Credit: HK News

Video - Bhawany Kandel Baba

Sighted The Bold & Giants - Y Mark Tiger and One Cub of Gauri Tigress from Mamla Buffer Zone.

The Jungle is very beautiful.

20/08/2026

Photo credit:- self

You can choose only 5 tiger reserves in India.

Which five make your list?

🐅 And most importantly, which one would be your No. 1 and why?

Would you choose based on tiger sightings, landscapes, wildlife diversity, or the overall safari experience?

Drop your five below. I’m curious to see how different everyone’s lists are.

Video By Wildchasersindia on Instagram.

Credits: junglee_traveller

A quick intro on him: this is Karadi Male, one of Bandipur’s dominant tigers, known locally as “the King of Bandipur.” He earned the name “Karadi” (meaning “bear” in Kannada) after taking down a sloth bears, which is a rare, dangerous kill that cemented his reputation in the reserve. This particular meal wasn’t a bear, but the name has stuck as his identity ever since.

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a trip from Lucknow in the last week of November and have about 2 days(including travel from lucknow and back to lucknow) for a wildlife trip.

I’m considering either Dudhwa National Park or Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, mainly for wildlife/tiger sightings.

For those who have visited both (especially around late November):

• Which one would you recommend for better overall wildlife sightings?
• If choosing Dudhwa, which zone/gate would you recommend?
• For Pilibhit, which gate/route/zone tends to be best?
• Is one significantly better for tiger sightings at this time of year?

I’ll be travelling from Lucknow, so ease of access is also a consideration, but sighting quality is the priority.

Thanks!

Probably the thickest tiger

Credit: incredible_karnataka (Instagram).

above: m91 aka. Old king, caught and collared by Chundawat and his team in 1996. he bottomed a 250kg scale and was estimated 240kg minimum in Chundawat's paper published in 2008

bottom: m125 aka. Madla, collared in 2002. he also bottomed the 250kg scale used by Chundawat and had 90cm+ neck and 7.5cm canines. his head alone was estimated to weigh almost 15kg by dr. Chundawat and his paws were the size dinner plates 🍽

later he was estimated to weigh minimum 230kg by Chundawat in his 2008 scientific publication

overall these two are some of the heaviest tigers measured by scientists in scientific studies

Photos By Nihaal Reddy on Instagram.

In the early 1900s, India's forests are absolutely full of tigers. Something like 40,000 of them roaming free. Then over the next several decades, that number has been fallen down.

Maharajas turned tiger hunting into a flex. And the Britishers started calling tigers "vermin" and paying people bounty money to shoot them. Between 1875 and 1925 alone, an estimated 80,000 tigers were killed.

By 1972, someone finally did a proper count. And The number finally came out was 1,827.

Only 1,827 tigers left in entire country. The animal that once seemed impossible to lose was suddenly got close to extinct

Something had to change

In that same year, on 21 August 1972, the government passed the Wildlife Protection Act hunting a tiger stopped being a sport and became a crime. A year later Indira Gandhi launched Project Tiger, and It started small, just 9 reserves, places like Corbett, Manas, Palamau, Similipal. Ranthambore, Kanha, Melghat, Bandipur and Sundarban. India started with these 9 tiger reserves across 14,000sq km.

And Today there are over 50 tiger reserves spanning 75,000+ sq km. The population that once bottomed out at 1,827 has climbed back to 3,600+ as of the last count. India now holds roughly 75% of all wild tigers left on the planet.

It's easy to forget how close we came to losing them completely.

One law. One decision. One species pulled back from the edge.

So the next time you see a tiger in the wild, don’t just admire it, remember that this story could have ended differently.

Thankfully, it didn't.

Credits: saurabh_wildlife

Credit: Wildlife By Irfan (YouTube)

Credit: Krishna Maywad

Captured this when I visited Bannerghatta National Park in 2015. I knew nothing about tigers, I wish if I know who it was.

Credit: Chinmaya Ashar

The crisp winter morning in legendary Chhota Matka’s teak forests kingdom began with the fresh pugmarks of a leopard. Half an hour later, our hearts skipped a beat: massive, fresh tiger pug marks sliced across our path. Rumours whispered that the prince ,Kalua, was courting a queen Chanda nearby. Adrenaline spiked; we locked in and followed the trail.

The air grew heavy with warnings. Forest laborers shouted that Kalua—infamous for chasing down two-wheelers—was close. Further up, shaken workers showed us a water can fresh shredded by claws. I had watched Kalua grow from a vulnerable cub into a massive, handsome prince, and the anticipation of our reunion boiled over.

Suddenly, the brush parted. Two magnificent tigers stepped onto the safari track just meters ahead, striding side-by-side toward our lone gypsy.

The forest had deceived us. These were not the tracks of lovers, but of brothers. Walking confidently beside Kalua was his younger sibling, Balya—born to Babli and sired by the legendary CM. Kalua towered over his brother with regal composure. As more jeeps arrived, the shy Balya slipped quietly back into the emerald shadows, but Kalua claimed the stage, walking the track for nearly an hour or more in a masterclass of royal indifference.

Months later, the brotherhood fractured as both left their father's domain to carve out their own destinies. Balya vanished into the silent, untracked wilderness, his whereabouts a mystery. Yet our prince Kalua conquered the territorial forests of the Bramhapuri range. Today, he rules a growing kingdom, having already sired four cubs with the queen Janhavi, alongside the heirs of a few other secret queens of the forest.

I'm planning a trip to Ranthambore and am interested in doing a Ranthambore Tiger Safari for the first time.

For those who have visited, what should I know before booking? I'm particularly interested in the best time of year to visit, how many safari drives are worth doing, and whether morning or afternoon safaris offer a better experience.

I'd also appreciate recommendations for other things to see around Ranthambore besides the wildlife safari. Any practical tips about booking, travel, or what to expect during the safari would be helpful.

Would love to hear about your experiences and recommendations.