(Mirror Spider)

It goes without saying that Bandhavgarh is well-known for it’s regular sightings of tigers and, in recent years, wild elephants as well.

Does Bandhavgarh showcase only about 35 species of mammals and a little over 250 species of birds?

(Clouded Gecko)

For a wildlife enthusiast like me, it’s so disappointing to realize that hardly any of our microfauna has been highlighted yet.
To begin with, in many of the national parks in central India, there are groups like insects, arachnids, reptiles, and amphibians which are understudied.

(Giraffe Beetle)

To name a handful, Bandhavgarh is home to tarantulas, trapdoor spiders, balloon frogs, clouded geckos, leopard geckos as well as vine snakes.
At Baghtola, we have documented around 17 species of reptiles, 12 species of amphibians, and the list of insects and arachnids keeps on growing. We also find something new (not a new species but a new record) almost every day!

(Indian Balloon Frog)

We might have a respectable record of roughly 300 distinct animal species on the site & by the end of the year – we had already crossed the 200 species mark !!!

Since most amphibians are active at night and during the monsoon season, not many people have the opportunity to observe them.

The majority of these creatures have high sensitivity to environmental changes. It is therefore crucial to understand the environments in which they flourish and how we can make sure that our actions do not make things worst for them.

We continue to do our utmost to showcase the diversity of these little wonders and the significant roles that they play in the ecosystem.