Kabini- A brief Introduction

The Kabini river, also known as Kapila , originates in the Wayanad district of Kerala and is formed by the confluence of the Panamaran and Manathavady rivers. It flows eastwards into karnataka and joins the Kaveri River at Tirumakudalu Narasipura.

The Nagarhole National Park is situated in the Mysore and Coorg districts of Karnataka and is also known as The Rajiv Gandhi National Park. It has a total area of 644 sq.km and has two tourism zones where game viewing by tourists is permitted. On the south-western side of the park lies the Sunkadakatte Tourism zone which includes the stretch of the Kabini River. 

It is this zone that tourists are familiar with and is casually reffered to as 'Kabini' by them. Safaris or game drives are organized by the resorts that are located there. Two drives per day are allowed of approximately three- hour duration, one in the morning and one in the evening, no tourism is permitted during the rest of the day. 

A pack of asian dholes in the Kabini Woods

The Sunkadakatte Tourism zone is the representative of the forest types of the region having mix of dry and moist deciduous forests and also include the famed backwaters of the Kabini which is a unique micro-habitat on its own. This zone is located in the D.B Kuppe and Antarasante wildlife ranges. As this is a tourism zone certain measures have been taken to facilitate wildlife viewing. 

These include a good network of game roads which enable the tourists to cover all the forest types in the region. About 30 meters on both sides of these roads are cleared of undergrowth to improve visibility. A large number of artificial salt licks are maintained by the forest department all along these roads which attract a large no of herbivores. 

The department has created water holes close to these roads. Some of these water holes namely Bisalwadi, K.V Tank and tiger Tank (so named due to the frequent sightings of the famous feline that occur here) have watch towers. The Bisalwadi watch tower is usually available for viewing during the game drive (rules governing the use of watchtowers are subject to change and its best to check beforehand), but it can get quite crowed at times which usually takes away from the experience. All this makes this zone an excellent place for viewing wildlife. 

Tiger Tank in the meadows

The area called the Russel Line, name after a british forest officer, is representative of the dry deciduous type of forest where the Axel wood tree dominates the landscape. the wood of this tree used to be used in the construction of bullock carts and agricultural implements hence its common name. The undergrowth here is sparser than the other areas of the tourism zone. A waterhole called the Nainji Katte is located here. This waterhole tends to dry up during the summer. 

This is the only place within the tourism zone that includes the habitat favored by the four-Horned antelope, the only species of antelope in Nagarhole, unfortunately is is very rarely seen. Due to the extremely dry nature of the forests here, safari jeeps tend to neglect going here. However, this area is a personal favorite and is highly recommended as it gives the discerning visitor a feel of a dry deciduous forest. Close to the russel line is the Temple Road so called because it passes an old tribal temple. This road leads to G.K Tank(waterhole).

The temple of the temple road

Further north, past the Bisalwadi waterhole is the kymara road that takes you to the Bar- Balle area which is representative of the moist deciduous forest type and is dominated by the tree species like Teak and Nandi. Being a higher rainfall area, the trees here are larger and taller than in the dry deciduous areas. The undergrowth is also much denser. 

The backwaters of the Kabini needs no introduction. The area of the tourism zone contains extensive teak plantations that were raised by the clear felling large areas; this practice has now fortunately been stopped. 

Its the testosterone of this young tusker that pushes him across parks in search of

new begginings.

The grasslands play host to one of the largest congregations of the asiatic elephants in the world. It is also at this time when the Mastigudi temple emerges from the receding waters. The old Kalnokote state forest, the venue of the famous Mysore Kheddas boarders this area. Driving along the banks is not allowed as it disturbs the wildlife, especially the elephants. Nevertheless, there are certain points along the backwaters where one can stop the jeep and enjoy the spectacular wildlife. 

Taking the safari in Kabini is an exhilarating experience in itself if done properly. To fully enjoy and experience nature the visitor needs to be extremely sensitive to his surroundings and display a large measure of patience and self-discipline. A safari can be best described as a sojourn into the wild and there are many ways to do so. Most parks in India, Kabini included, offer jeep rides into the park and these are one of the best ways to do so. 

The advantage of a jeep ride is that one is able to cover a lot of ground in the shortest possible time thus maximizing one's chances of seeing wildlife. However, most jeep safaris turn out to be just mindless drives into the forest. One needs to stop every now and then especially near ecological waterholes that attract game like waterholes etc. A discerning guide is very necessary on any safari and should not be pressured to show animals, as no one is a magician to conjure up a game. Sounds play a very important role and one must be willing to stop and spend time listening. 

A safari jeep in the woods

In my opinion the best way to view wildlife in Kabini especially during the dry season is by boat. Boat safaris are conducted both in the morning and evening. During the dry season, water is let out for irrigation and the lake dries out leaving only the main river visible. Many small islands are formed and petrified trees rise out of the waters giving a surreal effect to the entire landscape. These temporary islands are favored by both crocodiles and elephants. 

The fresh succulent grass on these islands is what attracts the elephants and it is common sight to see these magnificent animals swimming across the river to get to them. These islands become the exclusive preserve of the elephants as no other herbivore can get access to them. However, the elephants have competition from an unlikely source- River terns. These birds build their nests on the ground and are always vary on them getting trampled by elephants. It is quite a common sight to see a large no of river terns mobbing the elephants and driving them away from the islands. 

2 Stags wrestle to control a herd of potential

mates.

Trekking in protected areas is discouraged in India and kabini. The average tourist does not possess the skills to survive in the forest and is thus most vulnerable while on foot. Fitness levels and the ability to climb trees play an important role in escaping danger while on foot and as these are hard to assess it is best to avoid going into the forest on foot. 

Most lodges offer Nature walks or bird watching which are conducted within their well wooded premises, along the river bank (outside the park) and through agricultural fields. These are very rewarding experiences for avid birdwatchers and are highly recommended. If one is a keen birdwatcher it is recommended that he asks the resort naturalist to allow him to indulge in a night walk in and around their property. As most lodges are well wooded these are extremely good chances to spot owls and other nocturnal species like Nightjars. 

Kabini is rated as one of the best wildlife destinations in India and ranks extremely high on the 'To do list' of both domestic and international traveller. However a note of caution is in order- Kabini can be highly addictive. There's magic in these forests, believe in it or forever be blinded by it.