How to Spot & Recognize Tigers in the Wild on Safari?

 Spotting Tigers 

Wildlife enthusiasts, holidaymakers, photographers, and naturalists often visit the tiger reserves to spot tigers. Not satisfied by just one sighting visitors want to see more and more, and hence they book more safaris. This is not a rare instance, wildlife enthusiasts usually seek extended stays in luxury hotels so that they visit the park at least three to four times.   

Indian wildlife is fun and exciting all over the land, and endemic, rare, and critically endangered wild animals survive. But the focus of the tiger reserves as conservation units is on the critically endangered wild cat.  Although the conservation units deliver a holistic experience almost all the visitors except the birders search keenly for the big cats.  Such is the attraction of the beautiful striped hunter that the holidaymakers arrive from far-off lands after months of planning. The majority of tigers survive in India - almost over fifty percent. The population stands at over 3000 adult tigers in fifty-three reserves spread across the country.

Tiger Safari 

The safaris for tiger spotting are organized on an open jeep or cantar in the morning and evening. The jeep safari offers a private experience with your family and friends as sole occupants. You have to book a permit in advance from the State Government Portal or from the Director's Office of the reserve. The game drives are subject to rules and regulations with a limited entry in the core zone or the critical tiger habitat. Hence you must book a safari permit in advance. 

Spotting Tigers on Drives 

The best chance of spotting tigers on a safari is in the morning drive. Although some of the evening drives can yield spectacular sightings. The success depends upon tiger tracking experience, the presence of tigers in the area you are moving around usually called a tourism zone, and pure luck. 

The big cats leave signs of their movements that could be vocal or physical traces that naturalists and guides look for. After reading this blog entry you too can help in searching for the cats on tiger safari.

While on drive keep your sensory apparatus on the alert. Look for pug marks on the ground. Look at the image below and you will know what the imprints are like on a soft stand. 

Tiger Pug Marks 

This is a pug mark of the striped hunter. A male's footprints are square shaped while the female's rectangular and smaller. If you come across the imprints of both males and females you will be able to make this out better.  

It is difficult to catch a view of the marks from a running jeep but tracking in the wild is all about practice and experience. Other visuals you should look for are scratch marks on trees with soft barks. The sharp claws stretch up to a height of the tiger 9 to 10 feet. Fecal droppings and urine wetting on the soft jungle roads could also indicate the presence of the big hunter. Look for hunted animals or carcasses, or if you make out a foul smell that too could indicate the presence of the hunter. 

Among the vocal signs, alarm cries of deer, and other herbivores are the most reliable. The carnivore could have passed a long time back from where the pug marks are discovered, but an alarm cry is a sure-shot sign of the animal in the vicinity. Loud frantic alarm calls indicate that the animal is in close range while distant ones indicate movement taking place at a distance. Guides and naturalists try to make out in which direction the calls are coming from and ascertain whether the tiger is moving away or coming towards the jeep. All animal species have different alarm cries, and you will need practice to make out the herbivore species. Remember even jackals, foxes and some birds emit alarm calls and they are usually loud and shrill. Langur and deer vocalization is very easy to make out.

If you follow the steps well you will soon be tracking the wild big cats with ease.  

Recognizing Tigers 

Spotting tigers means a rush of adrenalin, extreme excitement, and a surprise is palpable.  The charismatic beauty and the magnetic attraction of wild animals peak in the tiger. The first sight is mesmerizing and for the photographers and filmmakers it is the moment they have been waiting for.  

Soon the excitement gives way to curiosity. And after the adrenalin rush is over the surprise element gives way to curiosity. Visitors rarely keep quiet after the sighting, as a naturalist I have faced a series of questions some very impressive while some can be silly.  The next phase is about the big cat that has been sighted and the wildlife enthusiasts are keen to know more about him or her. 

Is it a male or a female?

Which tiger it is? 

How do you recognize the tiger?

Well, it ends with a question about recognizing the big cat! Here lies the secret! Read on...

The striped hunters appear like any other of their kin at the first sight. Yellow, ochre brown, and striped all over with black. The size may belie gender, for this, you have to look for a large mane in adults or a large head. Usually,

Male Tiger 

males have smaller manes than a lion but nevertheless, they are noticeable.  If you come across a pair the size difference will become apparent. Males in India weigh around 250 kg while the weight of females ranges from 100 kg to as much as 180 kg. The length of the male is between 9 to 9.5 feet including the tail. They rarely cross over 10 feet as mentioned in the historical records. 

Facial Recognition 

Apart from the head size, the facial black stripes are marked distinctly, and the guide can point that out to you so next time you came across the same carnivore you can recognize it by the name the forest department has given it to her or him.  

Munna the legendary tiger of Kanha National Park was a fine example. He had a clear-cut CAT shaped by black stripes on the forehead. 

Munna Tiger Kanha National Park

Stripes on Flanks  

Legendary Tigress of Bandhavgarh National Park had distinct four diamond-shaped stripes on the left flank. It was clearly visible even to amateurs.  The Neelam tigress of Kanha National Park has thick black stripes on the flanks and the rump. 

Neelam Tigress Kanha 

Territorial Presence 

Another weak and unreliable method is to recognize the predators by the area, though the females usually stick to their territories males are moving all over their territory and they trespass into those of other male rivals. 

During my work as a naturalist, I have seen the animals sticking to their territory for a long time but I have also witnessed trespassing on a number of occasions hence spot marking and stripes on the flanks are the best means of recognizing the tigers. 

Conclusion 

While many other means or methods are employed for tiger census, physical recognition techniques are also taken into the account including the feces for DNA markup. Recognizing the big cats by their stripes is most followed in the field by researchers, guides, naturalists, and forest staff. You too can become an expert tiger tracker.

After reading the tips for tiger tracking you would be interested in spotting them in the wild. The best reserves in India with high tiger visibility are as follows:

Kanha National Park (MP)

Bandhavgarh National Park (MP)

Ranthambore National Park (Rajasthan)

Pench National Park (MP)

Tadoba National Park (Maharashtra) 

Corbett Tiger Reserve (Uttrakhand) 

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Uday is a naturalist and has worked in Kanha, Pench, Corbett, and Pench National Park as a freelancer. Uday has years of experience in organizing tiger safaris in India as a naturalist guide and host.  

He provides Digital Marketing Services, Content Writing, and SEO services in India.