Knightly Kabini

The black panther in Kabini is a big draw for tourists and wildlife enthusiasts who frequent the dry deciduous forest, writes Parag Kulkarni

An elephantine walk the talk.

The majestic squirt.

In Kabini, the forest is lush green, the water bodies are gushing with water and the cool breeze ends up lifting everyone’s spirits. Here, it is natural to go looking for the big cats (tiger-leopard and the elusive black panther). In fact, the black panther is the master of Kabini, popular for single-handedly lifting the fortunes of all wildlife resorts in and around Kabini but nobody is complaining because he is a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon. The “Lord of the jungle” did pay us a visit as he rolled, gathered some dust on his black fur and stood up, giving us that one fleeting look as his eyes glowed and made his way into the woods, not to be seen later. But Kabini is much more than the black panther. Kabini is also the land of the Asian elephant. The surrounding green backdrop only adds to the imagery.