Debasis Bose
28-04-2017, 08:25 PM
It was about 3.30 pm, when we stopped at one of the FRH called Khinanauli, to relieve. When our guide asked another gypsy driver who was also waiting, anything in grassland of Dhikala. The driver conveyed @ 10 am they saw fresh pug mark of the grassland female that crossed at motasal from leed khalia towards thandi, other than that there were no movements. It was a hot afternoon, so we decided to check the motasal area.
By 4.15 pm we were at motasal, saw the still intact tiger pug marks confirming she crossed the forest road from leed khalia side towards thandi. Then analyzed the possible movements of the tigress with the naturalist, and both of us came up with idea that we should go and wait under the tree next to the animal track near to “Kichar/puddle area” on the thandi sadak extension for half hour to 45 minutes, we expected the tiger to make a move from wherever she was lying down after 5 pm and one of most likely chances of her coming out to grassland should be this animal track, called batia in local language. It was now 4.30 PM, still the sun was hot. Jungle folk were absolutely silent, behind us about 3/4 km away, near the water we could see silhouette of a large elephant herd. We parked our gypsy about 25 m away from the forest track and sat on our seat, sipping cold lemonade drink, when suddenly the driver whispered excitedly “Sir, Tiger…who raha tiger”.
The tiger came exactly from the animal track about 25 m ahead of us, where we anticipated her to come out…..she was just mesmerizing, and majestically padded across the forest road totally ignoring our presence
Nikon D4s, Nikon 300 F4 FL ED, Shot @ 300 F9, ISO 400, 1/500s. Corbett
By 4.15 pm we were at motasal, saw the still intact tiger pug marks confirming she crossed the forest road from leed khalia side towards thandi. Then analyzed the possible movements of the tigress with the naturalist, and both of us came up with idea that we should go and wait under the tree next to the animal track near to “Kichar/puddle area” on the thandi sadak extension for half hour to 45 minutes, we expected the tiger to make a move from wherever she was lying down after 5 pm and one of most likely chances of her coming out to grassland should be this animal track, called batia in local language. It was now 4.30 PM, still the sun was hot. Jungle folk were absolutely silent, behind us about 3/4 km away, near the water we could see silhouette of a large elephant herd. We parked our gypsy about 25 m away from the forest track and sat on our seat, sipping cold lemonade drink, when suddenly the driver whispered excitedly “Sir, Tiger…who raha tiger”.
The tiger came exactly from the animal track about 25 m ahead of us, where we anticipated her to come out…..she was just mesmerizing, and majestically padded across the forest road totally ignoring our presence
Nikon D4s, Nikon 300 F4 FL ED, Shot @ 300 F9, ISO 400, 1/500s. Corbett