Tigers of Central India

[Pckts]

Samarth Sriram
The ghost of mukki.

Usually when we least expect a tiger sighting to happen, it happens. Same was the case with this sighting. On our 3rd morning Safari in Kanha National park last November, we were headed to kisli zone.

Since we stayed at mukki, we would have to travel through a particular road inside mukki to reach kisli. So thinking that we could spend some time in a waterhole popular for tiger sightings, we decided to reach that place as early as possible. We were the second vehicle to enter the jungle.

Since the kisli main road passes through mukki zone, there is a good possibility that you can encounter a tiger while traveling to kisli.

When we reached our desired waterhole, we waited for a while to hear any calls, if any. None for our luck, we decided to move ahead. After traveling about 300 metres, the vehicle ahead of us were giving signals that there is a tiger walking head on, there she was, dhawajhandi female aka T27 and her cub walking towards our jeep.

After this sighting, we were forced to leave mukki and go to kisli, as we were booked in kisli. We crossed the zila line and reached chimta camp, there we got news that a female tigress had been seen very close to the kisli gate, hearing this we thought that we are in for a 3rd tiger.

Reaching the kisli gate, we waited for a while near a waterhole for any movement, but again, none. We had our breakfast and continued our journey for the search of the majestic beast.

After roaming in kisli for 20 mins, we left to mukki, thinking that we could spend some more time to search for bolder tigers there.

On reaching the zila line, we got news that umarpani male had been seen at a place very close to dhawajhandi female's sighting. Hearing this, we rushed to a spot where he could probably come out.

After waiting for a few minutes, we could see some movement happening in the bushes, it was really a tail of a tiger.

After another 2-4 minutes of silence, a tiger came out of the bushes walking straight towards our jeep. The third tiger of this particular Safari. And my 100th tiger sighting. A very memorable one

I would like to thank Mr David Raju for this sighting.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Umarpani male aka T30.
Kanha, mukki 2018.

Shadab Khan
"Chhota Munna aka Link 7"

Kanha !!

*This image is copyright of its original author

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