Dispatches

Conservation

The Kanha model

Rakesh Shukla
The black-naped monarch. Photo: Anant Zanjale
The grey wagtail. Photo: Anant Zanjale
The ruddy sheldrake. Photo: Anant Zanjale
The crested hawk-eagle. Raptors are an important health indicator of a wildlife ecosystem. Photo: Anant Zanjale
Despite the effort put into the conservation of the tiger, it remains a highly endangered species and needs stringent protection and a good prey base for survival. Photo: Rachit Singh
Despite the effort put into the conservation of the tiger, it remains a highly endangered species and needs stringent protection and a good prey base for survival. Photo: Anant Zanjale
The amazing flying squirrel is a master glider-mammal, which relies on a wing-like structure of its extended skin. Photo: Sudhir Mishra
The elusive mouse deer. Its presence is indicative of the health of an ecosystem. It is a unique, shy and well-camouflaged small deer, which has a three-chambered stomach instead of the four-chambered one seen in other ruminants. Photo: Anant Zanjale
A mixed herd of sambar deer in summer. Photo: Anant Zanjale
The hard ground barasingha, endemic to Kanha, is threatened by many factors. Photo: Sudhir Mishra
A barking deer in typical sal patch. Photo: Suresh Deshmukh
Although overshadowed by the tiger, the leopard is an amazing animal that is equally endangered. Photo: Anant Zanjale
The sloth bear. It is a Schedule I animal that is poached mainly for its gall bladder. The bile supposedly has medicinal value. Photo: Anant Zanjale
An annual rejuvenation camp for elephants owned by the Forest Department. These well-trained pachyderms play a great role in the protection of remote areas of Kanha. Photo: Suresh Deshmukh
The king vulture. Its steady decline has been a matter of concern. Kanha still supports a small population of this species. Photo: Suresh Deshmukh
Collared scops owls. Photo: Anant Zanjale
Conservation efforts have restored Kanha's healthy and structurally complex forests of sal and mixed vegetation and its excellent grasslands. Photo: Sudhir Mishra
Wild dogs, known as the “whistling hunters”. They are Schedule I animals under the Wildlife Act and their distribution outside protected areas is seriously threatened. Photo: Anant Zanjale