Books to read before an Indian Safari
Field Guides of Indian Flora & Fauna
A thorough Traveler will refer and probably purchase essential Field Guides before embarking on a trip to the Indian Wilderness. We have compiled a short writeup of a few of the Field-Guides to carry with you before a safari to India. It broadly covers Mammals, Birds and Flora of India.
Indian Mammals
Author: Vivek Menon
The most authoritative and comprehensive guide on Indian mammals. It has detailed information like distribution maps, photographs and concise text on each species of mammals found in India. A good companion for your wildlife safaris, especially when you are interested in mammals, particularly small mammals. It also has excellent background notes on behavior, habitats, and conservation. An up-to-date edition is available on online stores and major bookshops.
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent
Authors: Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp & Tim Inskipp
A book appreciated by most birdwatchers in India and abroad for the birds of Indian subcontinent. This is the most widely used book by the bird watchers of the subcontinent. This field guide is handy and with easy to identify tips about all the species of birds of Indian subcontinent. The book has detailed plates, distribution maps, and clear identification notes for each species. The drawings of birds give details of different plumage at different stages of life and differences in males and female birds. This is also available in major bookshops and online stores.
Birds of India – A Pictorial Field Guide
Authors: Bikram Grewal, Sumit Sen, Bittu Sahgal & Others
This is a pictorial guide for all the birds of Indian subcontinent. Sometimes it is easier to identify the birds by their real photos than realistic drawings, in that case this book is very useful. The only drawback of the book is its size and weight. The book can be used for reference to the pictures you click in the field, but you prefer not to carry it, especially if you are going on foot. You can order this book from online stores or can buy from major bookstores.
Jungle Trees of Central India
Author: Pradip Krishen
A perfect guide for every tree lover, this guide has all the species of trees found in Central India. The identifications tips for each tree includes bark, leaves, flowers and fruits so it’s easy to identify trees in any season. Even if tree changes the bark color several times a year the details have been given. Those who go for tiger reserves of central India, this book is a good choice for them. Available on all platforms of online stores and bookshops.
Photographic Field Guide: Wildlife of Central India
Authors: Surya Ramachandran and David Raju
This guide is one of the best guides to carry in the field if you are going to the jungles of central India. This field guide covers mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and odonates (dragonflies and damselflies), most species are represented by one photograph. It is handy and serves as the best companion for a central Indian wildlife safari. Central India is a home of majority of famous tiger reserves where mostly tourists visits to see the tigers in the wild.
Photographic Field Guide: Wildlife of South India
Authors: Surya Ramachandran and David Raju
Another all round field guide from the same author for the wildlife of south India. This guide also covers, mammals, birds, butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies and reptiles. The region it covers is ‘Western ghats’, the biodiversity hotspot and UNESCO world heritage site. Many species of this region lack quality photographs, and the region is not fully explored but still the guide has managed to cover a remarkable number of species of each class.
Fiction and Non-Fiction Books about Indian Wildlife
Jungle Book(1894) – Rudyard Kipling
Has to be on the top of the list, if one hasn’t read it previously or not since their childhood.
Each character displaying human qualities closest to their backstory as animals of the Indian Jungle.
The most beautiful aspect of the book is the emphasis of the Law of the Jungle, and the Weariness of Man – it is depicted beautifully as an eternal truth, relevant in today’s times.
Mowgli’s innocence, talent and empathy, Bagheera’s prudence, Baloo’s carefree but aggressive loyalty, the wisdom of the Wolves, Kaa’s cold-bloodedness and the legend that is Sher Khan – will cast you back to your childhood, and take you back to a place you’ve almost felt that you’ve been before…
Way of the Tiger(2001) – Dr.Ullas Karanth
For a factual, non-romanticised approach to learning about the Tiger – this is the go-to book. Written by Dr.Ullas Karanth, a well known Zoologist and Conservationist, who was the Director of Wildlifer Conservation Society in India. He was also the pioneer behind the use of Camera Traps to photograph Tigers and identify individuals to better ascertain their numbers.
The book speaks about the method of counting Tigers, their Habitat requirements, Behaviour, the Conservation scenario, Importance of protecting the Tiger and the future of the Tiger in India. It touches on the evolution of the Tiger as well along with anecdotal experiences Dr.Karanth has while in the field, primarily at Nagarhole National Park in Southern India where he has spent many years and done lots of scientific work for the area.
Man-Eaters of Kumaon(1940) – Jim Corbett
“Tigers, except when wounded or when man-eaters, are on the whole very good-tempered…Occassionally a tiger will object to too close an approach to its cubs or to a kill that it is guarding. The objection invariably takes the form of growling, and if this does not prove effective itis followed by short rushes accompanied by terrifying roars. If these warnings are disregarded, the blame for any injury inflicted rests entirely with the intruder”- Jim Corbett
A book which can instantly convert one into a Wildlife Lover, especially of the beautiful Jungles of India, it is Man Eaters of Kumaon by hunter-turned-conservationist Jim Corbett.
His way with words, based on real-life experiences in a time when safety of human life around the Kumaon Region on the foothills of the Himalayas was at the mercy of the Wildlife around it.
It contains 10 stories of Jim Corbett’s life hunting Man-eaters in that region.
The tales narrated do take you to another world, less disturbed by modernization, to a pristine civilization where the night was taken over by the sounds of the magnificient roar of the Tiger, bellowing of the Sambar and the cries of Deer. The nights were haunted by the shrieks of the Spot-Bellied Eagle Owl lending to the mystery which surrounds Owls in folklore.
Jim Corbett, though writing as a hunter, appreciates the beauty of the Forest and especially that of the Tiger and Leopard. A hunter has to understand the tracks and sounds, and his exploits on foot, any mistakes that he made, he would have to pay for it with his life. Where the locals feared a Cat they’ve been living around for so many years, he bravely, though admitting fear, walked in naked into the jungle – allowing himself to be exposed to the many dangers that lie within.
That he was spared so often by the weariness and gentleman-like nature of a creature far more powerful than any man, inspired him to turn into a conservationist and later spent his life trying to protect the very animal that he made a name of hunting.
Jim Corbett’s books, like other hunters of the times, are absolutely fascinating, a more graphical-version of Enid Blyton’s magical tales which spiral one’s mind into a parallel universe where one can picture themselves walking in the shoes of the protagonist.
The Leopard in India(1996) – J.C Daniel
An animal overshadowed in size and fanfare by the Tiger, but no less beautiful, intelligent and powerful in its own right.
J.C Daniel has compiled several accounts of hunters and naturalists in this beautiful book depicting factual information and previously unknown behaviours of the leopard – the Ghost of the Indian Jungle.
Anecdotal evidence is provided from historic accounts of these individuals in their encounters in the field with leopards, which would be largely unknown if not for these compilations.
There anywhere between 5000-10000 leopards in India, many of which live perilously close to human habitation, showcasing tremendous adaptation and intelligence to survive in these difficult habitats.
A must-read, about an animal whose life in the wild is yet full of mystery due to its amazing elusiveness.
And as Jim Corbett famously wrote, “Those who have never seen a leopard under favourable conditions in his natural surroundings can have no conception of the grace of movement, and beauty of colouring, of this the most graceful and the most beautiful of all animals in our Indian jungles”.
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