India | tigers | Bandhavgarh National Park | World Health Organization
Related Topics
Related Articles
Out Of India
by Kevin Raub
FOR THOSE WHO may not know, India is home
to more than half of the world's endangered tigers, though its
numbers are declining fast. Poaching and other environmental
concerns have contributed to the Indian tiger population's plummet
from 40,000 at the turn of the twentieth century to a downright
shameful figure that today is estimated to hover between 2,500 and
4,000. And India holds the distinction of being the only country in
the world in which both lions and tigers reside. Intrepid
travelers, bear that in mind when you come here and go on
safari.
I soon learn, though, that India's national parks are also home to
a slew of fascinating animals that I've never heard of (and not
just because some of them are referred to only by their Hindi
names). Do you know what a gaur is? I thought not.
Because of that, Taj and CC Africa have planned five new luxury
game lodges in five national parks in India. The first one, Mahua
Kothi, just opened in Bandhavgarh National Park, in the central
Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Bandhavgarh is home to the highest
concentration of Royal Bengal tigers in the world; an estimated 55
of them make
their home within the 450-square-mile
preserve. Visiting here is all about seeing the majestic beasts,
though the lodge itself ain't too shabby
either. Taj and CC Africa took over the former Churhat Kothi Lodge,
let loose -Johannesburg-based designer
Chris Brown on the property to transform it from a $300-a-night
lodge into a $600-a-night lodge, and voilà! The first luxe Indian
safari was up and running.
Share Your Comments