Tadoba, Pench forests, wildlife and 4 tigers!

abheekg · 22nd February 2010, 02:30

Today I was in Pench for 1 evening drive and came to know that the 4 cubs have separated from the tigress mother 2 days back.
This makes you Fazal saab and me one of the very last persons to see the tigress together with the cubs.
I did not see any tigers today as I went there on a different purpose. I waited for 2 of the cubs who have been known to be hungry since the last 2 days and known to be in a particular area (Alikatta) .
I was not successful in tracking them.
Hopefully tomorrow I'll get some good news about them being sighted with a kill !!

Amen.....

regards,
Dr. A Ghosh

fazalaliadil · 22nd February 2010, 07:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by abheekg

Today I was in Pench for 1 evening drive and came to know that the 4 cubs have separated from the tigress mother 2 days back.
This makes you Fazal saab and me one of the very last persons to see the tigress together with the cubs.
I did not see any tigers today as I went there on a different purpose. I waited for 2 of the cubs who have been known to be hungry since the last 2 days and known to be in a particular area (Alikatta) .
I was not successful in tracking them.
Hopefully tomorrow I'll get some good news about them being sighted with a kill !!
Amen.....
regards,
Dr. A Ghosh

Dr. Ghosh,
This is news we anticipated to take place within a month.
Did anyone see the mother giving the kids field training on a hunt? I think not.
She has made the cubs join after she made the kill, like the day we were there witnessing... the prelude to an ambush, she was alone, which possibly means no cubs have joined her on hunts.

In this case the hunt may be a little longer than 2 days for the now adult cubs, as they will make many misses before the kill and many failures before first kill.

Ali Katta, has a very good prey base, if I remember.

Pray they pick up soon, they will as it is their genes and DNA to hunt down prey .

Regards,

fazalaliadil · 22nd February 2010, 07:32

Another one from the lens of Mr. Max Ali,

The Katejheri Tigress.

Tadoba, Pench forests, wildlife and 4 tigers!-katejheri-tigress-angry-copy.jpg

DKG · 22nd February 2010, 10:13

This is the second picture from Max showing a tiger aggravated. What's the story?

fazalaliadil · 22nd February 2010, 10:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKG

This is the second picture from Max showing a tiger aggravated. What's the story?

He has been for photography to these parks and reserves so many times he has forgotten how many. These growling ones are from a wide collection of tigers in various moods.

DKG · 22nd February 2010, 10:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

These growling ones are from a wide collection of tigers in various moods.

Seeing two of the same kind I wondered if he was the initiator of the mood

Its a bit disturbing to see Tigers like this when facing a human. Its most unlike a Tiger to do this when seeing a human (I am no expert but of the hundreds of pictures of Tigers in the wild, I rarely see ones like these where the animal is directing its annoyance at the photographer)

aniketi · 22nd February 2010, 15:10

Just Awesome pictures ... Love to go there

BTW which is the best season to go there? Dec-Jan? Or its better to go in April-May?

sarmarishi · 22nd February 2010, 16:06

Thanks for the beautiful virtual tours of Pench and Tadoba. I am in awe of the luck all of you have had in sighting Tigers. Will definitely look at heading over as soon as I can.

I have been going to Kaziranga every year for as long as I can remember (since I was a kiddo and I am from Assam) and to Bandipur & Nagarhole (including the Tiger census this year) for the 3 years but the Tigers have not thought of us to be worthy enough to grace us with their presence. I hope that day will come soon.

I am currently trying to cover the National Parks in the South since I am based out of Bangalore. Have finished Bandipur and Nagarhole. Next up are BR Hills, Bhadra and Perambikulam. If annyone has gone there please let me know of people like Lalan or forest rest houses that can be stayed at. Thanks.

fazalaliadil · 22nd February 2010, 16:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarmarishi

Thanks for the beautiful virtual tours of Pench and Tadoba. I am in awe of the luck all of you have had in sighting Tigers. Will definitely look at heading over as soon as I can.

I have been going to Kaziranga every year for as long as I can remember (since I was a kiddo and I am from Assam) and to Bandipur & Nagarhole (including the Tiger census this year) for the 3 years but the Tigers have not thought of us to be worthy enough to grace us with their presence. I hope that day will come soon.
Thanks.

sarmarishi,
Thank you.
Tigers and leopards are not easy to sight due to their nocturnal, secretive nature and rarity.
I have been fortunate to sight a tiger in 2006 in Nagarahole. If you want to sight tigers head for Tadoba and Pench (M.P.) this season which is already on, You will definitely see tigers and if lucky the solitary leopard too.

This summer tiger and other wildlife sightings at Tadoba will be tremendous as the water holes are already 80% dry even before the monsoons have started.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aniketi

Just Awesome pictures ... Love to go there

BTW which is the best season to go there? Dec-Jan? Or its better to go in April-May?

Aniketi,
Be there the season is on, until June.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKG

Seeing two of the same kind I wondered if he was the initiator of the mood

Its a bit disturbing to see Tigers like this when facing a human. Its most unlike a Tiger to do this when seeing a human (I am no expert but of the hundreds of pictures of Tigers in the wild, I rarely see ones like these where the animal is directing its annoyance at the photographer)

Deepak,
It is natural for the tiger to react this way when they face humans, since they have no natural enemies and are on top of the food chain they perceive humans to be the primary threat.
They will snarl, growl, mock charge, charge or attack if they feel their personal space is encroached upon, the invisible line is drawn by them and we always are the trespassers, without doubt.
A tiger who is human shy will retreat or create a distance between the human and himself, the ones who are not will react in different ways and at times they will just ignore you even in close proximity like the one I photographed at Pench.

That is the unpredictable nature of the wild.

Regards,

MX6 · 22nd February 2010, 17:03

And when man provokes these beast, they hit back to protect themselves. Sometimes, the taste of blood makes some turn Man-eaters.
We sadly are the threat to everything good on earth, including ourselves!

DKG · 22nd February 2010, 17:40

Fazal have you personally encountered a Tiger in the wild snarling at you while you were viewing it from an open Jeep?

Just the thought of encountering one snarling at you while you are in a open vehicle gives me shivers

fazalaliadil · 22nd February 2010, 18:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKG

Fazal have you personally encountered a Tiger in the wild snarling at you while you were viewing it from an open Jeep?
Just the thought of encountering one snarling at you while you are in a open vehicle gives me shivers

Deepak,
Yes in 2006 in Nagarahole, at a distance of 30 feet it did.
The very contorted snarl iwas just the start of what could be, at that moment I thought if his mood goes into overdrive,,,, instinctively ...what and how can I protect my 3 year old daughter, wife and myself???? It made me feel helpless like a small child, smaller than my daughter.. there is no match, answer or chance when you are faced with a situation like that where a warning could turn into an attack, you have nowhere to run or fight or hide.
Regards,

saleem_k · 22nd February 2010, 21:05

A bit off topic but would like to share an interesting bit of information that I recently heard on probably Discovery Channel... That was a documentary on Ranthambore and its tigers. They were telling that tigers reduce their travelling by as much as 70% once the temperature crosses 30 degree celsius.

However, we always say that Summer is the best time to spot Tigers. Is it only the sightings at waterholes that we talk about when referring to summers?

Recently (Jan ending almost) when we were in Corbett, although we didn't see one, many a times we were so close and almost everyday (for about 9 days) some group or the other had a sighting as per the guide and it was really really cold and chill even during the day time. So I believe the season between summers and peak winter is the best time to watch.

I would like to know the opinions of our more knowledgeable seniors here! :-)

fazalaliadil · 22nd February 2010, 21:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by saleem_k

A bit off topic but would like to share an interesting bit of information that I recently heard on probably Discovery Channel... That was a documentary on Ranthambore and its tigers. They were telling that tigers reduce their travelling by as much as 70% once the temperature crosses 30 degree celsius.

I would like to know the opinions of our more knowledgeable seniors here! :-)

Saleem_k,

You have rightly mentioned that they restrict their movement in summer to conserve precious energy.

Their movement is not much even in winters that we can see and sight, as they have a pattern that they follow throughout their life. In other words tigers and leopards are mostly nocturnal and hunt in the early morning, late evening or night, which does not mean that do not hunt in the day...but less. Daylight is supposed to rest and keep out of view of potential danger and prey.

In summers as the water holes dry up, tigers come here for their thirst, dip and prey, as water is the most precious commodity at this time of the year all animals have to visit the waterholes in spite of the impending danger of being hunted down by a predator.

Personally I would say the chance of sighting wildlife, tiger, leopard and a possible hunt in action is best in summer as the foliage is less dense and animals come out in the buffer and fringe areas of the forest for food and water.

Regards,

DKG · 22nd February 2010, 22:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

Yes in 2006 in Nagarahole, at a distance of 30 feet it did

My goodness that is way too dangerously close !! I feel it reacts this way only because its taken by surprise and it resents your proximity

If you see that Vanghat Tigress video when a full grown Tiger starts to walk towards you, it can freeze you !!

Just this evening my uncle was relating a tale when he and a friend once were subjected to the full throated roar of a Tiger just a few feet away in bushes in the Adilabad jungles, and that although they both had weapons in hand he said "my knees almost buckled in terror, and my friend was frozen like a rock"

I once experienced the unbelievably magnetic gaze of a tiger in our zoo when we were allowed to go near it in its cage. It was a white tiger and it hissed as I kneeled down just a few feet away. I will never forget the lure of its eyes. What a intense gaze

What an amazing creation. Beautiful and yet deadly when provoked

I am told a full grown tiger needs a range of atleast 30 square kms

22nd February 2010, 02:30	#121
abheekg BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nagpur Posts: 690 Thanked: 187 Times	Update ...... The 4 cubs have separated from the mother at Pench Today I was in Pench for 1 evening drive and came to know that the 4 cubs have separated from the tigress mother 2 days back. This makes you Fazal saab and me one of the very last persons to see the tigress together with the cubs. I did not see any tigers today as I went there on a different purpose. I waited for 2 of the cubs who have been known to be hungry since the last 2 days and known to be in a particular area (Alikatta) . I was not successful in tracking them. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get some good news about them being sighted with a kill !! Amen..... regards, Dr. A Ghosh
	() Thanks

22nd February 2010, 07:32	#123
fazalaliadil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 2,022 Thanked: 672 Times View My Garage	Another one from the lens of Mr. Max Ali, The Katejheri Tigress.
	() Thanks

22nd February 2010, 10:13	#124
DKG Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 3,711 Thanked: 1,389 Times View My Garage	This is the second picture from Max showing a tiger aggravated. What's the story?
	() Thanks

22nd February 2010, 15:10	#127
aniketi Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 2,002 Thanked: 2,785 Times	Just Awesome pictures ... Love to go there BTW which is the best season to go there? Dec-Jan? Or its better to go in April-May?
	() Thanks

22nd February 2010, 16:06	#128
sarmarishi BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 429 Thanked: 89 Times View My Garage	Thanks for the beautiful virtual tours of Pench and Tadoba. I am in awe of the luck all of you have had in sighting Tigers. Will definitely look at heading over as soon as I can. I have been going to Kaziranga every year for as long as I can remember (since I was a kiddo and I am from Assam) and to Bandipur & Nagarhole (including the Tiger census this year) for the 3 years but the Tigers have not thought of us to be worthy enough to grace us with their presence. I hope that day will come soon. I am currently trying to cover the National Parks in the South since I am based out of Bangalore. Have finished Bandipur and Nagarhole. Next up are BR Hills, Bhadra and Perambikulam. If annyone has gone there please let me know of people like Lalan or forest rest houses that can be stayed at. Thanks.
	() Thanks

22nd February 2010, 17:03	#130
MX6 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: City of seven islands. Posts: 2,877 Thanked: 231 Times	And when man provokes these beast, they hit back to protect themselves. Sometimes, the taste of blood makes some turn Man-eaters. We sadly are the threat to everything good on earth, including ourselves!
	() Thanks

22nd February 2010, 17:40	#131
DKG Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 3,711 Thanked: 1,389 Times View My Garage	Fazal have you personally encountered a Tiger in the wild snarling at you while you were viewing it from an open Jeep? Just the thought of encountering one snarling at you while you are in a open vehicle gives me shivers
	() Thanks

22nd February 2010, 21:05	#133
saleem_k BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 300 Thanked: 734 Times	A bit off topic but would like to share an interesting bit of information that I recently heard on probably Discovery Channel... That was a documentary on Ranthambore and its tigers. They were telling that tigers reduce their travelling by as much as 70% once the temperature crosses 30 degree celsius. However, we always say that Summer is the best time to spot Tigers. Is it only the sightings at waterholes that we talk about when referring to summers? Recently (Jan ending almost) when we were in Corbett, although we didn't see one, many a times we were so close and almost everyday (for about 9 days) some group or the other had a sighting as per the guide and it was really really cold and chill even during the day time. So I believe the season between summers and peak winter is the best time to watch. I would like to know the opinions of our more knowledgeable seniors here! :-)
	() Thanks