Tigers of South India & Western Ghats

[Rishi]

Cat Finds Cat – Tiger and Civet, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Karnataka
Vinay NP

*This image is copyright of its original author

Nagarahole Tiger Reserve offers a variety of landscapes with its mix of dry and moist deciduous forests. It is one of the best places to experience a wildlife safari full of surprises and thrills. It is a privilege to see nature’s inhabitants in their natural habitat, displaying raw emotions.

On a cool February afternoon in 2020, we started on our jungle safari. Soon we were all excited as we sighted a huge male tiger resting on the bund of a waterhole. Initially he appeared to be very calm. But there seemed to be some uneasiness that he was displaying. Soon, he stood up and looking up at the trees, seemingly trying to smell something. We couldn’t understand his behaviour, but after a while the tiger decided to move on. It was then that our attention was drawn towards a small mammal resting on a tree – an Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus)!

The palm civet is nocturnal, primarily moving about after dusk. Seeing it in broad daylight was indeed a rare sighting. But we couldn’t fathom why the civet was making the tiger was uncomfortable! Reply