In Search of Tadoba’s Most Mysterious Animal

ताडोबा अंधारी व्याघ्र प्रकल्प हा वाघांसाठी ओळखला जातो. मात्र याच जंगलाच्या आजूबाजूला, क्वचितच जमिनीवर उतरणारा, झाडांवरच आपलं संपूर्ण आयुष्य घालवणारा एक अत्यंत गूढ प्राणी राहतो. त्या प्राण्याचं नाव म्हणजे शेकरू (Indian Giant Squirrel) ताडोबाला लागून असलेले चपराळा वन्यजीव अभयारण्य हे वाघांसाठी एक अत्यंत महत्त्वाचे कॉरिडॉर आहे. अशा कॉरिडॉरमुळे वाघांना एका जंगलातून दुसऱ्या जंगलात सुरक्षित प्रवास करता येतो. मात्र चपराळा हे केवळ वाघांसाठीच नाही, तर तिथे आढळणाऱ्या शेकरू साठीसुद्धा विशेष ओळखले जाते. मात्र आज शेकरूची संख्या झपाट्याने घटत चालली आहे, आणि त्यामागची कारणे फार कमी लोकांना माहिती आहेत. या Inside the Forest with Adarsh च्या एपिसोडमध्ये — • शेकरूचा अधिवास • त्याची जीवनशैली • जंगल कॉरिडॉरचे महत्त्व • आणि संवर्धनासमोरील आव्हाने ⸻ Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is globally known for its tigers. But hidden in the forests surrounding Tadoba lives a rare and mysterious creature, the Indian Giant Squirrel (Shekaru), the State Animal of Maharashtra, which rarely comes down to the ground and spends most of its life in tall trees. Chaprala Wildlife Sanctuary acts as a crucial wildlife corridor for tigers, allowing safe movement between forest landscapes. This sanctuary is also one of the most important habitats for the Shekaru, whose population is declining rapidly. In this episode of Inside the Forest with Adarsh, we explore: • The secret life of the Shekaru • Importance of forest corridors • Conservation challenges • Ground-level insights from forest officials This episode is made possible with the guidance of forest officers working on the frontlines of conservation. Special Thank : Field Director Dr. Prabhu Nath Shukla, (IFS) DFO Sachin Shinde RFO Ganesh Landage ⸻ ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction: Tadoba beyond Tigers 02:10 – What is a Wildlife Corridor? 05:40 – Introduction to Chaprala Wildlife Sanctuary 09:30 – Meet the Shekaru: Maharashtra’s State Animal 14:15 – Habitat & Tree-dwelling Lifestyle 19:40 – Why Shekaru Rarely Comes on the Ground 24:10 – Declining Population: Reasons & Threats 29:00 – Role of Forest Department & Conservation 34:20 – Final Thoughts & Ground Reality 37:30 – Closing Message ⸻ 🎬 Episode Credits Host: Adarsh Patil Featuring Guest: Mangesh Balapure Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) Location: Chaprala Wildlife Sanctuary Research: SPARK India Team Cinematographer: Tushar Kengale ⸻ #tadoba #indiangiantsquirrel #wildlifedocumentary #wildlifecorridors #foreststories #InsideTheForestWithAdarsh #ChapralaWildlifeSanctuary #SPARKIndia