Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) is situated in the eastern part of the state Maharashtra in Central India, an area also known as Vidarbha. TATR is 150 kilometers south of the city of Nagpur, this city is the exact centre of India, and 25 kilometers north of Chandrapur.
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Nature
TATR consists of 625 km2 of protected Dry Deciduous Forest. This means the trees drop their leaves in summers so that the forest can survive under very dry circumstances. The dominant species are Teak (Tectona grandis) and Bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus). Some other major tree species are Ain (Terminalia indica), Arjun (Terminalia arjuna), Bhera (Chloroxylon swietena), Mohwa (Madhuca indica) and Tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon).
Tadoba has a variety of ecosystems, such as woodlands with dense undergrowth of Bamboo, grasslands in small patches, riparian zones along the rivers and streams or nals and wetlands around the lakes and rivers. There are also some unique habitats such as cliffs and caves.
Of the 41 mammal species in TATR, ten species are endangered. These are the Tiger, Leopard, Rusty spotted Cat, Leopard Cat, Sloth Bear, Ratel, Gaur, Fourhorned Antilope, Indian Mouse Deer and the Indian Pangolin. 195 species of avifauna have been recorded of which three bird species are of endangered status. Three reptiles are also on this list such as the Marsh Crocodile, Indian Python and the Common Indian Monitor. There are 74 species of butterflies recorded; the Danaid Egg Fly and the Great Egg Fly are also on the endangered species list.
There are three seasons in Maharashtra. Winter is from December to February with a minimum temperature of 3°C. Towards the end of winter the temperature starts rising. This is followed by summer from March to May. The average minimum and maximum temperature is about 24° C and 46° C. The Southwest Monsoon arrives in the middle of June and the weather becomes much more pleasant.
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