Barasingha - The twelve tined deer

The Barasingha or Swamp Deer (cervus duvaucelii) is one of the most vulnerable species of deer, native to India and Nepal. The name is derived from its antlers and means 12 tined or horned deer in Hindi which is its most striking feature although mature stag has anywhere between 10-14 tines, though some have been known to have up to 20. Barasingha are also known as swamp deer, they love to live in dry grasslands, wet swampy grasslands and reed beds bordering the major rivers. Their main diet is grass which is available from vast grassland of central and northern India and they also feed from the bed of wet swamps.

 

Barasingha has been divided into three races namely duvauceli (swamp-dwelling and found in the Terai of Uttar Pradesh and Assam), branderi (is found in Central India) and ranjitsinhi which is seen at Assam. The central Indian race is known as Hard ground Barasingha as they have adapted to central Indian plains and live in the vicinity of forests. Today it is found only within the limits of Kanha National Park and is rightly called as 'The Jewel Of Kanha'.

Swamp deer is a medium sized deer, which grows to a height of 130 cm and weighs around 170 – 180 kg. It has thick brown coat, which becomes darker in color as the mating season approaches. In monsoon season the females start showing white spots as in Spotted deer but they are not very prominent. Male deer has antlers, which can grow to length of 75 cm with girth of 13cm at mid beam. Barasingha can be seen grazing both in the daytime as well as at night. Female Barasingha mature at an age of 2 years or more.

 

They usually move around in herds, consisting of ten to twenty members. However, the size of a herd keeps on changing, as the breeding or mating season comes, the number of members in a herd goes as high as sixty. The dominance over a herd of female deer is established by a fight amongst the male Barasingha. The breeding season of the swamp deer is during the winter months of November and December when males long rutting calls can be heard. They have a long gestation period of 6 months. Mother Barasingha gives birth to single young one and for protection from predators they conceal them in tall grass. It has an acute sense of smell and depends on this capacity to sense any danger.

At one point of time, Barasingha used to inhabit most of the areas of northern as well as central India. However, habitat destruction and poaching has restricted them to the protected forests of Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Madhya Pradesh. At a time the central Indian population (Hard ground Barasingha) had decreased to less than 70 and were on the brink of extinction when the forest department took in hand the precarious task of their conservation and due to hard work and dedication it has risen to a level of around 450. Their population worldwide is estimated at around 5000. The drastic decline of the Barasingha population is due to distruction or modification of its habitat, Poaching and shooting and Diseases introduced by cattle.

One can find the Barasingha (Swamp deer) in the following national parks of India:

• Dudhwa National Park (Uttar Pradesh)

• Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh)

• Kaziranga National Park (Assam)

• Manas National Park (Assam)

To see Barasingha the best place to visit will be Kanha National Park and Tiger reserve since it has a well developed tourism infrastructure and also easy to reach. Meeting Dr. Shukla, research officer and an integral part of Barasingha conservation here can also make it a very motivating and educational tour.

Barasingha durin rutting  season (Kanha National park)

Barasingha at Kanha National Park

Hard ground Barasingha at Kanha National Park

Kanha National Park

Tiger at Kanha National Park

Planning a Tiger safari is not an easy task with places like Siberia to Indonesia, China and India on the list. Each of these tiger countries is different culturally and geographically so give an altogether different experience. With snow and icy cold winds of Siberia to tropical climate in India you can experience the diverse habitat where Tigers live.

I haven’t been to other countries for tiger safari but with what I have learnt and heard from other travelers India seems to be the best place for tiger safari. It is good not only for watching wildlife and tiger but also enjoying the diverse culture and especially tribal culture. The most famous national parks in central India are in state of Madhya Pradesh which also has large number of tribal population and they are around these NP areas only.

Kanha National Park and Tiger reserve is one of the most famous of the lot along with Bandhavgarh and Ranthambhore NP’s. Thousands of Tourists and wildlife enthusiasts come here to see wildlife and enjoy nature at its best. Sal and Bamboo forests and grasslands known as Maidans locally are excellent habitat for Tiger and other wildlife. It is here that Mogli, Sher Khan and other characters of famous Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling got shape. This famous forest tract also known as Kanha Landscape was the inspiration behind The Jungle Book and has helped understand Indian wildlife in many scientific studies including George Schaller’s.

For tourists this park is open from 16th October till 30th June every year. You can see the wildlife on Gypsy safari’s and on elephant back if tiger show is announced. Now the forest department has come up with a new scheme known as ‘Patrolling the Tiger land’ wherein you can get a chance to stay inside the park in huts made for the guards and see the forest and its inhabitants on foot. This is allowed in few areas and designated tracks open for tourists. This is not only pollution free way of enjoying trip to forest but also an experience in itself but surely this is not for week hearted once as chances of face to face encounter with wild animals although exciting is also dangerous. Only the very well trained and accustomed people should try to take this way of wildlife viewing on foot.

When on trip to Kanha national park you can stay at the forest rest house or MP tourism hotels which are in the core area or many privately owned once which are scattered in the Buffer region. Here you can get accommodation available for as low as 500/= INR to 60,000/= INR. Some good places to stay here are Kanha Village Eco Resort, Kipling Camp, Banjar Tola and Singinawa resort at the higher end and for low and medium end Chandan Motel, Panther resort, Mridu Kishore resort and Krishna jungle resort are good choices. Most of these hotels and resorts will also help to arrange for safaris on Gypsy.

It is advisable to reach here with advance booking in main holiday seasons of Dushraa and Dipawali (October / November), New Year (20th December to 7th January) and Holi (March). If you are a photography enthusiast try to plan somewhere in April when the hot day time increases the chances of wildlife viewing and photography. For further details on Kanha NP you can check http://kanhavillage.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html

Spotted Deer herd at Kanha National Park

Gaur (Indian Bison) at Kanha National Park

Dance for Goddess

Dance for Goddess

People in villages celebrate few days in reverence to Goddess Durga, here one such person is dancing to please her. If you visit Kanha Village Eco Resort you can also get a chance to see these cultural activities.

Rahul Gandhi - Tribal and farmers issues

Rahul Gandhi

Mr. Rahul Gandhi one of the most eligible bachelors in India, the most liked candidate for Prime minister visited Niyamgiri, Orissa and announced that mining will not be allowed in Niyamgiri hills and that he is with the locals and tribal community. He said that people of Niyamgiri should take him as their own voice in Delhi and that he will try his best to do everything to for the tribal and other local communities.

Rahul Gandhi met the Prime Minister in Delhi and asked to expedite the new land acquisition act which is believed to be much better and beneficial for the farmers. This was done just ahead of farmer rally at Delhi which was to be attended by small and petty farmers from all over the country. He told farmers and farm workers that he is with them and will see to it that new land acquisition act is tabled in parliament in next session.

These announcements will have a very long term implication politically and environmentally. I believe these are more of political announcements but when we look at the advantage and benefit the local people, tribal and farming communities will get and its direct or indirect implication on environment I believe it will be positive for all.

Both the announcements show that Mr. Gandhi has come long way and has become a much matured politician as well. We have seen him living at poor people houses, visiting tribal areas, trying to understand their problems and also opposition and many others criticizing all this as political stunts. But with these announcements I believe he has started understanding the real problems our people are facing and all his visits and eating with poor and under privileged class has actually helped him a lot.

But, what are the advantages here, if we look deep into both the announcements it comes out that these are the demands of people who were being effected by new mega projects. Be it forest land or private land in most of the acquisitions displacement of local people and petite compensation had always been criticized by all effected. Better compensation and say of local people in any project has always been heard and demanded but till now no step was taken and now it is being done. At places like Niyamgiri where mining is being proposed environmental implication has always been raised by concerned NGO’s and displacement and health problems by local people and now they will be happy that environmental degradation will not happen. At places where land is being acquired for new multi million projects or roads, farmers and local communities has opposed it by asking for better compensation and now they will get it.

Rahul Gandhi's announcement also shows that we have started looking into those issues which have always been raised but went to deaf ears. Be it change in age old laws, right of local people, rights of tribal community or other like issues. If these issues are given proper hearing I am sure this will be good and benificial for all. Today our environment and forest minister now knows that he has support from one of the strongest politician in the country and this will certainly give him strength to work better.

With this Rahul Gandhi has also tried to give a solution to Naxal problem our country is facing. If tribal communities are given better rights and importance in governance this will certainly benefit all and people will start leaving naxal movement. If the tribal communities start feeling that they have a voice at the centre and someone is ready to fight for their cause they may leave the violence path and join the development way. By telling the tribal people that he is with them and their voice and that he will oppose the new mining project he has certainly raised confidence within the community and I am sure we will see some positive developments soon.

Garibo ke Sipahi or Garibo ka Masiha (Soldier of Poor or God of Poor) what is he trying to show? This question was raised by one of the most famous TV news channel. Well I will say this is nothing more than maturity and what we are seeing is the right person for the prime minister post. Someone who understands problems our under priviledged, tribal and farmers are facing and I believe as a leader we can expect a lot from him.

Kanha Village Eco Resort gets Award

Eco Tourism Initiative Award 2010

Kanha Village Eco Resort near Kanha National Park and Tiger reserve our eco initiative gets award at 81st TTF, Ahmedabad. We thank the well wishers and supporters it's due to there wishes we have recieved this award. Thank you TTF board and jury for recognizing our effort to develop eco tourism around national parks.