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An incident at Ranthambhore
By Mike Chambers
Pug marks still clear in the fine dust of the tracks edge showed where a tiger had followed then left the track. We waited, a chital alarm call sounded; encouraging, since next to the sambar’s, the most likely to indicate the presence of tiger or leopard. | |
It was not repeated and my driver sketched in a scene consistent with the little evidence we had. The tiger was, he conjectured, lying among the trees on the rising ground to our left. The chital had come upon it, probably sleeping through the afternoon heat, hence the one startled call. Had the tiger been moving the call would have been repeated, probably joined by others, and would have charted the animal’s progress.
We were back near our sleeping tiger, we hoped, in the beautifully cool, quiet stillness of late afternoon. A tiger suddenly sauntered into the clearing? No chance! Despite me willing it to happen.
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© Mike Chambers | |
| My driver looked at his watch. “Sorry, it was worth a try.” Still loitering as long as possible we moved slowly away. I was standing on a bench seat holding the roll bar of the small open backed ‘Gypsy’ when over a fringe of low vegetation around the next bend, I saw our tiger lying on the edge of the track. My driver’s interpretation of signs and anticipation of the animal’s behaviour had been impressive. Still not visible from his position, I slapped his shoulder, mouthed “tiger” and pointed. He turned the Gypsy round and slowly back up to the bend, giving me and camera the best chance.
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| Very large for a tigress, she was magnificent. Recently fed, as revealed when she stood up, totally at peace with the world. With only a few yards of fresh air for protection, I experienced no sense of danger, it almost detracted from the magic. Arguably the world’s top predator, aglow with good health. Surely this required drama – a flicker of lightening, a Wagnerian rumble along the distant escarpment, to prompt a laying back of ears, a snarl to display the shining white fearsome teeth, she had revealed briefly with a bored yawn.
I should have been in awe – a subject worshipping from a safe distance. Not, what I was, an unrequited lover who felt that if the park rules allowed he could jump down to give her a cuddle. |
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© Mike Chambers | |
| Just polite enough not to show complete boredom with my company, she eventually came to almost touching distance of the back of the Gypsy, then walked alongside, so close I thought she was going to rub herself against it as a cat will against your legs, and into the bushes beside the track, where regretfully we left her for a “very exciting” drive over some rough tracks to make the strict deadline for all vehicles to be clear of the reserve.
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Since Mike Chamber's visit, the tigers in Ranthambhore National Park, and in many other Indian Tiger Reserves, have been decimated by poachers. Only 26 tigers are believed to remain in the Park - less than half that reported in 2004. Find out more about what CWI is doing to protect tigers in Ranthambhore and other areas of Asia by checking out the links below. |
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