Kabini – where time stands still
Published July 26, 2011 | 
Kabini, one of the most popular wildlife destinations of Karnataka was hand picked as the destination for our annual leisure trip not by chance but after a meticulous research and ground work by the seasoned hands of the Karma Kerala travel desk. At the end of it all, we are happy that it paid off by offering us one of the most beautiful holidays ever. Kabini is 3 hours drive from Wayanad and it retains its pristine charm even today. The lush green landscape surrounding a large picturesque lake and fantastic sightings of large herds of elephants, makes it a favorite choice for wild life enthusiasts.
It is only 80km away from Mysore and comprises the south-eastern part of Nagarhole National Park, now named as Rajiv Gandhi National Park. Spread over an area of 247 square miles, it is considered one of the best wildlife parks of India, famous for elephants , tigers, wild buffaloes and spotted deer among others. The landscape around is breathtaking and is made of gentle slopes and shallow valleys dotted with grass lands, swamps and deciduous trees.
In case you are looking for a quiet holiday away from the hustle and the bustle of the cities, plan a trip to Kabini, where time stands still. Apart from the occasional rumblings of the cars and jeeps ferrying the tourists, Kabini is secretive and silent. Enjoy a tryst with nature, tuck in a banter session with your friends around the bonfire, set out on a paddle boat or break free from the mundane. No matter whatever you choose to do in Kabini, the bottomline reads that you will go back recharged and refreshed, ready to take life head on!
Malabar wild life sanctuary set up
Published August 9, 2010 | 
Kerala got a memorable onam gift in the form of the 16th wild life sanctuary in the state which has come up in Kozhikode. Comprising of the forest zones of Kakkayam and Pannikottor, the reserve, which is aptly named as Malabar would give further impetus to the tourism prospects of the state. To streamline the activities, new forest stations will be commissioned at Kakkayam and Pannikkottor soon.
Spread over an area of 74.22 Sq Km, this nature park has an exceptional flora and fauna. Some of the rare plant species seen in this area include orchids, grasses, ferns and various native flowering plants. Animals like tiger, elephant, wild buffalo and lion tailed macaques live in this area. This region is also home for over 148 species of butterflies, 52 types of fishes, 180 species of birds and 38 types of amphibians including a rare frog variety named Philatus Oschlandrae, which is seen only in Malabar sanctuary, which makes it a haven for nature enthusiasts.
Rampant deforestation, poaching and encroachment of forests have pushed many wild animals and plants on to the verge of extinction and initiative such as setting up nature parks would help to reverse the damage to some extent. Kerala’s main economic stay is tourism and hospitality industry and hence it is all the more important to make sure that the forest wealth is protected and preserved at its pristine best, which in turn would enhance the tourist footfalls.
Tiger Tourism to End in India
Published April 28, 2010 | India’s environment ministry has ordered local states to wind down tourism in the core areas of India’s Tiger reserves as fears that the noise and disruption of tiger tourism is undermining the health and long term survival. With numbers of Tigers in India ranging from 1500 to 800 in the wild, it is clear that the wild cat will stay wild no longer unless it is given some break from the constant tramp of 4x4s and elephants following them around.
In Kerala, only the Periyar Tiger Reserve will be effected and it is not even clear whether there are any tigers in the reserve any more. In Northern India, the big hotel groups with their fancy safari lodges are going to really suffer.
The Tiger trails continue…..
Published March 18, 2010 | 
To ensure the survival of tigers in the wild, the Kerala State and Indian Government should make stringent laws and punishment that would be deterrent to the wrong doers. Though the recent amendments have provision for as much as 75 lakh fine and 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for killing a tiger, many loop holes in the law still exist! Many countries like Siberia have very strict laws where a person can be jailed for even cutting trees that form part of the habitat of the Siberian Tigers!
Well experienced and armed forest guards should be employed and the green cover should be enhanced by planting more trees and clearing off the illegal human settlements. Unlike elephants, which travel long distances in search of food and water, tigers do not like to wander long distances. So a regular food supply needs to be ensured to make sure that the tiger makes it through the lean patch. It is reclusive and solitary and normally like to live near dark and dingy caves and cliffs close to the water bodies.
Ordinary people like you and me can do many things to save this animal. In case you happen to live in the hill stations , amidst plantations or along the periphery of the tiger reserves, chances are that you get a chance to meet eye to eye with this creature. If it is devouring your cattle, it is because his natural food supply chain is cut due to the insensitive human behaviour. If you spot a tiger lurking in your backyard, do not harm it – Be responsible in your actions and inform the matter to the wild life officials, who will ensure its safe release to its home back in the wild.
We should spread awareness among the local community including schools to make sure that the urgency of the matter gets maximum coverage. If you know any habitual wild life offenders or poachers in your area, bring the matter to the attention of the wild life officials.
A mass conservation drive is the need of the hour where every single effort counts. Like the many drops that make a mighty ocean, our small tasks would make a quality change in the wild life richness of India that comprises of not just the tigers but all wild animals. Let us join our hands to ensure the survival of these beautiful creations of our ancient land, India well known for it non violence and peace loving credentials.
We at Karmakerala have decided to keep aside a space in our blog to follow the pug marks of this beautiful animal and with every new pug mark in the muddy tracks of the deep jungles, we can be rest assured that India is one step closer to the mission- to save the ultimate predator of the wild- The Great Indian Tiger!
Looks like there is some hope left for the 1411 Tigers remaining!
Published February 22, 2010 | The inauguration of the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve at Anappadi in Palakkad district on 20th February is some glad news for those who have been striving to make a difference and voice their opinion in the “Save Our Tigers” campaign launched by Aircel.
Well now, this shows that Kerala does really care and is solid proof as to how the people of Kerala do feel about this sensitive issue. “Action speaks louder than words “and yes, this venture does call for a lot of appreciation.
It was only recently that the dwindling Tiger population of the country caught the common man’s attention and it was not until Aircel launched their campaign that people began to voice their opinion. But as it is “Better late than Never”, it looks like people are beginning to feel the sting of it and doing all what they can to help save these beasts from mining, poaching and other operations by real estate mafia.
In his inaugural address, Union minister of state for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh said
“The extinction of Tigers is because there is a real-estate mafia, mining mafia and there is a crime syndication which wants to finish-off all Tigers and lay claim to the forest land and that is the real danger. The danger is not just to Tigers but it is to the forest land itself,”
Formerly known as Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, today, this reserve contains 20 out of the 1411 tigers remaining. The Tiger Reserve is the 38th in India and the 2nd in Kerala.
It is a harsh reality that out of the 40, 000 tigers estimated to be in India at the beginning of the 20th century, only around 1400 remain. An even more sad fact projected is that one tiger per day is dying!
The questions -”How did this happen?Where have they gone?” brings in multiple answers-all unsatisfactory! But what we, as citizens of India can do, is to do our best in trying to protect the ones that are remaining!
The Tiger – A magnificent animal needs your help!
Published February 17, 2010 | 
The country is being urged to support the magnificent tiger our national animal which is now just 1411 in number. A dismal number when once the jungles of India were full of them, sending shivers down a human’s spine if he were to go to the jungle for firewood.
Yes the Tiger was the lord of the jungle and the fear kept humans away from the forests. The beautiful, ferocious animal was in fact helping to conserve nature from human encroachment – one of nature’s own conservationists!
But we are to blame, human encroachment led to tigers being called man-eaters. In the book “Man-eaters of Kumaon” Jim Corbett had this to say about the tiger -
Human beings are not the natural prey of tigers, and it is only when tigers have been incapacitated through wounds or old age that, in order to survive, they are compelled to take to a diet of human flesh.
A tiger on a fresh kill, or a wounded tiger, or a tigress with small cubs, will occasionally kill human beings who disturb them; but these tigers cannot, by any stretch of imagination, be called man-eaters,though they are often so called.
Like always ignorance, fear and superstition in our minds have been the cause for the tiger being endangered today.
Last year I had the chance to see a magnificent Bengal tiger in a zoo in Malaysia. There were no cages, it was an enclosure with a pond and a few trees, and a moat to prevent the tiger from getting at the visitors. While all animals there seemed to have lost their spirit and seemed tame, the tiger was definitely a wild one- he kept pacing up and down making growls. He was a sight to behold, all other animals paled in comparison including the lazy African lion.
From the Shere Khan of Jungle Book by Kipling to being the pet of Lord Ayyappa in Kerala, the tiger has always been a fascination to us all. The Tiger is our national animal because it is a great symbol of India’s glorious past.
Every state in the country except Gujarat has a tiger reserve and the government is today making a change in this. Join the cause, do your bit, blog, Tweet or join clubs to help save the tiger. We cannot let such a beautiful animal, so much a part of our history and national identity, go extinct!
Tiger – Our National animal is on the verge of extinction
Published February 16, 2010 | 
With only a handful of tigers remaining in the wild- to be precise just 1411 of them!- the count down has started and if we have to save the majestic national animal from extinction we must all act NOW! Bureaucracy, corruption and official apathy have been rated as some of the biggest factors for the sad plight of this dreaded hunter of the wild. It is always better to be late than never . So to conserve this wonderful animal, which is ruthlessly killed for its claws, teeth and skin that fetch a fortune in overseas market, a mass movement is the only solution.
Out of the 27 Tiger Reserves in India, Periyar tiger reserve in Thekkady is in Kerala . Spread over 777 Sq.Km, this wildlife sanctuary is one of the best managed tiger reserves in the country. on February 19th Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary in Palakkad district in Kerala, will be declared as the second tiger reserve in the State by union environment minister Jairam Ramesh. But setting up more tiger reserves is only job half done. Preservation of the animal and the habitat are very crucial to ensure the success to the project Tiger programme. Tribals who are familiar with the forests and the wild animals like the back of their hands should be involved more in the conservation efforts. Steps should be taken to minimize the man – beasts confrontation by clearing off all the illegal human settlements along the periphery of the forests and tiger reserves.
Live and let live should be the policy of all our efforts to ensure a beautiful world to the generations to come. Man has no right to plunder nature and to take everything good from the universe without ever repaying anything. We have not inherited this beautiful world , we have only borrowed it from our forefathers to be passed on to the succeeding generations! Do not wait for the Government to act. We as a 1.15 billion strong Indian community can make things happen. Let us all get together to save the pride of our nation – the magnificent animal of Tiger. Join hands with social network sites like facebook www.facebook.com/StripeytheCub or show your support at http://www.saveourtigers.com/KnowTheStoryTigerPark.php set up by animal lovers and concerned citizens to save our tigers from extinction. Do your might, no matter however small it may be, because it is after all a matter of life and death!