density results in frequent sightings.
Over the recent years, Tadoba has witnessed some iconic tigers and tigresses and their dynasties continue to thrive even today. Read our blog on the Tigers of Tadoba to know more.
Tigers are apex predators and their role in the ecosystem is to ensure that the predator-prey ratio is healthy and is maintained.
Tigers are fiercely territorial and some lucky visitors get to witness aggressive fights break out in Tadoba between individuals of this robust and dense population.
Tigers need a safe territory to hunt and mate, and tigresses rearing cubs need a safe haven to hide their offspring from stranger males. Tiger cubs separate themselves from their mother after 2 or 2 and half years and go their ways in search of a territory of their own.
Before attaining maturity and independence, if the cubs cross paths with any tiger other than the one that has sired them, they are almost certain to be killed. The stranger male kills the cubs to get the female back into oestrus so he can father his own cubs and ensure his genes are passed on.
As a result of high fertility rate in females and a steadily rising tiger population, territorial warfare can be an upcoming threat because young adults are constantly on the move in search of a new home. Moreover, there are several villages fringing the park and human-animal conflict cases could rise in the coming years.
Leopards in Tadoba
Leopards are opportunistic hunters that can adapt to a wide range of habitats, from rainforests to dry deciduous forests. They are also found in hilly and rocky areas and open grasslands as well as incredibly close to human habitation! Their fur helps in camouflaging them perfectly to their surroundings.
Tadoba hosts a large population of leopards, including one black panther, but because of its super healthy tiger population, leopards are extremely shy and vigilant and are spotted less often. They are crepuscular animals who are comfortable in the canopy of the trees, or sitting in shadowy caves, perfectly blended making it even tougher for human eyes to sight them.
Jungle cat
Also called reed cat and swamp cat, the jungle cat is a medium-sized cat that is extremely elusive. Jungle cats, like all cats, have acutely sharp senses. They are often hidden under dense vegetation and are very rarely spotted in the wild during safaris in Tadoba. If you are riding on a huge happy wave of luck, you can cross paths with this unique small cat species. If it happens, consider yourself fortunate and blessed!
Rusty Spotted Cat
An even more elusive cat is the rusty spotted cat which is the smallest member of the cat family in the world. It has a short reddish grey fur over most of the body with rusty spots on the back and flanks. This small wild cat species is found in vegetation and rocky areas mainly in moist and dry deciduous forests as well as scrub and grassland.
As this species is predominantly nocturnal, very little is known about its ecology and behaviour. It feeds mainly on rodents and birds, but also preys on lizards, frogs and insects. It hunts primarily on the ground, making rapid, darting movements to catch its prey. It is also known to apparently venture into trees to escape larger predators.
Its mating is brief and after a gestation of 65–70 days, the female gives birth to one or two kittens. Unfortunately, the rusty spotted cat faces a major threat in the form of habitat loss and it is only known to have been spotted in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Wild dogs (Dholes) in Tadoba
Also known as Asiatic wild dogs or Indian wild dogs, dholes live in packs and their social bonds are very strong. Unity and strength are key for them to operate successfully as they take down prey which is usually double their size to suffice the entire pack. They are fierce hunters with powerful canines and they usually attack their prey from behind and bite out chunks of meat from their softer rears and under-belly and bring the animal down. One or two dholes take the lead and chase the prey while the rest maintain a steady pace behind. As one individual tires, the other overtakes and keeps the relentless sprinting pace to finally outrun their prey.
Their gentle appearance must not be mistaken for them being amicable. They are spotted in small packs of two to ten individuals in Tadoba as opposed to twenty and beyond, perhaps because of the robust tiger population.
Asiatic jackals
Also known as the golden jackal, Asiatic jackals have an elongated body, a small but thick, bushy tail, short legs and a pointed muzzle. The colour of their coat changes from yellowish-golden in the summer to a darker tawny shade in the winter.
Asiatic jackals can be spotted alone, but are often sighted in pairs. Once you spot them on the road, they usually stay on the road for some time before darting away into the undergrowth.
Striped hyena
Although chiefly a creature of the dark, the striped hyena is known to be spotted within the Tadoba National Park and in its fringes. It is a scavenger species. It is also a monogamous animal, with both males and females raising their cubs.
Striped hyenas have a greyish-brown coat and their hind legs are significantly shorter than their forelimbs. Although known to feign death when attacked, there have been records of these canids standing guard over their food against larger predators.
They are the national animal of Lebanon.
Sloth bear
Sloth bears are endemic to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Their diet primarily consists of termites and ants, but they also consume fruits. They breed during the spring or early summer when the forests still offer them plenty of food. Their cubs are born at the beginning of winter. Unlike other bear species, they routinely carry their cubs on their backs. This is their most unique attribute.
In the months of early spring and summer, the bears are attracted to the flowers of the Mahua trees in Tadoba. It is in spring that they are the most active and it is the best time to spot sloth bears in Tadoba. But, they are also spotted in the winters and the summers.
Spotted deer
Arguably the most common species of the wildlands of India, the spotted deer or chital is a herbivorous species native to the Indian subcontinent. They are most often seen in large numbers, feeding on the green carpet of the forest. They are always vigilant and let out their alarm call at the slightest sign of danger. Many times, these are not distress calls and there is no real danger of any predators in the vicinity. But they are often hunted down by tigers, leopards and dholes.
Sambar deer
Sambar deer are larger than spotted deer and they are of a light brown or greyish colour. They feed on grass shoots and foliage. Because of their softer meat and more suitable size, they are the tiger’s favourite prey. These hefty creatures weigh about 200 kgs when they attain adulthood and provide for a sumptuous meal for the big cats and even a pack of dholes.
Barking deer
The Indian muntjac, also called the barking deer, is a quiet, solitary, leaf-eating deer species. Barking deer are very shy and most often disappear into the undergrowth after offering only a fleeting glimpse to their visitors. Not too much is known about them and studies are being conducted. They too fall under the prey base for big cats and dholes.
Chousingha
Chousinghas or the four-horned antelope is a truly unique species of antelope! Its most distinguished features are its four horns. Chousinghas are solitary by nature, but can occasionally be sighted in herds of up to five individuals. They are very elusive and feed on grass, herbs, foliage, flowers and fruits. The Chousinghas too have not been studied much and a lot about them is still unknown. They are threatened by habitat loss due to agricultural expansion. They too have sadly been the target for trophy hunters and they too are categorised as vulnerable by the IUCN.
Nilgai
Nilgai is India’s largest antelope species. Nilgais are stockily built with thin legs and short horns. They prefer to stay in areas with short bushes, scattered trees and grassy plains. They are seldom found in dense forests. They are found mostly in arid areas and can go for long hours without needing water. They are spotted in small herds of up to 20 individuals and rarely in herds of more than 30 individuals. They feed on young shoots of grass, herbs, or small leaves in the shrubbery.
Gaurs
Gaur, also known as the Indian bison, is a herculean bovine species known to brave tigers and sometimes even chase them away. Muscular and massive, males weigh 1500 kgs and females weigh 700-800 kgs. Gaurs are the heaviest and the most powerful species of wild cattle. They are only occasionally taken down by tigers. There have been instances of tiger deaths caused by the horns of these mighty herbivores!
These gentle giants are most often spotted in herds grazing silently.
Wild boars
Wild boars are one of the most common species worldwide and have adapted very well to different habitats and climates. They are an omnivorous species, and are known to eat almost everything ranging from roots and barks to fruits, insects and carrion! They are a social species and most often spotted in sounders of 12 to 15 individuals which is led by a matriarch. They can also occasionally be spotted as solitary individuals. They are mainly preyed on by the big cats and the canids.
Indian grey mongoose
Endemic to the Indian subcontinent and West Asia, the Indian grey mongoose is usually spotted alone or in pairs. They are a bold and inquisitive species but seldom venture too far away from their hide. They are most famously known for their ability to combat and bring down venomous snakes.
They mainly feed on snakes, small rodents, eggs and hatchlings and invertebrates. They breed across the year.
The Indian grey mongoose is the state animal of Chandigarh.
Macaques (Monkeys)
Along with chitals, perhaps, the most easily sighted and most common animals in Tadoba are the Rhesus macaques and the Grey langurs.
Rhesus macaques are diurnal animals and are terrestrial and highly social. Their groups can range from 20 - 200 individuals! They are mostly herbivorous and their food chiefly consists of fruits, seeds and roots. There have also been records of them eating termites, grasshoppers and beetles. They have pouch-like pockets in their cheeks that allow them to hoard food.
Another common denizen of the wildlands of central India is the Grey langur. Also known as Hanuman langur, these monkeys are Old World Monkeys native to the Indian subcontinent. These langurs have a grey coat with black faces and limbs and a long slender tail.
Indian langurs are primarily herbivorous and are known to sound the alarm at the sight of an approaching predator. They too are social animals and live in a strict hierarchical structure.
Indian pangolin
The Indian pangolin also called thick-tailed pangolin and scaly anteater is a pangolin native to the Indian subcontinent. Like other pangolins, the Indian pangolin has overlapping scales on its body which act as a shield. When attacked by a predator, the pangolin curls itself into a ball as a form of self-defence!
The Indian Pangolin is an insectivore, feeding primarily on ants and termites, digging them out of mounds and logs using its long claws, which are as long as its forelimbs! It is predominantly a nocturnal creature and rests in deep burrows during the day.
Unfortunately, it is one of the most trafficked mammals on Earth and is hunted for its meat and for various body parts used in traditional medicine. As a result, it is not commonly sighted anywhere in its range.
Indian giant flying squirrel
Also called the large brown flying squirrel or the common giant flying squirrel, the Indian giant flying squirrel is a rodent species. It is nocturnal and arboreal, spending most of its life in the canopy. It is capable of flying, or rather gliding, using a skin membrane stretched between its front and hind legs. Its nests are made in tree hollows lined with bark, fur, moss, and leaves.
The Indian giant flying squirrel is predominantly frugivorous. But it is also known to feed on bark, tree resins, shoots and leaves. Female gives birth to a single offspring which is born blind. The lifespan of an Indian giant flying squirrel is around eight to ten years in the wild.
Small Indian civet
The small Indian civet is a nocturnal, mostly terrestrial and insectivorous species. These creatures inhabit holes in the ground, under rocks or in thick bushes. They can dig their own burrows, but sometimes occupy abandoned burrows of other species. They have also been reported to use gutters and other dark spaces as makeshift burrows in suburban habitats.
Mostly solitary, small Indian civets occasionally for pairs for mating and hunting. They prey on rats, mice, birds, snakes and are also known to feed on fruits, roots and carrion!
After a gestation of 65-70 days, the female usually gives birth to four or five young that are born blind. They open their eyes after about five days and weigh 1000 g after ten weeks. Their life expectancy is nine to ten years in the wild.
Honey Badger
The honey badger, also known as the ratel, is primarily a carnivorous species. It is best known for its thick skin, strength and ferocious defensive abilities. Its other attribute is an anal pouch which, unusual among mustelids, is eversible, The smell of the pouch is reportedly "suffocating", and may assist in calming bees when raiding beehives!
The honey badger is mostly solitary, but like the civet, it is occasionally sighted in pairs to hunt or breed. It is known to feed on bee larvae and honey and also take down small rodents, reptiles and birds and devour its prey entirely, including skin, hair, feathers, flesh and bones!
India crested porcupine
Another rodent species found in Tadoba is the Indian crested porcupine. The species is best known for its multiple layers of quills which are made of keratin and are relatively flexible. Each quill is connected to a muscle at its base, allowing the porcupine to raise its quills when it feels threatened. The longest ones are found on its shoulders and around its neck and can measure more than 50 cm! But, they cannot shoot their quills!
Indian crested porcupines are predominantly herbivorous creatures and feed on plant material, including roots, bulbs, fruits, grains, drupe and tubers, with small insects.
Birds of Tadoba
Birds form a vital part of the wildlife in Tadoba. The park hosts close to 200 species of birds! Many of these are permanent residents, but several migratory birds sojourn at this park during the winter! The best time to spot these winged wonders are between October and January.
Some of the common birds of Tadoba are peacocks, rufous treepies, woodpeckers, green bee-eaters, crested-serpent eagles, common blue kingfishers, jungle fowls and the like. To know more, read our blog - Magical birds of Tadoba.
Reptiles and Insects of Tadoba
The Tadoba National Park also sustains a large number of reptiles. Perhaps, the most commonly sighted are the marsh crocodiles, lazing at the bay of the lakes. The other remarkable species include monitor lizards, terrapins, star tortoises, cobras, vipers and the Indian rock python.
Moreover, Tadoba hosts about 75 different species of butterflies, including pansies, monarchs, mormons and swordtails! Other insects including the endangered danaid eggfly and great eggfly and dragonflies, jewel beetles, signature spider, giant wood spider, wolf spiders, crab spiders, and lynx spiders are also sighted here.
Really, Tadoba is a full house!
Wildlife of Tadoba - Summary
With such an amazing array of wildlife species, the Tadoba National Park is one of the most cherished forest reserves of India and a wonderful place to go on a safari. Best known for its bold, splendid and charismatic big cats, Tadoba is also home to several jewelled species of natural history, including mammals, birds, reptiles and insects!
Spotting any animal against the diverse backdrops of the dry deciduous forest is a sight to behold! It is as if time stands still and there is an ethereal connection between oneself and the species being observed. The few moments of silence, the fresh air that caresses one’s face and the exhilaration of catching a trail and a glimpse of the big cat are ineffable feelings!
Why not experience all this soon? What better way to feel revitalised than being cradled by nature’s lap?
To learn more about the best time to visit Tadoba, read our blog “What is the best time to visit Tadoba?”
Disclaimer: We have only highlighted some species of animals in this blog. We must admit the Tadoba National Park is home to an abundance of flora and fauna, including insects, wildflowers, plants, ferns and other species. As a jungle safari is the means of exploring the wildlife of Tadoba, we have limited this blog to mammals, birds and reptiles which can be sighted when on safari.
