We raced towards Brahmanath crossing the Kaalighati waterhole and boy was it deserted? Not a soul in sight. Something was not right. Not a sound. The jungle silence can be very very eerie. We reached the Brahmanath waterhole again and that too was deserted. We waited for a while hoping to see ST-4, because it had not quenched his thirst fully having been disturbed by the approaching third Gypsy that I mentioned earlier.
The day was coming to an end and light conditions were not good. And even with my fast lens (f/2.8) I wasn't sure of getting good shots. And I don't like to boost the ISO on my camera. I like to take pictures at ISO 100. Very rarely have I crossed ISO 200.
Till then we had only one sighting of the two cats. We were not to know that this was going to be an extremely lucky day for us. In total we had 4 sightings between 2pm and 5pm of which the second sighting was so sudden that I couldn't click pictures and by the time I had lifted the camera the cat was gone.
After a brief wait at the Brahmanath waterhole we moved towards Kaalighati through a narrow trail normally not taken by most vehicles. We all were discussing the sighting and other animals and the trail turned into a curve that suddenly Jagdish hissed - "ssshhhh..!", braked hard and cut the engine immediately. Just 5 feet ahead of the Gypsy, ST-4 languidly crossed the trail and vanished into the bushes. It all happened so suddenly that I had no chance of taking a picture. Had I anticipated or known either by way of alarm call etc., I would have been ready. Another lesson learnt. Be ever ready in the jungle. You never know. If I had taken that picture, probably that would have been the best of the lot. Perfect lighting, so very close.
ST-4 was coming back after having quenched thirst completely.
Now we knew that he would cross over to Kaalighati area and we rushed so as to reach before him & ST-2 jumped over to the other side. On the way we saw this male boar hurrying away. Normally Tigers avoid a male boar with tusks as he can stand up to a Tiger and chase him away as well. But 2 tigers against 1 male boar was an unequal equation. That's why he was hurrying away.
Hurrying male boar
We reached the tar road that bisects the jungle into two and saw the Tiger research agency gypsy parked and two other vehicles. We too parked and waited as it was almost sure that these two would cross over.
And then something happened that I had till date seen only on Discovery/Animal Planet. Suddenly the silence of the jungle was pierced by a very very loud PONK. This was a very startled Sambhar. There was a loud rustle and the Sambhar shot through the grass and with a great leap bounded off to the other side. He was probably surprised by the silent predator.
Startled Sambhar
And then we saw ST-2 emerge very very silently and stalk. Jagdish started the engine and waited and so did others. Suddenly there was a loud bellow followed by a series of yelps, and a Cheetal shot through the bushes followed by ST-2 in full flow. Oh my God, what speed, what agility, what a leap but the Cheetal proved faster and managed to escape. The hunt failed. Not a single photograph because Jagdish chased behind the cat all through. I hung to the railing with all my might because if I had even attempted to shoot, surely would have fallen down and ST-4 following behind would have taken me home..
ST-2 emerging Looking intently at Cheetal Stalking The run Failure
We too crossed over to the other side of the jungle hoping to see where the two went. Slowly first ST-2 emerged appearing very annoyed and went over the Kaalighat hill. ST-4 followed behind and lay down in the open on a trail on which no vehicles are allowed. Only the research agency gypsy was at a vantage point to see the male through an opening in the thicket. We & other gypsies couldn't see anything because it was a single lane and unless that vehicle moved nobody could go further. And he wouldn't move because his movie camera rolling. I mentioned that luck was with me on that day. Suddenly that guy looked at me and gestured me to come over to his jeep. I jumped in joy and did the unthinkable. Got down, walked to his jeep and standing beside his jeep started clicking. I shouldn't have done that - behind me was a very very angry ST-2 and wasn't visible. My guide Harisingh almost had a fit. In a hoarse whisper he asked me to climb on to that jeep. I did that and mentally kicked myself for breaking the rule.
ST - 4
And then we heard a very different roar of ST-2 from the hill. It was not the one I had heard during noon at the waterhole calling ST-4. It was an angry roar, that reverberated through the jungle sending a shiver to all those present there - about 6 gypsies with tourists. The female roared 5 times as if to tell her partner - "rascal, couldn't you've assisted me in the hunt? I am hungry".
For the first time I saw a facet of animal behaviour. That scolding made that male get up and saunter up the hill to make up for his mistake. It was 5:15 pm and light was dipping fast and with the last of the shot of ST-4 vanishing into the thicket, a very very satisfying day ended for my wife & I. This was one experience that I would not be forgetting ever.
The urge to go back again is getting stronger but other commitments take precedence. But surely will go sometime this month. Today evening Harisingh called to say that ST-3 made a kill near the entrance gate and is sitting in the thicket finishing off her meal. ST-4 has separated from ST-2 and gone his way. ST-2 was seen near Pandupol yesterday. There had been no sighting today.
I hope you have liked this travelogue. Thank you for staying with me..
The End