Tiger safaris in India
Tigers, due to the obscene trade in body parts, zoos and Chinese 'traditional' medicine, are still declining fast. The ravages of poaching have left an indelible print on this animals' future. In reserves like Sariska there are no tigers left; and even in Ranthambore, despite large numbers of tourists and plenty of funding, their numbers are still dwindling.
Mud, Man-eaters and Mangroves: Fighting to save the Sundarbans Tigers
There is only one place on earth where wild tigers live in a mangrove swamp. At 10,000km2 the Indian and Bangladeshi Sundarbans is the biggest and most bio-diverse mangrove forest in the world, and home to the tiger.
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However the India National Parks of Kanha, Pench, Panna and Bandhavgarh do offer some hope for this magnificent cat. Other areas in India to enjoy wildlife and wilderness are Bharaptur (birds), Kazaringha - one-horned rhinos, the Sundabans and Corbett National Park.
Travel further north into Nepal and Chitwan has birds, rhino and a few elusive tigers. All parks have leopards but they are notoriously difficult to spot. But if it is leopards in the sub-continent you are after try Yala in Sri Lanka. With no other predators there, they are larger and more concentrated than anywhere else in the world.
Click here to read about Explore's selection of tiger safaris.
