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B2 and Other Great Tiger Pics from India
B2 and Other Great Tiger Pics from India
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B2 and Other Great Tiger Pics from India
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The Rise and Fall of Euco | RIP (Aug/2015)
Always remember the cold winters of December, its mist, fire and plot. For the fires of December gave birth to an ember, one i never forgot. The blue winter of 2009 was where it all began. Under a thick blanket of mist moved a mysterious family. Their flames, a fiery orange, set the lantana ablaze. Three tigers drifted through the densely wooded Eucalyptus forest towards their mothers distant roars. Only one paused to look at us. They say embers are pieces in a dying fire, but who knew little piece of ember was going to spark an entire forest and soon grow to be the most feared and most loved predator to walk this jungle i resided in. The golden summer of 2012 was nearing its end. Two and a half years had passed and the famous Sherkhan who ruled the backwaters was no more (The forest for the next week had an eerie silence and like a witches cauldron, you could sense something big was simmering deep in its depths. Rumours of a new male started to emerge as tribesmen spoke off a fearless creature that walked the backwaters at midnight. It was early July when i first heard him. I blew darkness into my bedside lantern and loved listening to the sounds of the forest. The steady of hum of crickets, the eerie cry of a nightjar and the family of howling jackals were a few that made my night but nothing compared to the deep echoes that reverberated through the valley. There was nothing more beautiful than sitting out my verandah and listening to a tiger roar and announce his arrival. A new King was here, and i couldn’t wait to track him at sunrise. It took weeks before i got my first glimpse of the emperor. His empire was flooded with water as the mighty monsoons of 2012 made it very difficult for us to track him. The undergrowth was thick and the rain was relentless. We parked our vehicle under a tree and waited for the downpour to subside when a friend pointed at the narrow road that led to the Eucalyptus plantation. Just like the tribesmen had described him, he was fearless in his approach and extremely curious. He walked up to us and sat under the same tree we had parked our vehicle under. Together we waited for the rain to pass and when it did he picked himself up and vanished into the unending foliage. Later that night i compared his stripes with every tiger i had previously photographed and hours later i found a match. The blue winter of 2009, a family that had evaporated into thin air like that mornings mist. All but one, the same one who paused to look at us and the ember who silently grew. That night around the bonfire was special, we raised a toast to the birth of a new king, the birth of a tiger we named Euco (for his connection with the Eucalyptus plantation). The drought of 2013 saw the backwaters recede to near nothingness. Kabinis meadows were flooded with game as a small river that ran though the dry backwater scape became the only source of water for most of the animals in the area. From camp we would often see herds of elephants and gaur come to drink and at sundown we would hear the shrill cries of deer announcing Eucos presence. From Jan to April we sighted him 72 times (from camp and on safari) and the summer of 2013 undoubtedly became Eucos summer. We slowly fell in love with an animal who allowed us into his life. We shared intimate moments and created wonderful memories as he has left us clue after clue to find him. We tracked him everyday and spent hours studying his behaviour. We watched him raise families and protect his kingdom. And just like he took my heart, he grabbed many more from those who visited his Kabini. As time passed, Euco grew into his prime. He was the perfect dominant male but sadly in the jungle, life is never too far away from death. It is scary to think that every one of us and the creatures around us won't last forever. We are all but recent blades of grass on the same old backwater meadows of life. This life may be different but it still holds the same principles. There is no real difference between the grass that grows and what walks it. Eucos meadows taught me the value of life. Within us lies a future ghost which will someday perish. May Eucos ghost haunt the backwaters until new blades of grass grow and give birth to new life and a new King. For he shall rise, just like Euco once did but unlike Euco, may he fall gently, for every king deserves a gracious death. - Euco unfortunately died a few days ago under bizarre circumstances. He apparently injured himself chasing a leopard up a Forest Department house in the jungle. Whatever the cause is, he died an unnatural death and left us far too early. I spent hours with this cat over the past 6 years and enjoyed over 250+ sightings of him. He was closest to my heart and its the end of a huge chapter in our books. May his soul rest in peace.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author The Giant Kingfisher male from Mukki (April/2016)  *This image is copyright of its original author The biggest male tiger of Mukki going for a walk 
Tiger - Spy in the Jungle wink emoticon!
Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve India  *This image is copyright of its original author Maya at Pandherpauni Waterhole Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve India  *This image is copyright of its original author Tigress - KM Katte Female @ Bandipur  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
04-30-2016, 05:26 PM
( This post was last modified: 04-30-2016, 06:04 PM by sanjay
Edit Reason: Embed the video
)
 *This image is copyright of its original author Bamera's son from Tadoba waterhole - Bandhavgarh, National Park.  *This image is copyright of its original author The Giant Khali of Corbett from 2011, one of his last sightings. https://www.facebook.com/ravindraasneha/...=3&theater Click on to play video Kaziranga tiger on his water buffalo kill (video). I suggest watching the video from 4:00 till the end (too bad it's one of the worst videos ever). the size of this male is incredible. I love the part where he turns around and walks back towards the kill at 5:04. impressive body, almost like a tank. found his picture that i previously posted on December/2015.  *This image is copyright of its original author
 The three best minutes of my life, in two frames
30 June 2011  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Everybody has his own favourite story of seeing a tiger in the wild. More precisely, everybody has his own favourite story of having missed seeing a tiger in the wild. Kaavya Shankaregowda can safely go to heaven having had the thrill of seeing the animal in flesh and blood, on the way from Ooty to Bandipur, at 1.20 pm on 28 June 2011. Quote:“The car screeches to a halt. A tiger on the Kabini river
 *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author On my very last safari at Nagarahole i had this feeling that i would definitely see a tiger this time around. And just as we came round a bend we saw the large orange form walk across the path and settle on the grass nearby. He sat there and just looked at us and then looked around and seemed perfectly relaxed. We were however running late as other guests were waiting for a ride on our jeep back at reception. So we did not get a chance to spend long with him. But i had gotten the photo that i wanted.
The whole post here:
http://shivakumarphotography.altervista.org/journey-through-southern-indias-greenbelt/?doing_wp_cron=1462027080.1998150348663330078125
 *This image is copyright of its original author The Gift of the Tiger
10/05/2012 Prerna Singh Bindra I visited the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve this February, and was fortunate enough to witness the spectacular sight of a tiger stalking elephants. That marked the beginning of my Nagarahole tiger story. To say the experience was special, magical, is inadequate, but much as I cherish the encounters, greater is my feeling of gratitude…for all those who have made it possible, for tigers to thrive here… 3.30 pm-5.20pm , February 19, 2012, Nagarahole National Park Some might call it time ‘wasted’ …sitting, waiting, watching at Mavina Halla Watch Tower, in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve. Doing nothing. No animals that might save the day, ensuring that the time being spent is not all futile. No tiger…the ‘Star’ that will make it all worthwhile, that one can brag about back home. No leopard, the next best trophy. Not even (Asiatic) elephants, of which this landscape has the highest population in the world, and which are pretty much ‘guaranteed’. No guars, either, that magnificent wild oxen–but, which in the scheme of wildlife sightings would ‘only’ serve as a consolation prize. But I wasn’t a ‘typical’ tourist. And it wasn’t a ‘waste’ of time. Forget the wildlife I didn’t see. Imagine time spent sitting in a watchtower in one of the last wild places on Planet Earth…where lives the tiger. No distractions, no deadlines, no watch, no email, no Blackberry. Amidst pristine forest and the promise of great expectation. Cheetal graze, placidly. One among the lot, lost in the crowd is lame, dragging its bad leg, as he tries to match pace with the herd. Poor guy, I think, pretty much a guaranteed tiger meal. A Malabar Giant Squirrel looking dapper in its rust suit, jumps branches above us, while another scrambles across the path below, unusual for this arboreal creature. Directly across, perched on a Terminalia tree, are a pair of imperial green pigeons–huge, stunning creatures unlike their drab grey cousins back home. Still, even with all this action…I find something missing. Perhaps, it is to do with the fact of my missed trip last month, where my colleagues, able to get away from the tyranny of the desk watched, from this same machan, a tigress with two cubs for no less than three hours. Finer feelings do tend to take a backseat at the perceived unfairness of life. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that I am here with Dr Ullas Karanth–a name synonymous with Nagarahole..and tigers. It was here that Ullas started his path breaking research on tigers, and that India’s first big cat got radio-collared…revealing much about the secret world of tigers (Did you know for instance, that to survive a tiger needs around 500 hoofed animals, of which it will consume about 50 at weekly intervals?) It was here that the longest tiger monitoring programme in the world was established, which has been ongoing for over two decades. This work has yielded crucial information about tiger behaviour and ecology, including the fact that the key to stable tiger populations is a good prey base. Here, in Nagarahole. the tiger’s dietary needs are well provided for, with an array of hoofed animals on its menu, and no less than 40 of them packed into every square kilometer of forest. Somehow, with this remarkable history, you would expect that the tiger, who has inspired this body of work would be part of Nagarahole experience. That with Ullas around, the tiger was bound to put in an appearance… 5.20 pm – 5:40 pm Quelling the twinge of disappointment, we descend from the machan, and into the SUV for the drive back to the forest rest house, taking the circuitous route, giving chance–for meeting tigers and other animals–the best opportunity. Our first sighting is wild pigs, scurrying across the path, young in tow. We spot sambar, a doe with her fawn. She flicks her huge cauliflower ears and eyes us curiously, before crashing into the bushes, tail uptight in the air. Next, on our rapidly growing list, is the even bulkier tiger meat-gaur. It’s a humongous male–weighing not less than a ton–a mass of muscle tapering down to prim white schoolboy socks. Ullas peers through his binocs, and while I–foolishly– wonder why he needs them to view such a huge target, he points at a wound on its massive shoulders. It’s an old injury, healed now, but the claw marks tell a story. A tiger had attacked the gaur–the largest wild bovid in the world– who lived to tell the tale. It’s nearing six , when the gates of the parks close to visitors, and we are on our way back to our destination the forest rest house, dusk, on Nagaraja road, when ahead of us, a grey haze takes shape..then another..till a mass of massive, grey creatures emerge out of the shadows. Elephants. We stop, with the herd about 40 metres feet on our right. 5.40 – 5:49 pm We count eleven –babies, calves, mothers, aunts. They are preoccupied; carefully scooping out with their trunks, tufts of grass, thrashed and dusted off, before popping it into their mouths. Some chew on the salty chunks of earth. Through the mass of trunk-like legs, I spy a small frame, no bigger than my labrador, neatly fitted under her mother. The baby, a month old, if that , stumbles forth, her tiny head endearingly topped with a shock of gollywog hair. She runs amok, playing ‘chase’ with a tusker. He is young, brash, and clearly a bully–and the kid goes squeaking back to mum. I smile, my heart squeezing at the sight..this was it. This is what we work for. All the struggles, the heartbreaks, that must accompany conservation battles…are worth it. So that the wilds flourish… Ullas squeezes my arm, breaking my quiet reverie, and I look up, beyond the elephants; Perfectly camouflaged in the tall, golden grasses is a…tiger. A tiger. Sitting on its haunches, observing the elephants as intensely as us–but obviously with different, and not so altruistic–intentions. He is still, ears straight, alert, his gaze, unwavering–and clearly fixated on the tiniest pachyderm. But the elephants, they are blissfully unaware of the danger that lurks..so close. I can see-feel-their contentment as they calmly go about their business, munching on the grass, occasionally extending their trunks, to softly, delicately, rub it against a mate. It’s the calm before the storm. Has to be. It’s surreal, this moment, the drama of it! I am besides myself, cannot think–or is it that my mind is a jumble of thoughts? Tiger..and elephants. in the same frame, a few feet from each other, the air is tense, waiting for the tipping point, an explosion. How can the elephants not know? The wind changes direction, and I know the microsecond when it hits them. TIGER, I can hear them think, and in a flash the sky is rendered by shrill screams as the elephants run amok…or so I think. Even in their panic, the escape is planned, the babies have been herded and pushed ahead firsts…and the landscape is emptied of the elephants. The tiger shifts stance, turns toward us, gives a brief, disinterested, glare, as though acknowledging our presence, before he ambles off too…a blaze of fire vanishing into his forest. What can I say? I breathe again, break into a sweat, laughter, tears. This was from 5:40 to 5:49 pm, nine–incredible –minutes of my life. But not really, this is another life, in another realm, for when you are here, in the forests, in wilderness, you are one of them. Primitive man, or in my case, woman. I thought post this event, anything, everything would be an anti-climax, but Nagarahole apparently, had decided to pull all stops for me, and put up a grand show. 7.00 pm – midnight As we that evening on the rest house verandah, relaxing, reliving those magical moments…came that unmistakable rumble in the jungle..a sound that pierces right through the soul aauungh, aauungh…the call of the tiger. The excitement, nay, the euphoria does not allow me to sleep, and as I lay awake, restless, letting the events of the day sink in, a cry breaks the stillness of the night. It is the forest eagle owl, called the Alu koogina hakki, the bird that wails like a man. The soft mournful cry is oddly soothing, and next I know, is being jolted awaked the raucous local morning alarm, the grey jungle fowl. 6 am, February 20, 2012 In the morning, on the drive up the Nagaraja Road, we have another big cat encounter. A tiger, a large male, very impressive, very regal, very beautiful..striding softly, across the dusty road. He is on the edge of the path, about to be lost to the bushes–and us, when he halts. Looks us over, his intense golden gaze holding my pensive brown one, then, as though we passed scrutiny, he settles down, resting his massive head in his front paws. It’s a simple act, nothing to get all teary and sentimental about, but I am all mush. so grateful that we met the tiger, that he accepts us enough to ignore our presence, that he trusts us enough to roll over..and fall asleep. We watch him, for a few minutes..eternity…till the arrival of another jeep with noisy photographs disturb him, and in a flash, he disappears, swallowed by the forest. 11 pm to Noon, Murkal, Shetthalli I am on my way back, accompanied by Ullas’s colleague Muthanna P M . We chat, there is much common ground, both of us were journalists before being smitten-and bitten–by the wildlife bug. Muthanna is part of an organsation called Living Inspiration for Tribals, and with the support of the wildlife Conservation Society, has played a key role in the voluntary relocation of villagers from the park, carried out by the state forest department, with financial support from the centre. Relocation of villages is vital to tiger conservation. The PM appointed Tiger Task Force prioritised the voluntary relocation of villages from core critical tiger habitats, recognising the fact that tigers need inviolate areas to live and breed. For villagers living in remote forests, in the heart of reserves, it’s a new life—of mobile phones, roads, employment opportunities––away from the fear of elephants and trampled crops. I see the truth of it, here, in the old Murkal settlement in the heart of Nagarahole….What meets the eye is an expanse of grassland, instead of the shanties, garbage and bald meadow that existed here, merely an year ago. We should have been here yesterday, so say the forest staff with whom we have stopped to chat. A courting pair of tigers was around–it was a rather unfortunate tracker who stumbled upon them, or rather, the other way around, when he had gone for, err, some urgent personal business. Years of being in the field, taught him to hold his ground, sit firm, as the pair walked by…”but I ran as I was, soon as the pair turned away, screaming straight into my friends who were rushing to see what the commotion was all about..tigers here, who would have thought, ” They laugh, guards, trackers, watchers–our ‘tiger army’, teasing him, and he joins them, in the hilarity… I stand bemused, indeed, who would have thought, tigers, here….with the forest lost, disturbed, degraded by the presence of humans? They are gone now, the people, to lead better lives, to a more secure future. From landless labour, depending on sporadic, seasonal employment––they now own land. I spoke to them later in the Shetthalli relocation center. We went around the fields first, which yielded a bumper maize crop last year, worth over a whopping 45 lakhs. They tell me about their new life. There were teething problems, but largely life is better. Their children go to regular school, the hospital is accessible, and they have TV! Telling, given that in their old home they did not even have electricity. “It is,” they say, “the gift of the tiger…” The first glimpse of a male Tiger - The Mastigudi male
 *This image is copyright of its original author 
Aniket Deshkar:
Prince of Pench Maharashtra This male, Prince, had displaced the once upon a time dominant male, Veerappan, and now rules over maximum area in Pench MH. One can also see the mark just above nose, thanks to the fight with Veerappan Apr-16  *This image is copyright of its original author
Photo and information credits: Jayaprakash Bojan
"Male Tiger, also known as Wagdoh I Tadoba, May 2015. He is the largest known living wild tiger in India. After two dry days with no cat sightings on the 3rd day he finally showed up."  *This image is copyright of its original author "Wagdoh - A cautious sip! As soon as we entered the buffer zone we heard of a cattle kill in a nearby village and also got some vague directions from some folks inside. After an hour and half of tracking him we finally waited near a watering hole, hoping he would turn up. One of my personal favourites from Tadoba. May I 2015 "  *This image is copyright of its original author "Waghdoh - Male Tiger I Tadoba I May 2015"  *This image is copyright of its original author
Digambar Chaple
" Again Full Aggresion " @ STAR Male. Tipeshwar, Sun-2016.  *This image is copyright of its original author You need a brave heart to see how Tiger kills a Boar. Our member Mr. Digambar Chaple got the chance to click while He kills a boar in Kanha Tiger Reserve. Photo- Digambar Chaple  *This image is copyright of its original author Omveer Choudhary Raiyakass Male Tiger .  *This image is copyright of its original author
from James Warwick
This is an old photo of Bamera, around 27 weeks ago. He was limping but good lord, look at that size!  *This image is copyright of its original author What a dense cat he was... True legend. This guy is from Kahna  *This image is copyright of its original author Radio Collared Tiger from Kahna  *This image is copyright of its original author Kahna  *This image is copyright of its original author Ranth Tiger  *This image is copyright of its original author Tigress from Bandhavgarh  *This image is copyright of its original author Tigress in Bandhavgarh  *This image is copyright of its original author Tigress again from Bandhavgarh
PC Credit: Naren Malik
The mighty king of Mukki (Kanha National Park) —  *This image is copyright of its original author HUGE! "Aggressive - Bheema" - Don't Mess with me !!! What Else Can You Expect When You r the Only One In Front of this Aggressive & Mighty Male !!! Kanha National Park - May'16  *This image is copyright of its original author Vijay Raghavan Wagdoh is famous for his parenting skills, Had heard it till this trip of mine. Had a phase where the family raising instincts of this legend were to the fore. Wadgoh and his cub, Tadoba,  *This image is copyright of its original author PC Vijay Raghavan In the forests of Central India, a Great warrior was dethroned and his kin , 2 of them were killed and the third was rumoured also as dead.....After a long hiatus One of the son(The third one rumoured to be dead) comes back from the Ashes and is ruling over a part of his dad's Kingdom....Presenting the son of Bamera n Kankati known as Mr.X  *This image is copyright of its original author Ajit Kulkarni Due to closed KATEZARI area in tatr, this legendary huge male is not sighted since a year.Humble request to NTCA and Field director to reshedule the tourism road map to avoid saturated tourism on few spots only and not to dusturb wildlife there.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra April-16  *This image is copyright of its original author
Kingfisher male.
April 2016, credits to Mrityunjay Kanwar  *This image is copyright of its original author
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