Photographing Foxes - A guide to take best photographs

The Bengal fox (Vulpes bengalensis) also known as Indian Fox are widespread all over the country but seldom seen due to their shy nature. Seldom seen so rarely photographed and very less is known about them. I have been photographing Foxes for some time now. I wanted to try night photography as well which would have given me a better chances to understand the ecology and habits of these beautiful animals. With all preparations done and equipment's ready I got stuck due to Covid situation. 

Still I have photographed them many times and here is a guide to photograph them without disturbing them, in most ethical way. Remember, foxes are very important for our farms and help by controlling population of rodents and other pests. 

Something about Foxes: They are mostly nocturnal but, late evenings and early mornings are also good time to photograph them. Have seen them in pairs mostly. They mate around November and December. Young once ore born around Jan / Feb with a gestation period of 7 to 8 weeks. They are omnivorous but mainly eat rodents and birds. Have seen same pair using same den for consecutive years. 

Fox Den: Look out for Fox dens, they use burrows or use once made by others mostly in and around agricultural fields, grasslands or semi-arid regions. Check for any activities especially in evenings or at night. Foxes have multiple entry / exits to their den so keep that in mind. I have seen one entering from a hole and coming out from another which was almost 100 meters away. Best way to understand if a den is occupied is to look for pug marks or scats. 

Prepare a hide: Prepare a good hide in safe distance and preferably on ground level. If they do not see you they do not feel threatened and give you good chances to photograph them. Hide should be such that you can sit on ground to get good eye level shots. Remember Foxes are very small so if you are on height you will not get good photographs. And, most important is never sit in the open, it will disturb them and if female nursing kittens feels threatened she may not come on time which is detrimental for the young once survival. I use a camping tent as hide as it is large and comfortable as well as has window on four sides to take photographs. 

Understand their movement: As per my experience Foxes normally move around late evening and are most active at night. If Female is rearing kittens she will normally come to feed them at almost same time and mostly will use same route. She will scan the surrounding before approaching the den. Once you understand their movement it will be easy to set up hide at right location. 

Keep lighting in mind: I use natural lighting only to photograph wildlife and suggest not to use flash as it may disturb the kittens and parents. Best is to set your hide in such a way that you get proper lighting. 

Background: Check for uncluttered background. Although it is not possible to get good background always but do not disturb the area just to take a good photograph as this can be harmful for the fox family. 

Kittens playing undisturbed and meeting mother after a long wait are times when you can get some excellent photographs. Remember, mother comes unannounced so keep tight watch. Once kittens are a couple of months old they will come out of their hiding place and wait for mother. This is also the time when they play and give you some good photographs. It is simply breathtaking to see the young once playing and especially when they welcome their mother. 

Taking wildlife photograph is both time consuming and frustrating at times but the result takes away all your tiredness and can help in spreading awareness and better understanding of our wildlife. Basically it is all about good preparedness, understanding of your subject and your practical knowledge of fieldcraft which can help you get good photographs. 

Ethical photography: Last but not the least, always keep safety of your subject on forefront and not that one photograph which you feel can be rewarding. Never disturb your subject or its vicinity and never try to lure them out for that one shot. 

Camping at Kanha national park

Camping in the buffer forest of Kanha National Park

Camping – just the word itself excites most nature lovers and adventurous travelers. Spending time outdoors in the lap of nature in a small camping tent is one recreational activity which has caught up with youth of all socioeconomic classes. Today many sites have been especially developed for camping enthusiasts and accommodate both recreational and corporate guests.

Madhya Pradesh in Central India is one state which has on offer many such beautiful sites where you can do outdoor camping. In recent years the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Board has been promoting these sites which have been especially developed for campers and have all required amenities. At many places they are providing camping sites adjacent to private resorts or at their own facilities so that campers can stay and enjoy their camping trips. This has caught up with serious campers as well as business organizations that are using these sites for team building activities and leisure.

With perfect mix of wilderness and comfort these sites have been developed at destinations with natural heritage like mountains, rivers, forests and water bodies. They offer an ideal place to relax and indulge in activities giving a memorable experience which will call you back again and again.  

One such camping site has been developed at Kanha National Park which is being managed by Kanha Village Eco Resort, famous for its authentic mud houses and tribal village ambiance. Looking over dense forest at one side it is a great place to relax and rejuvenate. Away from the noise and pollution of city you can just relax or do adventure activities which include jungle safari, nature walks, medicinal plants identification walks, village visit, ethnic village food, cycling, star gazing, camp fire and host of other games which will keep you indulged full time. Corporate organizations are welcome to stay in mud houses or tents and special team building activities can be planned which will make your holiday at Kanha enjoyable and educational.

Just imagine staying in a camping tent adjacent to forest which has Tiger, Leopard, Deer, Jackal, Fox and many other wild animals. Still, you are safe since site is secured and a constant watch is kept. You want to cook your own food or do Barbeque, no issues; they have a small kitchen in the camping site. You can just sit around the camp fire and enjoy your dinner listening to nature which is so peaceful. You can carry your own tent or ask them for one available on rent. You can also ask for a package which will include activities and food.

So, what is the adventure enthusiast in you waiting for?

Kanha National Park - a perfect destination for Corporate Team Building exercises

 

Team building activities have been promoted by many management gurus and rightly so, they are fun events which bring all employees together and create a bonding which is very helpful in progress of any organization. In today’s world when we face competition everywhere what can be the best strategy to move on, certainly the whole office, each and every staff member has to work as a team. Learning is a process that is continuous and we should never think that once our education is complete we have mastered everything. One thing which can help us the most is working as a team and this can be learnt with help of small activities.

Truthfulness, right attitude, smart working are just some other important aspects which can help us in moving ahead in our life with positivity. Here are some benefits of team building activities:

1. Communication

Team building exercises helps in better communication between departments and staff which helps them in completing tasks and solve problems in better way. It relaxes the working atmosphere, improves communication and synchronization which is very vital for any business. 

2. Productivity

A relaxed atmosphere and better communication means better productivity at all levels since duplication of work is reduced and help is always available from all.

3. Improved Morale

Better communication and synchronization of work breaks many barriers making everyone more enthusiastic thereby improving morale in the office.

4. Motivation

Once a bonding develops motivation and confidence improves ensuing better results which is good for everyone’s development.

5. Leadership Qualities

One of the biggest advantage is management can identify leaders and positive employees which can help them in promoting right people which is very important for development of any organization.

6. Creativity

In team building exercises people show their creativity and take initiative as well as find solutions which can have an amazing effect on the whole office and its working.

7. Increase in Confidence

When all the staff members know that they are a team, this increases confidence and helps them in better completion of tasks thereby leading to successful results.

8. Superior Mental Strength

When all employees know that they have full backing and support of all other staff members, this reduces stress which improves mental health and boosts your working and the effect is - better results. 

9. Responsibility 

Team building exercises makes everyone feel responsible, a key to success of any business.

10. Trust

When you know that the whole organization works as a group it improves trust between everyone which leads to better teamwork and improved work ethics.

11. Respect

Respect is one thing we all desire and this is one of the most valuable thing any employee gets when his creativity and other skills are acknowledged. 

12. Value and Vision

Team building can help us in better understanding of our organizations value and vision which further motivates the workforce and increases the productivity.

What can be better place than Kanha National Park where you can sit in the lap of nature away from noise and pollution of city and enjoy some nice fun filled moment with your staff members? Kanha Village Eco Resort can plan a perfect get to gather for your organization and incorporate some nice team building activities which will help your establishment grow. 

Here you can either stay in mud houses or camping tents as per your choice. Along with activities you can do jungle safari to spot tiger and other free roaming wildlife of Kanha.  

Naina - The one with beautiful eyes

Kanha national park is one of the best place to spot tigers and other wildlife. Floras and fauna of Kanha is second to none. Most tourists visit Kanha to spot tigers and one of the rarest deer species - Hard ground Swamp deer, commonly known as Barasingha, which is endemic to these forests.

Certainly spotting a tiger in the wild is an experience in itself but think how it would be when you get to spot tigress with small, cuddly cubs. Yes, that is the most memorable, lifetime experience. Here are a few photographs of one of the most beautiful tigress of Kanha - Naina also known as Link 8 female and T 76. Here T 76 is the name given by forest department for her identification and Link 8 is the area she normally frequents.

Naina - also known as T 76 and Link 8 Female

Naina is a very bold tigress and can be spotted lazing around in grass or walking on the road. We had been fortunate enough to have seen her a few times. Once she gave a sudden appearance and came on road, calling her cubs. We were with her for almost 1.5 Km's.

Naina - on a walk 

Naina is a first time mother and a very careful one. Although her cubs are around 4 - 5 months now but she rarely comes out with them. In last few months she has given an appearance with her cubs only a couple of times and we were fortunate enough to have seen her with all 4 cubs on one such occasion.

One of Naina's cub

She has Neelam on one side and Mindidadar female on other and both of them have cubs. A few male tigers also roam and overlap her territory. Keeping this in mind she keeps her cubs in safe place and she will have to continue this for another 2 years and wait till her cubs are grown up and ready to face the world.

Portrait shot of Naina - T 76. 

Naina or T 76 it seems will be able to raise her cubs well if she remains careful and we hope we will be able to see the young once getting bigger and crafting out their own territory in some time.

Photo credit: All photographs have been clicked by Navneet Maheshwari, Owner Kanha Village Eco Resort. 

Tigress with small cubs at Kanha National Park

At times nature amazes us, we still need to learn a lot about nature and wildlife. In a rare and spectacular sighting in April 2018 we were amazed to spot a tigress with small cubs.

Yes spotting tigress with cubs is not rare but what made this one of the rarest sighting is that here cubs are very small, may be around 5 - 6 weeks old. Normally we get to spot tigress with cubs when the young once are 3 - 6 months old.

It was almost 9 AM and we were not sure of what to do since safari excursion time was coming to an end as we have to reach exit by 11 AM. From the point where we were waiting to hear any sign of predator movement it would have taken us an hour to exit well within the permissible time limit. Another safari vehicle crossed us and told that one tigress had crossed the road with small cubs from a place near Minkur nallah area.

We discussed and decided to try to spot her although chances were not very good. Choti Maada or T31 has very small cubs. We were not expecting her to bring the cubs out again since tigers and very protective of young once. But, with the jungle very silent and no other option as well as time restraint we decided to give it a chance.

When we reached there were a few other vehicles also waiting and trying to understand where the tigress is. It was all of sudden and things unfolded in a manner we never expected. As we approached the area and were just parking our vehicle that suddenly the tigress was seen coming towards one other vehicle. She was coming out of very dense foliage and we could spot her only when she was almost on us.

This vehicle was in line of her movement so the only option was to ask them to move but there was no space. Our driver had presence of mind, he removed his vehicle from the road and asked the other driver to back his vehicle. He immediately took our place and we gave enough space to the tigress. And, within next few seconds she was out on road, alone though. She came out and just sat on road.

With tiger so near and knowing that she is a mother of small cubs we had to restrain ourselves from moving the vehicle least it disturbs her. And, that was a very good decision, within a few seconds one cub came out. He went on to his mother who was sitting on road. All the tourists were asked to sit down and watch as cubs were near by and any movement could have been taken as a threat making the things ugly.

Rest, what happened can be seen in the video attached herewith for all to see one of the rarest sighting at Kanha National Park. We thank Mr Indranil Bhattacharya ji who was staying with us at Kanha Village Eco Resort for giving us this video to share.

That's Kanha where we respect our wildlife and nature.

M1 - The New King in Making in Kanha

                M1 - The New King in Making

Kanha tiger reserve has almost 90+ Tigers with Munna (CAT) at the forefront being the most famous tiger of all in present times. Tigers come and go, some are able to craft their territory within the forests of Kanha and some have to look for safe home elsewhere.

Cubs of T8 - Mundidadar female, Jan 2017

T 8 also known as Mundidadar female had 4 cubs, all male who have spread over different areas of Kanha after leaving their mother. Of these 2 are often sighted in tourism area and 2 rarely. I had seen them with their mother last season on 5th of January 2017. It was one of the best sighting for me that season. This year T8 (Mundidadar) has rarely been sighted and we are expecting she has given another litter.

Cubs of T 8, playing, Jan 2018

This season I could spot M1, one of the 4 cubs of T8 on couple of occasions and here are a couple of photographs for all to see and enjoy. He is a bold but elusive male, remains around when seen, but is rarely spotted.

M1, the bold one

We are expecting him to settle down somewhere within the core area itself but he has severe competition. Only time will tell if he is strong enough to carve out a territory for himself or is thrown out by other more experienced tigers.

M1, cub of T8, is trying to carve his territory

Hopefully we will continue seeing him in Kanha for long time to come.

Kanha National Park - Zones or Gates

Zones and Gates in Kanha National Park

Kanha National Park and Tiger Reserve is one of the most visited forest reserve in India. Tourists from all over the world visit Kanha to spot the majestic king of the forest – Tiger and other wildlife, wildlife photography, enjoy the peaceful environs and spend time with family and friends. Most tourists visiting Kanha go for Jungle excursions in open Gypsy to enjoy the forest and spot wild animals.

Tiger in Kanha

When visiting Kanha you need to plan your jungle safari excursions and here is where many get confused. Kanha has zones for safaris and entry is through gates but mostly we get confused for zones as gates.

The Zones:

Safari in kanha is conducted by the forest department and tourists are permitted to visit only 4 zones – Kanha, Kisli, Sarhi and Mukki, in core area. Along with we have 3 buffer zones – Khatia, Sijhora and Khapa, also available for safaris. Rarely visited by tourists, Phen Sanctuary is a satellite core of Kanha, leopard and sloth bear sighting here is very good.

Tourism zones of Kanha National Park

The Entry points:

Kanha national park has many entries off which 3– Khatia, Sarhi and Mukki gates are open for tourists.

Accessibility:

·         Khatia gate (also known as Kisli gate) is the main entry gate for excursions. If you are staying near Khatia gate (we have many resorts in Khatia, Mocha and Boda Chhapri villages) you can go to any of core zones for safari as well as visit Khatia buffer.

·         Sarhi gate is the northern gate and we can visit Sarhi, Kanha and Kisli zones from this entry point. Sarhi gate does not have good accommodation although Madhya Pradesh Tourism is coming up with a property here and forest department runs some home stays. Rarely anyone stays at Sarhi side so most entry to Sarhi zone is from Khatia gate only.

·         Mukki gate is best for entry to Mukki, Kanha and Kisli zones.

·         Entry to Khatia, Sijhora and Khapa zones are easily accessible from Khatia, Sarhi and Mukki gates respectively.   

Kanha Tiger Reserve - Core and Buffer Map

How to plan your excursion:

When planning a jungle safari trip to Kanha keep accessibility in mind, for gate as well as zone. If you are staying towards Khatia gate you can visit any of 4 core zones. Here you enter from Khatia gate, reach Kisli zone first and take designated route to reach your permitted zone.  If staying towards Khatia gate we suggest not to take Mukki zone for evening rides as it is almost 45 minutes’ drive (although it is from inside the park / core area) since you have less time in evening excursions you will not get enough time in your designated zone. (The route we take to reach Mukki zone via Kisli zone and come back or vice a versa is one of the best for spotting tigers so if you are ready to take the risk, no issues there.) Remember, if you have booked your permits for Sarhi zone and staying at Mukki gate side you must drive down 40 Km’s (60 – 70 minutes) to Khatia gate for taking entry.

Kanha is the best forest to spot tigers

Khatia gate is easily accessible from Jabalpur, Raipur and Nagpur. Mukki side is easy to reach from Raipur and Bilaspur. Sarhi gate can be reached from Jabalpur, Raipur and Bilaspur easily.

Travel time between gates:

Travelling from Khatia gate to Mukki or Sarhi gate takes almost an hour. Travelling to Sarhi gate from Mukki takes almost 1 hour 30 minutes.

Suggestion:

A very common question from visitors is: Which is the best zone for spotting tigers in Kanha? A very difficult question to answer because sightings change due to many reasons but certainly Kanha and Mukki zones will come on top followed by Kisli and Sarhi. 

If you are visiting Kanha for 3 nights 4 days and taking 4 safaris, which are on day 2 and 3, I will suggest following itinerary for safaris –

If you are staying at Khatia gate side:

Option 1	Option 2
Safari 1 (Morning) – Kanha zone Safari 2 (Evening) – Kisli zone Safari 3 (Morning) – Mukki zone Safari 4 (Evening) – Kisli zone	Safari 1 (Morning) – Kanha zone Safari 2 (Evening) – Kisli zone Safari 3 (Morning) – Kanha zone Safari 4 (Evening) – Kisli zone

If you are staying at Mukki gate side:

Option 1	Option 2
Safari 1 (Morning) – Kanha zone Safari 2 (Evening) – Mukki zone Safari 3 (Morning) – Kisli zone Safari 4 (Evening) – Mukki zone	Safari 1 (Morning) – Mukki zone Safari 2 (Evening) – Mukki zone Safari 3 (Morning) – Mukki zone Safari 4 (Evening) – Mukki zone

These are suggested safari itineraries for Kanha and different combinations can be worked out. Do keep in mind before finalising the zone or booking permit for safari in Kanha do call your accommodation provider, check on social media or talk to someone who resides in Kanha (Guide / Gypsy Driver / Naturalist), you maybe suggested a different safari itinerary as per sighting and availability of permits. Also, we can only suggest but there is no assurance of spotting tigers since they are free roaming animals, tracking them takes a lot of hard work and experience and certainly your luck plays a big part here.  

Kanha forest has beautiful landscape

Hope the above will be helpful in better planning, making your jungle holiday toKanha an enjoyable and memorable experience.

Happy Tiger Tracking …….

Do comment and share if you like the post, Thank you

Best 5 Tiger Reserves of Central India

Spot the Stripes in Central Indian Forests

Travelling to forests of India to spot the striped big cat - Tiger, in its home - Jungle, is every wildlife lover and travellers dream vacation. Travellers from all over the world visit India to spot these majestic cats in the wild. Spotting Tigers and photographing them in the wild is an unforgettable experience. India boasts of maximum Tigers in the wild and one of the best places in the world to spot them. Today India has many Tiger reserves famous within the tiger lover community and choosing any one or two of them is not easy. 



Munna - The famous tiger of Kanha Tiger Reserve

Central India has the maximum number of Tiger Reserves with the state of Madhya Pradesh alone having 7. Here is a list of 5 best tiger reserves to chose from for your upcoming trip.

Kanha Tiger Reserve -

Spread over 940 Sq Kms, situated in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha national park is on top of the list. Also known as Kanha Kisli Tiger Reserve, it has one of the best developed tourism infrastructure. It can be easily reached from Jabalpur, Nagpur, Raipur and Gondia. Kanha has more than 100 tigers and is the only wilderness where you can spot Hard ground Swamp deer or Barasingha - the twelve tinned deer. Kanha's Sal and Bamboo forests are one of the best place to rejuvenate your body, mind and soul. Kanha is the best managed national park of India.



Hard Ground Swamp Deer of Kanha

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve -

Famous for spotting tigers and it's historically important ruins, Bandhavgarh is one tiger reserves you should not miss. With very good infrastructure and easy to reach from Jabalpur and Khajuraho it is always on top of list of wildlife lovers and photographers. It is located in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. Bandhavgarh forests are also famous for having the highest density of tigers as well as for white tigers. If it is only the tigers on your list Bandhavgarh will certainly be on the top.

Pench Tiger Reserve -

Famous as playground of famous writer Rudyard Kipling, it is said his novel  'Jungle Book' was written with forest of Pench as the set. Pench is dry deciduous forest patch and visibility is very high (especially in dry season) compared to other reserves. It is easily reached from Nagpur and Jabalpur as well as Pachmarhi. Pench forests also have very good bird population and known as bird watchers paradise. You can spot tigers with ease and if lucky leopard, wolf and host of birds as well.

 

Leopard in forests of Central India

 

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve -

One of the most famous and well known of all tiger reserves, Ranthamhore is situated in Sawai Madhopur District in Rajasthan state. With dry deciduous forest and 3 main ponds (namely Padam Talao, Raj Talao and Malik Talao) spread over the park, spotting a tiger here is relatively easy and ruins of Ranthambhore fort and old princely state make the spotting surreal. Famous for Tiger men of India - Late Shri Fateh Singh ji Rathore and longest living tigress Machli, it has been visited by many from the list of rich and famous. It has very good rail and road connectivity and well developed tourism infrastructure.

Panna Tiger Reserve - 

Khajuraho is famous for its temples and visited by tourists from all over the world. Panna is only 30 Kilometer from Khajuraho but rarely visited although it is one of the best reserves to spot Tigers and Leopards. Panna lost all its tigers to poaching sometime back but with hard work of forest department and support of locals they have come back and regained their kingdom. Panna forests are very good for bird watching and one of the last places in Central India where you can spot 8 species of vultures. Easily reached from Khajuraho and Satna, Panna is one place I will suggest not to miss.    

 

Tiger in forest of India

 

I will suggest to visit minimum 2 tiger reserves, 3 night stay at each and 4 safaris at both destinations. This will increase your chances of spotting tiger and you will be able to enjoy the wilderness to its best.

 

Happy Tiger Trailing .........



Spotting a tiger in wild is an unforgettable experience.

 

  
 

Step by step guide to book your safari excursion

Want to spot a tiger in the wild?
Planning a wildlife holiday to Madhya Pradesh?

Tiger at Kanha National Park

Book your safari well in advance to have a great safari experience......

Here is a how to book your own safari, a step to step guide to make your wildlife experience a perfect one and end dependency on others:

1 - Go to website https://forest.mponline.gov.in/Search.aspx

2 - Choose your Destination - Following options are available at present - Kanha national park, Bandhavgarh national park, Pench national park, Panna national park and Satpura national park. Here we have chosen Kanha.

3 - Choose your date of travel
4 - Choose your ticket type - You have 2 options to choose between full vehicle permit and single person permit. If only 2 - 3 people are going for holiday and you are comfortable with sharing with others single vehicle permit is a good option. If you are going for photography or with a larger group of 4 - 6 guests it is better to book full vehicle permit.
5 - Click on - 'Excursion Availability' tab

6 - Click on date for which you want to book safari excursion. Here in example we have clicked 01-12-2016 for full vehicle permit.

7 - Fill Zone (Kanha / Kisli / Sarhi / Mukki) and round details (morning / evening).
8 - Leave vehicle type and other details as it is and click on 'Proceed for tourist details' tab.

9 - Fill full details as required, do not forget ID proof number of all guests. Click at 'I agree' tab at last and Continue tab.

10 - Check all details, note down the booking id generated. Click payment tab.

11 - Make payment online. You will get a confirmation that your ticket is booked.

Carry your ticket printout along with original ID proof as filled while booking permit, get it checked at entry gate and enjoy your safari.

Present safari permit rate (2016 - 17 Season) is 1500/- for a full vehicle permit. You also have to pay Rs. 50/- extra as portal charges. Vehicle charges and guide charges are extra which you have to pay at the hotel or entry gate. Safari vehicle charges are between 1800/- to 2500/- at different national parks.

Enjoy your forest excursions at Tiger reserves of Madhya Pradesh, Cheers!!!