As the fog begins to lift over the extensive undergrowth, a flash of orange is glimpsed moving through the thickets. All eyes are peeled

towards the direction in which the orange vanished – but nothing remains. The sharp trill of a peacock in the distance keeps the tourists on the edge of their seats when suddenly, the vegetation parts, and everyone is treated to an unforgettable view of the very animal that they are here to see - Shere Khan himself: the magnificent Bengal tiger.

Whilst these sightings are a huge thrill for many tourists who make a trip to the Indian subcontinent, the regularity in which they occur is sadly ever decreasing. Shockingly, there are thought to be only 3,000 of these majestic predators left in the wild today, with populations completely decimated from the 100,000+ they were around a century ago. With habitat loss, human-tiger conflict and poaching for tiger parts a constant threat to these regal cats, experts argue that they run the risk of extinction within the next twenty years. This is a shocking statistic and something that responsible travel companies like ‘The Great Projects’ are trying to help counteract.

With their ‘Great Tiger Project’, The Great Projects offers volunteers the chance to spend two weeks in the beautiful setting of Kanha reserve – one of India’s largest and most prestigious national parks. Alongside viewings of the iconic tigers that call the forests their home, volunteers will get the

chance to see some of India’s most beloved wildlife species, including sloth bears, the rare barasingha swamp deer, jackals and, if they’re lucky, even the elusive leopard.

During their time at the park, volunteers will stay at the sumptuous Singinawa Jungle Lodge under the guidance of experienced tiger conservationist Latika Rana. It was Latika and her partner who founded the

lodge and helped to restore the 58 acres of degraded land around it. Her aim and the aim of the project is to demonstrate how tourism, conservation and community development can go hand in hand, helping to play a positive role in saving the critically endangered tiger and protect the fragile ecosystems in which they live.

In addition to both walking and vehicle based safaris within the reserve, volunteers will also get to take part in all manner of tiger conservation activities and local community focused initiatives during their time on the project.

‘Tyger Tyger Burning Bright…’

These include tasks such as setting up and checking camera traps for resident tigers, learning how to read individual tiger pug marks so that individuals can be tracked and monitored, as well as giving educational talks to local villagers about the importance of tiger conservation.

Ultimately, this combination of wildlife conservation activities and community initiatives has one goal in mind – to help to protect and assess the viable populations of tigers within Kanha and to help reduce the human-animal conflict that often arises between tigers and the communities with which they share their territory.

If you would like to find out more about ‘The Great Projects’ and in particular their ‘Great Tiger Project’, then please don’t hesitate to visit their website via thegreatprojects.com.

Contact DetailsEmail info@thegreatprojects.com Tel +44(0)208 885 4987Web thegreatprojects.comFacebook facebook.com/thegreatprojects Twitter @TGPVolunteer

Dawn breaks over the stunning Sal forests of Kanha National Park – the birthplace of Kipling’s ‘The Jungle Book’ and the site of many an impressive wildlife encounter

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“The sharp trill of a peacock in the distance keeps the

tourists on the edge of their seats”

“Everyone is treated to an unforgettable view of the very animal that they are here to see - Shere Khan himself: the magnificent Bengal tiger”