[Stryker]

Kabini again. These short trips are now coming more and more often. I was there in December and here I am again in February. This time I had a BHPian, Vishwas, for company. I am waiting to see his photos of the tour too, as we were in the same group and vehicle throughout the weekend. I bought a new Nikkor 200-500 f/5.6 lens and I wanted to try it out at the earliest possible opportunity. The camera is still my trusty three year old Nikon D7200, I haven't yet felt the need to upgrade to a D500 or a full frame.

This time I was traveling to Kabini on the day of the Cauvery decision by the Supreme Court, so I was a little apprehensive of the possibility of disturbances along the standard Bangalore - Mysore route, especially near Mandya which has always been a hotspot for this. So I took an alternate, albeit longer, route:




There were no problems along this route and the roads are pretty well maintained, except for a 10 kilometre stretch after Holenarsipur where the road becomes a single lane due to road widening work and one has to repeatedly get onto the shoulder to make way for vehicles coming in the opposite direction. Turned out that all this precautions were for nothing, since the Supreme Court delivered a decision that was slightly in favour of Karnataka and there were no incidents in Mandya or anywhere else. In any case, I still managed to reach Jungle Lodges Resort at noon, well in time for the usual tasty lunch. The food at JLR is generally simple and always tastes exceptional. That's another reason why I keep going back there.

OK, onto the photos. I should take a few of the property and post here, but it was quite dry this time around. Maybe when I visit in July or sometime after the monsoon when it will be green and absolutely beautiful, I will take a few to show those of you who haven't visited the place. Enough said, let the pictures do the talking.


A dainty little fawn stands shakily on its legs, not far from its mother. They are so tiny, I wonder why the cats even bother catching them!




Early Saturday morning, I meet an old friend, Torn Ear. I first met him a few years ago when he was already bold and beautiful. He has aged a bit now, but still beautiful!




Reportedly, he's been fighting with that black fellow (of whom I've had no glimpse yet) over some girls. But there seems to be no ill effect on him, although some were saying they'd seen some scratch marks on his body and face. He's a joy to behold, especially when he looks you in the eye like this.




He is without a doubt the boldest leopard in Kabini, a place that is filled with The Bold and The Beautiful.




That same afternoon, we hear strong alarm calls around the back water area and move from one side of the water to the other. A co-enthusiast in another van beckons us frantically and points to a bush across the water. At first we are not able to see anything and then we spot this handsome young tiger relaxing in the shade.




After a few minutes, making us wait and wonder whether he will come out at all, he steps out to the joy of three vehicles filled with photographers clicking away madly. He steps carefully among the broken bamboo, which can be quite sharp and will cut easily if he is not mindful. You can see several plastic bottles washed up along the shore, the result of some idiots throwing them away after drinking their fill. They get caught in the bamboo and bushes along the banks and kind of stay there forever, spoiling the environment.




Finally, he comes to the water and snarls at us on the opposite bank, as if to warn us that this is drinks time, we better stay where we are.




Ritual warning delivered, he proceeds to drink his fill, slowly lapping up the muddy water to the near constant sound of shutters firing as fast as possible.




After drinking as much as he wants, he decides that he will pollute the water further by pooping in it! Is it pollution if a tiger does it?




Now the dirty fellow drinks the same water! Didn't his mom teach him basic manners? Which school did he go to anyway? I don't know who all they are admitting into the forest these days.




Oh, alright, it is now time to relax and cool off in the hot sun. He looks so regal there, doesn't he? And it appears like he knows it too.




He spots something off to the side. We initially think it could be a couple of sambar deer that are also attempting to get close to the water to drink. They know he is in the water, so they are quite wary. They are hidden behind a lot of bushes so I can't see them from where we are parked, but we saw them on the way here.




He immediately goes into stalking mode, crouching down into the water to minimize his visibility to the prey.




We finally see what has caught his attention. A cow! We had seen a herd of them from a nearby village wandering near the back water earlier, but they seem to have come to have a drink themselves. One of them actually entered the water for a quick sip. I'm sure that the cow had absolutely no clue that there was a tiger stalking it on the other side.




He probably didn't know what to do at this stage. Maybe the cow was too big for him, maybe he felt it was too far away, especially being across the water and there was no way for him to pounce without being seen. Eventually, the cow goes back to the herd and they all go away, bells tinkling. We are still tightly focused on the tiger, though!




At this point, I think he decided to follow the herd and see how things turn out. Maybe there would be an opportunity to get a straggler somewhere down the line. Luckily for us, the cows were on our side of the water and he had to swim across to follow them. This gave us a glorious opportunity to capture some good images.




Doesn't he look more handsome emerging from the water than John Abraham did in that movie, Dostana?





He wants to investigate something so he takes a detour right in front of us.




Now he is heading straight at us and looking at me in the eye (or at least in our general direction) all the time.





He comes quite close to us before heading away. This image is a full frame at 300 mm (OK, OK, for the technically minded, the equivalent of 450 mm because my camera is a crop body), which means he is only about 8 to 10 metres away at this point.




He then heads away along the banks, still following the herd, which is now some distance ahead of him. Look how much difference some green does to the image!




And finally, I get to capture this. While we were busy clicking away, a boat filled with tourists has also come up the water, having spotted the tiger. He walks right across me with the boat in the background, allowing me to get a good scene.




After this, he walks into some bushes and disappears from our sight. We did see him again, but he was too far way and quite well hidden. Thus ends one the best sightings I've had of a tiger in Kabini. I believe this is the same fellow we saw almost exactly a year ago, when he was quite shy and refused to come out into the open. What a difference one year has made! He has learned that we mean him no harm and would rather enjoy his grace and presence. May he live long and become a father to many more such graceful creatures.

There are a couple of other pictures I'd like to show you too. This one of a painted stork attempting some kind of yoga posture, while a disciple behind him wants to get a better view.




And a ruddy mongoose, with his companion behind him and out of the frame, out looking for an evening snack.




As ever, I hope you people enjoyed these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them. Until next time then, bye and drive safe.

[Aditya]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to Travelogues. Thanks for sharing!

[verditer]

Excellent shots, great opportunity and well done. A tiger and a leopard in one trip is Amazing.

I guess the last one is a stripe necked mongoose and not a ruddy mongoose...

Wishes
Suresh.

[qr20de]

@stryker: Oh man, you are really lucky and privileged to have seen a leopard and tiger. And even more so with so much face time of the tiger in the reservoir. Great photos! Thanks so much for sharing

[drbones]

Stryker, amazing clicks man. Pleasant visuals on a monday morning with pleasing write up. picture with the cow and tiger in the water is superb.

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by verditer

I guess the last one is a stripe necked mongoose and not a ruddy mongoose...

Thanks Suresh. As you pointed out, it is indeed a strip necked mongoose. My bad and thanks for the correction.

Originally Posted by qr20de

Great photos! Thanks so much for sharing

Thanks, qr20de.

Originally Posted by drbones

Stryker, amazing clicks man. Pleasant visuals on a monday morning with pleasing write up. picture with the cow and tiger in the water is superb.

Thanks, drbones. I thought the cow and tiger together highlights the "man / animal conflict" issue too, assuming cows represent man, which is why I took this photo.

[ravib]

@Stryker, awesome snaps

We are 8 friends going to Kabini mid march and hope we are as luck as you are. Your encounter with leopard and tiger is super lucky and guess it may be like a teaser before our trip.

-Ravi

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by ravib

@Stryker, awesome snaps

Thanks, Ravi. Hope you have equally good or better sightings when you visit. Do post photos if you get to see anything interesting.

[SJM1214]

I visited almost all the major National Parks in India but never spotted a tiger. The only wildcats I spotted was lions at Gir National Park. And here you are with a tiger and leopard's spotting in a Single day. I am jealous.

By the way, Amazing Photographs. Thanks for Sharing.

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by SJM1214

I am jealous.

Thanks SJM1214. Sometimes you get really lucky, at others you feel jealous. Happens to me too, especially when someone shows off their leopard photos in camera and all I got was bored looking Serpent Eagle!

[arunrajk81]

Hi Friend,

Your Pics are amazing and extremely lucky to spot two of the big cats in one trip .

I have been to Parambikulam, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Mudumalai, but never been to Kabini even it is soo close to above national Parks. I want to visit this park during June time frame with friends not more than total of 2-3 guys. What is your suggestion for stay, rides to take, or boating? I am looking for maximum possible wildlife sightings and clicks of these magnificent creatures rather than comfort. I will be driving from Ernakulam, Kerala covering Ride only visit to Mudumalai and Bandipur if possible and planning to stay for a night or two at Kabini.

[Olympal]

The tiger in water pics are simply superb. Beautiful golden light and tight composition. Did you have to pay a camera/lens charge.?

[sudev]

Lucky to get such shots. Sad about the water bottles.

[libranof1987]

What spectacular sightings, Stryker! The pictures are amazing, the leopard and tiger have put on quite the show for you!

Originally Posted by Stryker

We finally see what has caught his attention. A cow! We had seen a herd of them from a nearby village wandering near the back water earlier, but they seem to have come to have a drink themselves.

This conflict would have ended not-so-pleasantly for the tiger? Quite a few cases where villagers hunt down tigers/leopard that prey on their cattle, isn't it.

[ritz3645]

Not video bombing this beautiful thread, but sharing a youtube video of Tadoba man tiger close interaction. I thought on sharing it on the Tadoba visit thread, but this one is fresh so here.

https://youtu.be/qu_-bJhYd0Y