In 2010, the Chandoli National Park was declared as a part of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. This missing piece of a green jigsaw fell into place, finally, ensuring that a large tract of forests in the Western Ghats in Maharashtra fall into one continuous stretch. <img alt="" src="http://images.mid-day.com/2013/dec/DSC_0241-c.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 329px;" /> Backwaters of Chandoli dam. Pics/C Gangadharan Menon Why Chandoli? Chandoli on one side adjoins the Koyna Sanctuary, and on the other side the Radhanagari Sanctuary. This stretch provides for a corridor for the tigers and leopards to reach the forests of Goa, in case they choose to take a long walk. <img alt="" src="http://images.mid-day.com/2013/dec/DSC_0256-c.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 361px;" /> Malabar Lily As we set out to reach this green corridor, Janabai&rsquo;s mango tree in this region was one of the stops. Finding it was an exercise in mud-track rally driving. The looming mango tree was at least 100 years old and had a story behind it. Janabai, a generous woman of her times, had offered money to the shepherd community called the dhangars. Thus, helping them pay their land tax to the British during pre-independence days. In her honour, they planted a mango sapling, and today, it towers over 200 feet, and is seen with its head and shoulders above the other forest trees from as far away as 5 kms! <img alt="" src="http://images.mid-day.com/2013/dec/IMG_7989-c.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 336px;" /> Baya Weaver on its nest Back at the base, we attended a training programme conducted under the able guidance of Mohan Karnat, the Chief Conservator of Forests, Kolhapur. A team of nearly 80 guards and officers were imbibing the latest methods of GPS tracking, using the best wireless systems, setting up of camera traps, and familiarisation with new laws that empower them. The senior officers and a special visiting faculty from other states jointly conducted this. <img alt="" src="http://images.mid-day.com/2013/dec/DSC_0292-c.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 300px;" /> Yellow flowers with mist rising in the background Bird-call time A birding trip was on the cards the following morning. Soon after we left the road and walked on to the forest path, we entered the primary forest. The excitement was palpable as we came across the massive hoof-marks of a herd of bison as they trailed down a hill-slope. In another patch, wild boars had uprooted edible plants for dinner last night. We spotted Tree Pies, Babblers, Paradise Flycatchers, Woodpeckers, Drongos and ScarletMinivets who gave us company. <img alt="" src="http://images.mid-day.com/2013/dec/11M125226.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 668px;" /> Representational Pic When we returned, Karnat greeted us with news about the birth of few tiger cubs that were sighted in the reserve. But the location wasn&rsquo;t disclosed; this we learnt remains a closely guarded secret privy to a couple of trusted officers. One of them, Shrirang Shinde, was an avid botanist who showed us several incredible plants in the area: Bamburti, a plant that&rsquo;s used by localsto preserve dead bodies. Daatpadi that&rsquo;s fed to cattle to increase their weight just before a village auction! Chirkha, which on being fed to a dying cow will make the cow stand up, albeit for a few minutes and Agara the grain of which is used by locals to cook food during drought, as it&rsquo;s the only plant that survives extreme lack of water. At Kaas, we witnessed a beautiful sight. Shinde, who has been studying the flora of Western Ghats for almost three decades, was part of a team that discovered a new species of grass. It was named Eulalia Shrirangi after the master botanist ShrirangYadav. How to get there &gt;&gt; Chandoli is 380 kms from Mumbai. &gt;&gt;u00a0Turn at Islampur after driving along the Mumbai-Kolhapur highway. &gt;&gt;u00a0It&rsquo;s another 35 kms from there. Best season November to Marchu00a0Where to stay: Inspection Bungalow at Warnavati. Write to Executive Engineer, Irrigation Department, Mandur, Kolhapuru00a0 Call: 02345226318 / 02342224539 Carnival time in kochi Enjoy the last week of the year at a cultural spectacle called the Cochin Carnival, which is celebrated at Fort Kochi, every year. The festival includes several unique games, dirt bike races, beach volleyball and fireworks display along with cultural performances as part of the festivities. The carnival is celebrated as a continuity of the Portuguese New Year revelry, which used tobe held at the fort during when they ruled over these parts. From: December 25 to January 1 At: Fort Kochi. u00a0

There's good news for India's tiger conservation movement. Chandoli has been declared as part of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, thereby opening up an entire corridor to allow the big cat to move freely across this these forests of the Western Ghats

Green hope for Maharashtra's big cats

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Green hope for Maharashtra's big cats

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