The Jacobson’s organ is a remarkable sensory structure found in snakes. Located on the roof of their mouth, this organ plays a crucial role in their ability to detect chemical cues in their environment.
Jim’s Jungle Retreat
Tiger attacking a young elephant
It is unusual, though not unknown, for tigers to hunt elephants. There are several instances of tigers hunting newborn baby elephants and occasionally they may kill elephant babies that are a few years old.
Tiger’s majestic stride through forest paths and trails reflects its prowess as a top predator
The tiger’s majestic stride through forest paths and trails reflects its prowess as a top predator. With an elegant gait and padded paws, it moves with silent grace, making use of its camouflaged fur to blend seamlessly into its environment.
Elephant herds exhibit intricate social behaviour that showcases their strong bonds
Elephant herds exhibit intricate social behaviour that showcases their strong bonds and cooperative nature. These intelligent and emotional creatures form cohesive groups led by a matriarch, often the oldest and most experienced female.
Snake locomotion is a captivating display of biomechanical versatility
Snake locomotion is a captivating display of biomechanical versatility, as these limbless creatures have evolved various techniques to navigate diverse terrains. Lateral undulation, the most common method, involves rhythmic contractions that create rippling waves along the body, efficiently propelling the snake forward.
Witnessing the Bengal Monitor’s Tail-Whipping Display in the Wild
The Bengal monitor, a species of large lizard native to South Asia, is known for its fascinating tail-whipping behavior
Symphony of Cicadas: Nature’s Enchanting Phenomenon at Jim’s Jungle Retreat
Cicadas, fascinating insects known for their distinct buzzing songs, have captured the curiosity of nature enthusiasts for centuries.
A naturalist describes a surprise sighting of a Tiger
It was a leisurely morning safari with no agenda of finding anything in particular. We were happy looking for birds and talking about the funnel-web spiders and the tinder fungus, locally known as elephant-foot fungus, observing a Jackal tearing the last bits of flesh from a dead monkey and an Ashy Drongo indulging in aerobatics […]
State of panic
The Spotted Deer are blessed with amazing senses of smell, hearing and sight. When a predator is on the move, the deer can smell it from a great distance when the wind direction is correct. The ears of the spotted deer are large and can be moved in all directions to capture the slightest sound […]
A butterfly that smells with its legs
Blue Pansy is medium-small butterfly with a wingspan of 45-60 mm. It is distributed from Africa to south and south-east Asia and into Australia with over 25 different races found across its range. Though a common butterfly of north India, it is not a common species found in Corbett Tiger Reserve and surrounding areas, where […]
Tiger Streams
Tigers are highly territorial and aggressive when it comes to protecting their territories. In summer months, the competition for territorial claims on the waterbodies including forest streams and waterholes reaches a mad frenzy. Tigers depend heavily on water sources for their survival during summer and fiercely fight for these prized real estate wilderness spots. A […]
Tigress crossing the road at Corbett Tiger Reserve
Corbett Tiger Reserve has the largest population of tigers for any single reserve, with more than 200 counted during the last census. In summer, the Tigers have a great need for water and move around in their territory in search of water sources. This is the time of the year when Tigers are frequently seen […]
Monsoon Magic at Jim_s Jungle Retreat
Monsoon Magic at Jim’s Jungle Retreat – Brahminy Starling (Sturnia pagodarum) Brahminy Starling is a resident breeding species in India and Nepal. It occurs during summer in Pakistan and migrates in winter to Sri Lanka. It can be seen in small flocks in open areas including cultivations, grasslands, dry forests, scrub jungle and near human […]
Barred Buttonquail Turnix Suscitator
Buttonquails resemble true quails, though they belong to an entirely different family ‘Turnicidae’. Barred Buttonquail occurs across India, south China, and south-east Asia. In the Himalayas, it is known to be distributed up to 2500m. The species is also known as ‘Common Buttonquail’. In Corbett Tiger Reserve, Barred Buttonquail occurs in grassland and scrubland habitat […]
Yellow-Throated Marten in Dhela Tourism Zone
Yellow-Throated Marten in Dhela Tourism Zone, Corbett Tiger Reserve The Yellow-throated Marten (Martes flavigula) is the largest Marten occurring in the old world. Territorial in nature, it actively patrols its territory and may cover upto 20 km during the course of a single day & night. Known to hunt both on the ground and in […]
Butterfly Season at Jim’s Jungle Retreat
Butterfly Season at Jim’s Jungle Retreat Lycaenidae is the largest family of butterflies with more than 6000 species found across the world. In India there are more than 440 species of butterflies belonging to this family. Most of these species have blue upperparts and hence these are called ‘Blues’. Rounded Pierrot is a tiny butterfly […]
The Water Truce | Jims Jungle Retreat
Tigers have their origin in the colder regions across Himalayas. The species spread southwards from the Palearctic region and arrived in India about 12000 years ago, entering from the north-east India and spreading throughout the length and breadth of the country. It has yet not fully adapted to the hot and humid conditions of Indian […]
Bengal Bushlark (Mirafra Assamica) at Corbett Tiger Reserve
Bengal Bushlark (Mirafra Assamica) at Laldhang Grassland, Dhela Tourism Zone, Corbett Tiger Reserve Bengal Bushlark has a strong bill, short tail, white supercilium, strong dark streaks on grey upperparts, spotting on upper breast and behind the ear-coverts, warm coloration to underparts and rufous coloration to the wings. It is resident in the Indian subcontinent and […]
Big Male Tiger at Corbett Tiger Reserve
Tiger is the largest cat in the world. A male Bengal Tiger has an average length of 9 to 10 feet, including the tail and similarly, a female can be as big as 7.5 to 8.5 feet. The largest Tiger ever recorded in the foothills of the Himalayas, in the present-day state of Uttarakhand, was […]
Russell’s Viper at Tumaria Reservoir, Corbett Tiger Reserve
Russell’s Viper at Tumaria Reservoir, southern periphery of Corbett Tiger Reserve The Russell’s viper (Daboia russelii), is a highly venomous snake found across much of South Asia, south-east Asia, southern China, and Taiwan. Characterized by a flattened, triangular head that is distinctly broader than the neck and a pattern of oval-shaped markings along its body, […]