Searching For Tigers

My First Tiger Sighting

With trepidation, my heart thumping madly I got on to the howdah tied on the back of the elephant. The contraption made of thin steel rods and a wooden plank was nowhere near to the assurance I needed on my first jungle adventure.   

I was at Kanha National Park sometime back in the early seventies. We were on the way to see a tiger. The ride on the pachyderm was anything but comfortable as it trudged past bushes and grass in the rugged terrain. I had a tough time tackling bamboo clumps that brushed past us like sharp-edged swords. The elephant, huge as they come was in intense conversation with the mahout oblivious of us on its torturous back. 

Tigress - Uday Patel

As a young lad, I had been introduced to forests quite early. My family was in bidi business and every year there was a visit to Central Indian Jungles in order to purchase tendu leaves.   

This was my first ride on an elephant and quite an unnerving experience it was. The mahuat pointed out to a big cat painted yellow black and white sitting beside a shallow water body in bright sunlight.   “Tigress,” he called out and then went silent. I could feel the fear rising higher within me. The cat sat listlessly and did not even bother to look at us. 

So this was the much-touted tiger, the King of the jungle. A terrible roar and a charge were what I was expecting from a huge animal. They did not arrive. Mankiller, bloodthirsty, ferocious all deadly notions started to flood my mind. But the nonchalance and the ease with which the tigress sat amidst the humans grouped around her changed by views. She was at peace with herself and her surroundings. This set to ease trepidation within me and my notions about this magnificent predator changed dramatically. Over the years I came to understand the tiger as part of an ecosystem that was connected to the environment upon which we all depend. That day I had become a tiger lover.   

My brother clicked from his simple black and white camera. The photo was a proud possession and it decorated the walls for a number of years.          

Big Brute Dabang on Full Charge

Courtyard House Kanha

Guests: Suresh Sinhji Patdi Darbar & Friends 

"One of our guests has not seen a tiger ever in his life," said Abhijeet Munshaw a wildlife enthusiast and photographer. This was our first conversation as soon as the check-in formalities had been done.  

"Well hope for the best," I said confidently. "Tigers being elusive is hard to come by."

Our first two safaris were good but no tigers. Then while traversing through Kisli Zone we decided to head straight for Karai Ghati. A day before, a tiger was seen on this road and heard roaring incessantly.     

Searching for tigers is at times frustrating. We went right up to the junction which leads to Sarhi Zone. Nothing. Well, there were pug marks of another male but they usually do not result in sighting often. We waited for the animal to emerge. But after some time we decided to move ahead and look for the tiger seen yesterday. The distance was not much and we could quickly bounce back if needed. There was no tiger there hence we moved on to score other areas. 

There is a female with cubs often seen near the Kisli Tank on the way to Karai Ghati. She deserted the water body whence one of the cubs was killed by a vagrant male. 

"Let's look for the tigress," I told the guide."She may have returned." There were many jeeps waiting with the same objective. We waited for some time, then I said to the guide. "Let's visit the place where the big male was seen yesterday rather than wait here." The guide was thinking the same hence we drove on. It was about a ten-minute ride straight on.        

The tiger was lying in shade covering almost three fourth of the jungle road. "Massive." I stopped as soon as the beast looked at us. There was a deafening silence as the beats thundered. "Keep at a safe distance," I told the driver.

"This is Dabang."    

The last time I had encountered this beast on the kill and he was very aggressive almost threatening to charge. Even the distance of twenty meters seemed uncomfortable. The guests were busy with their cameras while we were having a nervous look at the tiger. 

There was another jeep ahead much ahead. We were wondering if they were aware of the predator. Well, you remain silent on such occasions. 

The tiger kept looking at us, occasionally turning to look at the other jeep. He was not very comfortable but then lay quiet without any show of aggression. Well did he? 

In one instant the beast arose from his slumber and took a step towards us or rather charged. Frightening...is all I can say. We were at a safe distance but it seemed that he would be on the jeep in seconds. He did not, for he veered to right after a massive roar and vanished into the thickets.        

The tiger sighting was over and we turned back to look for the tigress. She was not there hence we moved on. The beautiful Kanha landscape enchants me every time and it did that to the guests as well.  

"Let's visit the male tiger again," the guest requested the guide. Well, that would have meant going in for the tigress as well hence we proceeded.  

"Turn back," the guide of the approaching jeep requested us fervently. "He is charging too often." Then another jeep approached us with the same request.  

"We should not agitate the big cat further," I explained to the guests. "He is not used to the jeeps, hence he gets aggressive and charges."      

The charge is not at all a pleasant experience. In fact, it could be nerve-wracking. 

We turned back. 

A Kill in Making

Leopard Safari at Kanha National Park 

It was one of those days when you have a tough time deciphering calls. We were on a tiger safari in the Sarhi Zone whence we reached the Saunf Meadow. We had just crossed over the Siliyari Waterbody and were moving further. At the Saunf meadow, we encountered frantic calls of the langur.   

The monkey was up on the tree facing towards the road to Sarhi. The calls continued for a very long time aided by other langurs now and then. But we could see and hear nothing...the alarm was strong and continuous.  We waited in expectation for a long time and looked all over near and far but no big cat was in sight.

Normally frantic calls mean a moving cat which also means a sure-shot sighting. Well almost! The guide had lost all hope and urged us to proceed in order to maintain timings.

"We will return via this road while turning back", I said to the guide. "Worth investigating", he affirmed. So we continued through the magic landscape of  Sarhi Zone inundated by the mesmerizing Sulkum River. 

After an hour or so on the return, we slowed down and searched. The calls had ceased, but anyway we were proceeding slowly since the area Saunf Meadow is often visited by the tigers. Two safari jeeps passed us nodding their head in disappointment which meant nothing exciting behind.     

It was going to be a dull day I thought as we continued.

Well, not. "Stop," shouted the guide.

Move back he instructed the driver much to the amazement of my foreign guests staying at Courtyard House Kanha. For there sprawled on the rock was a full-grown leopard in bright sunlight looking straight at us. WoW!

I looked back to see if the jeeps were still near us but they had sped away on their way. The leopard...shy predator? No way he sat on the rock sprawled like a cool cat. After some time he moved toward the ground and stretched.   

He then sat down majestically and looked at us menacingly disturbed perhaps by our presence at such close quarters. Then much to our surprise, he began to move in the grass barely visible at times. It was amazing how the big cat could perfectly camouflage and easily loose itself  amidst the short crop grass. 

Leopard in Grass - Credit Teerath Singh

The game of hide and seek continued as the leopard moved toward a pair of spotted deer. Totally unaware of death at close quarters they continued to graze merrily on the edge of the jungle road. Another jeep had joined us with loads of noisy holidaymakers.

We are going to witness a rare hunt, a moment of our lifetime. Feeling highly excited we were barely able to contain our tongues. The brilliance of the acrobatic grace of the creature had us totally mesmerized. Cameras clicking was all that made the sound. 

The graceful cat would crouch and then move forward excruciatingly slow. I could see the path it chose all the time keeping it in hiding. What a drama I whispered to the guests.  

The hunt was perfectly on the leopard had crouched to about ten feet from the unaware deer.  And then! Woof!

From the other side of the road, a noisy Bolera jeep belonging to the forest department came towards us approached the deer, and manage to scare them away. The game was over. The abject disregard for what was happening was nothing new. With due respect for the conservation efforts, many times the forest staff is disregardful and rude towards the tourists and totally unmindful of their activities.       

The vehicle sped past at good speed disturbing the hunt and a hungry leopard who vanished from sight.  

Many times I think mannerism is important and the chauvinistic attitude towards tourism becomes evident in the tiger reserves. Proper behavioral code is as important for the tourists as it is for the departmental staff. I have noticed this lacuna on many occasions regarding the latter.  

Imprints: A Tiger on The Stroll

Kanha National Park - MP - India  

I could sense the excitement as we awaited the arrival of the General and his entourage at Kisli Rest House. The alarm cries were emanating from Karai Ghati Road. We were assigned the Kanha Zone and I thought it would be a good idea to explore the Dig Dola passageway that leads to Karai Ghati.  

The General and his family arrived and the jeep began to move. As we reached the Dig Dola Road alarm cries from the valley on the left signaled the presence of the tiger. Assuming that the tiger had already climbed uphill we proceeded toward Dig Dola. 

The General At Courtyard House Kanha

No sooner had we proceeded a few yards we came across fresh pug marks. "Tiger moving ahead," I whispered to the guide. We continued to move further along the side of the pug marks. From the placement of the imprints, I could make out that the big cat is on a leisurely stroll.   

The General and his family had never seen a tiger in the wild. "There it is," the guide whispered, needless to point out the big cat was right in the middle of the road, a bit surprised by the intrusion. Cameras began clicking as the tiger moved on the road.

A big male tiger, I could make out that it was Kankata. The tiger was on a recce and as it moved it squirted pheromones along the track on the bamboo leaves. I was observing the imprints as the animal trudged ahead. 

The tiger's movement is known as a digitigrade movement since it walks on its digit. The actual foot pad is way high up on the hind legs up to where the fifth toe is. Using this incredible appendage the animal moves absolutely silently amidst the dense forests and grasslands.     

Much to our delight, the big cat trudged along the Dig Dola Road for quite some time. On the way, he came across imprints of a tigress and began to scent. We hoped to see the tiger meeting the tigress but if wishes were tigers I would roar. 

After some time the tiger moved into the dense thickets and we proceeded to Kanha Meadow. Their wish fulfilled the General and his entourage sat down to replenish themselves with a hearty breakfast.      

Leopard Story - Bandhavgarh

With Sandeep Diddi, Colonel Rajiv Joshi & Families!

We had just dropped our luggage in front of the room when we heard this! "It is a leopard!" I turned around towards my friends and said, "Don't Bother". "No shortage of experts here"! A small crowd had gathered on the lawn facing the Charanganga River at Bandhavgarh and we get an open view of the bank near the Tala Gate Entrance.  It was late evening and we wanted to freshen up in our room at the White Tiger Lodge at Bandhavgarh National Park. 

It took me some time to realize that the person who said that was none other than the manager of White Tiger Resort at Bandhavgarh!

I knew he was wildlife savvy, so I called my friends and said, "Hey let's look". 

By this time a large assemblage of occupants had taken place in front of the lawns facing the Charanganga River and the Tala Gate. I approached the manager, and he whispered that right opposite on the banks of the river was a leopard. "But the commotion" he looked at me a bit disappointed. 

Many of the occupants were carrying torches throwing light on the banks.

"Please turn off your torches and maintain silence for some time," I was barely audible. Awestruck by the possibility of seeing a big cat the command was obeyed instantly.          

Some time ticked by and then I said, "Throw Light but without the sound," and there, right on the banks was a full-grown leopard. Perturbed by the light and squeals of delight from one and all, the big cat tried to climb unto a tree nearby. It climbed halfway a way then startled by the commotion and excited banter came down, and started to amble toward the gate. In a few minutes, it vanished into the wilderness. Right in Front of us!!!! And we could see all of it under the torchlight!!!!!

Wow! My friends looked at me in disbelief. This was their first trip to the forest ever and look what they get to see. "Look what you get to see," I said, they had a question on their countenance. But don't you see this wonder often. "Explanation tomorrow friends. It's time to make merry, eat, and sleep," I said barely containing my excitement. 

We thanked the manager of the Bandhavgarh hotel accommodation for his sharp eyesight. Dinner over, I realized that this was the most fortuitous event in my life, albeit I had seen the big cat earlier. In the two days we stayed at Bandhavgarh we sighted Sita with her four cubs. Little Charger was right up to his antics and frightened the wits out of the visitors.            

By the way, I would love to hear this, "It's a leopard" again and again throughout my lifetime.