Welcome to another blog where I walk you through my entire Jim Corbett Jhirna Zone Safari experience during the afternoon session. As I waited at the Dhela Zone Entry gate with my driver since I arrived a little early, I asked him about the plan for the day. But before I tell you that, you can subscribe to the Jungle Revives YouTube Channel in the meantime.
He told me that the plan would be to first focus on finding and spotting the Chaar Number Tigress. He told me that a full attempt will be made to come across that famous tigress. But in case that doesn’t happen, the focus will shift to finding the bacche wali tigress (tigress with cubs), which is usually spotted near the kona nala water body.
My driver also told me that although spotting a single tiger is common, finding a tiger with cubs is a rare sight. It happens only if luck and timing favour you. But I thought, let’s hope for the best and start the afternoon jungle safari.
Table of Contents
Beginning the Jim Corbett Jhirna Zone Safari
So finally the time came when I began my Jhirna Zone Safari. I entered the Dhela Zone gate, and flashbacks of my previous trips into this zone started coming to my mind.
All of us were hopeful to spot a tiger today, and the excitement was building up.
I hope you have read about my previous Jhirna Zone Wildlife Adventures. If not, here are a few of them for you: My First Male Tiger-spotting | Chasing Tigers on a Chilly December Morning.
Jhirna Zone Jeep Safari with Naturalist Gaurav on a Sunny Afternoon
It was a sunny day and quite bright as I navigated the jungles on both the right and left sides of the Dhela Zone road.
Also, Naturalist Gaurav joined me for this Jhirna Safari Trip. I have been accompanied by him for quite a few of my other Jim Corbett Wildlife Adventures, also. He is an experienced naturalist and knows a lot in depth about the Corbett Tiger Reserve. I have known him for years, and we both share a unique relationship when it comes to exploring the wilderness of northern jungles.
As I navigated through the Dhela Zone first to reach the Jhirna Zone, Gaurav was narrating about the plan for the day. He also mentioned that spotting a male tiger here has a huge probability, as it has been active in the region. He too mentioned about the tigress with cubs, just like my driver mentioned earlier. She had also been very active in the region, and a full attempt would be made to spot them through Gaurav’s expertise in wildlife.
He mentioned that the Bacche Wali tigress active in the Jhirna Zone has around 3 cubs, each around 3 to 4 months of age. He also mentioned that another tigress, named Chaar number tigress, is quite active too and often gets spotted. So, the anticipation for an amazing and memorable wildlife adventure was building up, and everyone was quite excited.
Gaurav also mentioned that an old male tiger was spotted on the Dhela Zone road early morning the same day. It was hiding somewhere in the region, and people have been trying to spot it on their safaris. Gaurav said that maybe while returning from our Jhirna Zone Safari, we may end up spotting him. Fingers crossed!
It Was Quite Hot That Day
The sun was shining bright, and it was a hot day. This is considered the best time to spot the tiger. That’s because the intense heat and hot weather force them to come out of the jungles and look for water to fulfil their hydration needs.
Water becomes scarce during this time of the season, and that makes these tigers quite active in the region across all hours. It’s also probable that you might end up spotting a tiger near a waterfall somewhere in this region. I was being fully alert and looking out for any opportunity to spot a tiger on my way to the Jhirna Zone.
Then I Reached the Jhirna Zone Entry Gate
After driving for a while, our jeep reached the entry point of the Jhirna Zone by navigating the Dhela Zone. I got my permits checked specifically for the Jhirna Zone and then began the actual adventure of the afternoon.
It was only yesterday that I stayed in the Bijrani Forest Rest House, and Gaurav accompanied me there as well during my Bijrani Zone Safari adventure. I explored the Bijrani Zone in search of the LUMA tigress but ended up spotting another tiger sitting near the bank of a river during the morning safari. I was only successful in spotting the tiger after closely following the alarm calls in the region.
Gaurav Told Me a Lot of Things about the Regional Demographics
As I navigated the off-road terrain in our Jhirna Safari Jeep, Gaurav told me that many tigers of the Jhirna Zone often get spotted in the Dhela Zone, and vice versa. Half of the territory of the tigers falls under the Jhirna, and the rest under the Dhela zones. This leads to frequent tiger crossings and sightings in the region.
He said that the tigers usually rest during the day due to the intense heat conditions. As evening comes closer and the sun starts going down, the tigers become active and start moving in the region in search of food and water. This increases the chances of animal sightings, and that’s why coming to an afternoon Jhirna Zone Safari could be the best decision you can make.
Some Specialities of the Jim Corbett Jhirna Zone
The Jhirna Zone of the Jim Corbett National Park is open for tourists all year round, and that makes it one of the best wildlife safari adventure hotspots in the region.
The landscape is unique, which supports round the year wildlife adventures.
The Jhirna Zone got its name from the nearby Jhirna Village, but currently it’s just covered in forests and falls under the core region of the Corbett Tiger Reserve.
After driving for a while, our jeep came near a human-made water hole that fulfills the hydration needs of the wild animals in the region. It’s highly essential during these extreme summer heat conditions to keep the animals safe and healthy.
As I continued with the Jhirna Jeep safari, I saw that dense jungles and hills covered the entire landscape. It was peaceful and silent, and I was trying to embrace the calmness with my family sitting next to me. It was truly memorable and enjoyable.
Spotted Swallow-tailed Bee Eater Birds in Jhirna Zone
It was dry everywhere all around and an almost negligible amount of water was there anywhere. I then came to a point at a height where I could see a clear view of the surroundings.
Suddenly, my attention fell onto two Swallow-tailed Bee Eater Birds sitting on thin branches at a distance. It’s known by the name it has because of its habit of eating bees, butterflies, and other smaller insects found in the air.
Then I Proceeded Towards a Water Hole: A Common Tiger Spotting Point
Moments later, my jeep started navigating towards a region in the Jhirna Zone that had a water hole, often considered the spotting point for Chaar Number Tigress. I reached there, waited for a while to try my luck, and see if I could spot her.
A light breeze was blowing in the air, and that made the leaves move back and forth all around. It was sunny, but the breeze made the weather bearable. All around, I saw dense jungles and heard the continuous chirping of birds.
It was silent everywhere, and suddenly I saw two deer drinking water from the water hole nearby. It’s not just a point for wild animals to drink water, but for them to cross paths with many other animals and birds.
Reaching a Point where Uttar Pradesh’s and Uttarakhand’s Borders Meet
After staying for a while at the water hole, I proceeded forward and reached a point where on one side there is Uttar Pradesh’s Amangarh Tiger Reserve, and Jhirna Zone Jungle of Jim Corbett National Park on the other.
As evening was drawing closer, the overall jungle ambiance started to change. All of us were hopeful to spot a tiger, and the anticipation was growing stronger by the minute.
I then reached a spot where at the same time last year, I came across a sloth bear. It’s usually seen alone and rests in the dense bushes during the day.
As I travelled further, I came across a complete family of langoor sitting on the road in front of us and enjoying themselves. Many were sitting in the trees nearby. This indicated that no tiger movement had occurred in this region, nor is any tiger present nearby.
Then I zoomed my camera to focus on a langoor sitting on a tree nearby and captured this amazing moment of a female langoor and her offspring holding each other together. It was such a sweet moment that’s hard for me to put into words!
The mother langoor was alert and protecting her children from any type of potential danger. All the other langoor were playing on the ground, and that moment touched me so much, which made me realize that within these jungles, you can also feel emotions of togetherness, innocence, and joyfulness.
It showed me that no matter the species, family is the most important of all.
Then I decided to move forward from there. Gaurav told us that if the langoor makes alarm calls, then it’s almost certain that a tiger is present in the region.
Discovered Tiger Claw Marks on a Tree.
As I navigated further, I saw tiger claw marks on a tree, which indicated that he/she had marked the territory. It’s the tiger’s way of signalling to other animals that the region belongs to them.
Interesting Insights from Gaurav
Gaurav told me that in a male tiger’s main territory, 1 to 4 home territories are made by a female tigress. That’s because when she is about to get pregnant, she moves away from the male tiger, as he can kill and eat the cubs.
That’s the main reason that for almost 2 to 3 years, the tigress protects and trains her cubs, and after that, they become independent.
The cubs then start marking their claws on trees to signify their territorial presence, or by passing urine to leave their scents.
He also told me that in the natural habitat of these forests, tigers live anywhere between 12 to 15 years, while in zoos they can survive up to 20-22 years.
After that, my driver drove further, and I reached the same spot where the bee-eater bird was spotted in the early hours of the Jhirna Zone safari. All around, I could hear the chirping of the birds. As I took out my binoculars to zoom into the far distance, I spotted a group of elephants.
It had a Male Tusker and two female elephants.
Heard a Strong Alarm Call of a Sambar Deer
After spotting the elephants, I decided to proceed further because every one of us heard strong alarm calls of a sambar deer in the region. After reaching a point, I came across many other jeeps waiting like us, as they too heard the alarm calls and were anticipating the movement of a tiger.
I was 100% sure that a tiger was nearby. But spotting one isn’t in anyone’s hands. As the ending time of the Jim Corbett Jhirna Zone Safari was drawing closer, all other jeeps left, and ours was the only one standing there. I did not lose hope and decided to wait further.
But no luck. I did not see any tiger movement.
As the evening was drawing closer, all of us decided to move forward and came across another large group of elephants. It had a male tusker and many female elephants. The female leads the group to keep them alert and protected from any imminent danger. She also keeps track of water routes for the entire group to circle back in case they need to fulfill their water needs.
The view was quite amazing to look at because behind it was the setting sun, and in front of us were the giant elephants. Such a mesmerizing sight! They were drinking water from the water hole that our jeep crossed by when I started the afternoon Jhirna Zone Safari. I could also hear the sound of peacocks in the region.
Ending the Jim Corbett Jhirna Zone Safari with the last few hopes
As the time of the safari was about to end, I decided to move towards the Jhirna Zone entry gate and shortly exited into the Dhela zone jungle. As Gaurav told me earlier that male tigers were active in the Dhela region, I was hoping one last time to find a tiger.
I then came onto the main Dhela Zone Road and reached the Dhela Zone Entry Gate without spotting any tigers. This marked the end of today’s adventure.
However, I learnt a lot of things during this Jim Corbett Jhirna Zone Safari Trip, and I hope that you too have enjoyed it alongside me on this virtual adventure into the wilderness of India’s most famous Wildlife National Park.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why only the Jhirna Zone is open across all seasons?
That’s because it has a unique combination of terrain and roads that are navigable all year round. Roads and paths do not get washed away here, even during monsoons. Also, the Jhirna Zone was originally a farming area, later converted to a wildlife forest. Therefore, you can spot wild animals here all the time. It also has open grasslands, dry forests, and many water bodies that ensure greater visibility and frequent wild animal sightings. Lastly, safaris are allowed throughout the year depending on weather conditions.
Why was Jim Corbett National Park named after a British Man?
India’s most famous Wildlife National Park was named after a British man because of his contributions in bringing this wildlife reserve into existence and leading the wildlife conservation efforts across the country. It was due to his efforts that Jim Corbett National Park grew to a larger area. Here the core regions come under the main wildlife park and the extended regions form the Corbett Tiger Reserve.
What is the Difference between Jim Corbett National Park and Corbett Tiger Reserve?
The key difference is only one. The former comes under the core wildlife forest area. The latter is an extension of the core area. To know more about this, you can see the full comparison analysis.
How to do the Jhirna zone safari booking?
Plan your next wildlife safari adventure to the Jhirna Zone. You can get in touch with the Jungle Revives team. We will help you plan the best itinerary for an unforgettable experience. Spot your favourite animals like tigers, elephants, and many exotic bird species.
Can I also explore the Dhela Zone if I have obtained the Permit for the Jhirna Zone?
No, you cannot do that. You need to have permit for the zones you are visiting. Although you have to cross the Dhela Zone to reach Jhirna, you cannot deviate from your designated route during safari. Tourists get permits according to their zone request. Also, limited jeeps can go in each zone for better crowd management. Going to the other zone without a permit can get the respective jeep banned for 15 days. Also they may face other penalties according to the Jim Corbett Forest Department laws and regulations. So, norms are very strict and you must adhere to that during your next safari adventure.
