ON THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION - A - THE TIGER (Panthera tigris)

[Shadow]

(09-24-2020, 01:32 AM)Pckts Wrote:

(09-24-2020, 12:55 AM)Shadow Wrote:

(09-22-2020, 04:29 AM)Pckts Wrote: Naren Malik talking about Kanha *Mukki Zone Tigers* and the Tiger fights he's seen, Pugmark Differences, etc.


Funny enough, all Tiger fights he's seen has involved Umarpani male. 

Pugmarks "10 month old Tiger cubs are equal to Leopard Pugmarks"

Driver talking about when Yuvraj killed a Bison.
"He jumped on him, injuring his hind legs and incapacitating him. The Gaur herd came and he charged at them to run them off then went back to attacking the Bison."

The driver is the perfect example of who the true experts are, no offense to anyone who studies these animals, they contribute immensely to the conservation of big cats but it's these guys who know everything there is to know. They are the ones that drive every day with these cats and it would truly be a treasure trove if they all got together and started documenting their stories.

Then we have zoologists, like Joseph Vattakaven and these other two men here, who have spent a lot of time on the field making first hand observations. Like 4 years of time spent (Vattakaven) to study  tigers hunting success rates mentioned on the video. From 2:40-3:40. 1/25 stalks lead to success, means 4 % success rate. I think, that there are no-one with better knowledge than he has concerning it, even though these safari guides see a lot.

Also people like Karanth, Vattakaven, Schaller, Sankhala and many other zoologists have spent days and nights and long periods of times in the forests to get first hand experience, not just sitting behind the desk in the office. 

For sure these guides see a lot, but I still think, that experts are experts for a reason. They know without a doubt many stories from guides too, but they also know very well themselves too, how things are in reality. While safari guides can put some extra to some stories to entertain visitors, people like Karanth and other experts have to be more down to earth.

Things are seldom black/white, but there is are reasons why some people are considered as experts and are widely respected for their knowledge and experiences.

100% but at the end of the day after they finish their research, they leave. These guides don't they continue to work there for years and years. They are locals who lived there and any research done cannot be done without the help of these drivers/locals.
In E. Africa, your guide is going to be tribesman from one of the 4 major tribes most likely, they are going to not only have years of experience tracking these animals but their ancestors will have years of experience living side by side with these animals, the same goes for India. 
Next is the fact that these researchers like Joe, study many animals and since they have the resources to do so, they divide their time between places, for most of the guides they don't get that luxury, the are forced to stay in one place and again that leads to more experience. 
These researchers may perform studies for years on end and learn a ton but they do so with the help of these guides who were there before them and will be there after them.


"Experts"

The term "expert" is vague, what exactly makes an expert?
Are you saying schooling is what makes an expert? 
In that regards, these guides cannot hold a candle.
Or, are we talking about experience?
In that regard, no zoologist or biologist can compete.

I gave an example with Vattakaven. No-one can convince me, that some safari guides would know better tigers hunting success rates than him. There are many other things which zoologists study with time and fully aware of stories from locals and guides etc. These zoologists also without any doubt notice if there are contradictions or exaggerations, like there are time to time. 

I posted my posting, because it´s not that simple that people should believe too blindly what guides tell. They know a lot, but there are many things in which they can make only guesses like others, while people like Vattakaven can say, that they know because they used a lot of time and effort to learn.

I pointed out another point of view. This is how I see this and I trust more to information from zoologists. Naturally other people decide themselves which sources they see most reliable. But many zoologists are really determined and spend a lot of time to learn how things really are. Reply