Tiger Directory

[Rage2277]

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Paresh Deshmukh‎-
Tigers of Nagzira
We were at Nagzira. Standing outside the canteen in the core zone, we were desperately waiting for the clock to tick to half past five and get going. Judging by the sound of the alarm call, we predicted the location of the predator not too far from where we were. The only question was - what was it that the sambar was alarming for?
Tigers of Nagzira have long lived a secretive life. Their reserved life has achieved them an almost mythical status. Walking through deep ravines, sleeping off in far away dens, making kills in the most dense patches of woods, and sipping water from countless perennial sources, the tigers here seldom allow themselves to be seen.
I have been following their journey closely for three years now, and never had they appeared in front of me in all of their flesh! A tail here, an ear there, a run here, and a jump there - this was the extent of my encounters with them...until the morning of 28th April 2019.
A bellow of a sambar from the darkness of the dawn announced to the entire jungle that a predator was on the move. As we reached the spot, the alarm calls became were increasingly loud. There were no pugmarks on the road so there was no way to find out what was there inside the bushes. We waited at the spot, patiently, listening to the sambar. After a few minutes, the jungle echoed with the sound of a fierce growl!
A tiger! Yes! A tiger!
The sambar calls started moving forward, and a few langurs joined them in singing the song of death. As we moved our jeep ahead, we heard another growl from behind. In complete astonishment, we listened to two tigers calling out to each other!
However, reality quickly kicked in, and I realised that these tigers do not come out while they are alone. As such, there was no way that they will bless us with a sighting when they are in mating - one of the most intimate, and secretive part of a tiger's life!
After house of waiting though, finally, the mighty T4, and a recovering T8, came out of the curtain of the thicket, glanced at us once, and continued onward!
The more I watched them from my camera, the blurrier the picture became as the eyepiece filled with tears of utter joy and an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction!
The day I saw tigers of my beloved Nagzia!
T4 (the female on the right) & T8 (the male on the left with a scar on his nose)
Nagzira, April 2019
— at Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary. Reply