A Return to Tiger Country

Tigers in my opinion are the most beautiful big cats in the world and one of the most enigmatic animal species to have ever lived. The true might and majesty of the tiger is something to behold. Seeing a tiger in the wild and coming face to face with one is a humbling experience. I was privileged to have my first tiger experience this April in Bandhavgarh National Park in India, and my experience is documented in this blog.

Despite having 17 total sightings you never tire or bore of catching a glimpse of this amazing animal and within a few months the desire to once again venture crept back in me, and I made plans immediately to a new location in India which is also famed for its majestic tigers, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve or easily referred to as simply Tadoba.

Located in the state of Maharashtra, Tadoba is 150 KM away from Nagpur City. With a total area of 1,727 square Kilometers the park was created in 1955. The word Tadoba comes from the name of the god “Tadoba” or “Taru” who are praised by the local tribal people. The last census in 2010 revealed there are 43 tigers in the reserve, and is also home to other species of predators such as leopard, sloth bear and Indian wild dog or Dhole.

Plans were made to travel in November this year, with great excitement all bookings were made for what would be an amazing wildlife adventure.

The day came on the 16^th of November to fly to India, and it was a busy day given it was the day of the Presidential Election. Meeting up with the rest of the group which consisted of my good friend Balamurai a.k.a Bala and my wildlife photography mentor and dear friend Namal and his wife Jackie. Taking off from Colombo we reached Mumbai in a few hours. We had a layover of 3.5 hours which initially we thought was enough time to catch our connecting flight to Nagpur but was mistaken, the immigrations took over 1.5 hours and thereafter the process of taking our bags once again out from the belt and going through another queue at customs which took another 30 minutes or more, and thereafter another 20 minute queue at the Air India Check in counter, we were in the notion that we are definitely going to miss this flight. Thereafter another long security check which took a further 20 minutes of our time, to final head to a gate in the far corner with a very long walk. I decided to request a golf buggy as I knew if I had to walk given the pace I usually am capable of that I would most certainly miss the flight. Hence using the buggy I reached the gate at the nick of time at the last call to board the airplane.

The flight was very short and within an hour we were in Nagpur. A small airport, we gathered our luggage and headed out. There was no one to greet us and I was worried if I forgot to mention my landing time to the lodge we were staying in. Calling my agent in Delhi I checked again and to my relief they have sent someone but was delayed due to traffic. After another wait of around 30 minutes or more, the man arrived. Thushar was his name and we walked to our car. In typical Indian fashion most things are ill prepared, starting from the boot of the car a Toyota Innova. Knowing very well there are 4 passengers the guy has loaded a massive subwoofer in the back taking up most of the luggage space as well as an extra battery. Having being used to this type of crazy things in India, we remained patient till he figures out a way to load all our luggage with the greatest difficulty.

Then we had to wait another 20 minutes till another group arrived and got into another van headed for the lodge. Tired after a full day of travel our patience was wearing thin. Heading out, Thushar once again stopped somewhere in Nagpur and with the little English he knows explained he’s waiting for someone to bring money for fuel. After which another stop for fuel was done. Finally along the way he stopped again in a town to eat his breakfast while we waited, with some Hindi songs running loudly in the background despite us wanting peace and quiet. After he’s had his meal and tea we headed back on the road. Now we are quite impatient and want to get to the lodge to rest and have some sleep. Finally reaching the lodge after wasting around 1.5 hours we were taken straight to our rooms. The place is named Tiger Heaven Resort and is a nice quiet place very close to the Navegon gate. The manager of the resort was out when we arrived and a senior representative Sachin game to welcome us. After a refreshing drink if masala chai we had a much needed rest. That day we had no activities planned and hence simply relaxed and prepared for the next day.

Up early the next morning, we met with the jeep driver Nikhil and the guide (I forgot his name), and headed for the park gate. It was quite cold in the morning, and I regretted not wearing something warmer as I was feeling the cold as the wind blew through our open top jeep as we sped through the buffer zone towards the gate. The driver and guide couldn’t speak English which made it a challenge for us to understand what was going on or to tell them what we wanted.

As we entered main gate we passed the buffer zone which was lined with teak trees and dense foliage. Thereafter the gate to the core zone, which opened up to a large meadow, which had previously been farmland. This open grassland habitat was ideal for grazing animals such as Spotted Deer, Nilgai and Gaur or Indian Bison whom we all saw grazing at a distance. As the focus was on tigers we kept moving on, till we came to a small man made waterhole/tank. This area was known to have a young male tiger named Chota Mutka which translates “Son of Mutka”. This tiger was said to be very bold and seen out all day in the open. The only catch is that he is wearing a radio collar. After a few minutes we heard an alarm call of Spotted Deer coming from the meadow. After which was followed by the territorial call of a tiger. We reversed to a strategic spot and waited. After sometime, the driver Nikhil first spotted the tiger moving along the long grass. We went ahead and waited at the water hole. The only catch is the bund of the hole is facing the road so we had to stand on our seats to get a glimpse. After a few minutes the tiger appeared out in the open, and began drinking water. The light wasn’t good and the sun direction wasn’t ideal for photography, but I managed to get a few captures of this tiger. The radio collar on his neck also was not a good sign for a photograph. After what seemed like over 15 minutes the tiger having his filled retired to a corner of the tank where he dipped his hind quarters in the water and slept.

We continued on our way deeper into the park and were tracking another tiger a female known as Maya who is the most well-known tiger in the park. A jeep ahead of us had seen her crossing the road, and we circled this area hoping to catch a glimpse but to no avail. Afterwards heading back to the lodge.

After lunch we headed back into the park, this time the driver was different but the guide was the same. We came across the tank where Chota Mutka was sleeping but he’s retired into the interior, hence we continued our search. We went towards the large Tadoba Lake and thereafter took a route to reach Jamni Lake. The park was very interesting with many species of birds and other small mammals.

We drove on and noticed a gathering of jeeps, and with our limited communication we asked what it was. The guide didn’t communicate too well, and it was too late when we realized it was a beautiful male tiger in the water just 10 meters of so from the roadside. I urged the driver to stop but he ended up going a further 5 meters or more before stopping too late and the tiger turned back and walked towards the forest. We had missed our shot, where he was facing us in golden light. Sadly the guide and the driver are not too experienced in wildlife photography and hence did not understand to stop at the right time and right place. Disappointed I continued on the safari. We got news Chota Mutka is been seen again so we headed there. I was not too keen on photographing him again given he has a radio collar, but I guess “beggars can’t be choosers” so we went there nevertheless. There was a giant Gaur or Indian Bison grazing along the water edge. The tiger was sleeping on a small island in the tank. Both animals were the least bothered of each other. After sometime we left the sighting and headed back to the lodge. The staff at the lodge were very accommodating and the manager Saurabh was a very nice gentleman who looked to our every need.

The next day a new driver awaited us. Heading to the park a new guide jumped into our jeep. Sadly this was to be our worst game drive. The drive was very incompetent and had no idea where he was going. The guide was no better and both spoke no English adding to our frustration. We reached a meadow where we stopped and observed some of the herbivore behaviors such as the antics of the Grey Langur and Spotted Deer. We also got good views of the Black Ibis who are not found in Sri Lanka. But after what was more than an hour we asked the two what their plan was and they merely said “wait wait Tiger coming” and we hence waited much to our annoyance. Thereafter I kept insisting and we left the location and headed past Tadoba Lake. Here we noticed how slowly the driver was driving, which a snail’s was pace and all other jeeps passed us by. It was unusual to see this behavior as if he intentionally was trying to sabotage our game drive. We retuned back to the lodge and complained to Saurabh who immediately took action and brought Nikhil who was to be our driver throughout for explanations. Also the resident naturalist Satish arrived from his leave in village. Now with this great combination we were equipped to take on our next safari. We got a much better tracker/guide from the park gate and we all set off into the park with greater hopes. Having Satish onboard was a godsend as he was totally in control of the situation, and speaks perfect English which helped us in our communications and also worked very hard with the tracker to get us a sightings. We didn’t have any tiger sightings this day as well, but at least we were happy that we tried hard that evening safari with the help of the new combo.

The next day itself we headed again into the park with added enthusiasm. We came across a tigress who was walking in the bush. I managed to get an unclear photograph but the big cat was shy and ventured deeper into the forest. Initially all the vehicles thought this was Maya, but given how oddly she behaved we concluded it was not but rather a new female. Maya is a very bold female and is often seen out in the open.

We continued past Tadoba lake when we came across a group of jeeps on the road. Getting closer we saw it was a young male tiger, said to be the cub of Choti Tara a well-known female of this area. It was a beautiful specimen, and was walking around quite peacefully. It was critical for us to get the right position for the photographs. My experience told me not to get to close but rather wait patiently for the animal to come to us, and this paid off when the beautiful tiger walked right past our jeep and crossed the road right behind us and showed up on the other side as well, all in excellent lighting conditions. We had a field day taking images which came out very nicely. The pressure was off and we were finally High Fiving each other and in good spirits.  

Continuing on the Jamni Lake road, we enjoyed this drive and this road is quite remote and hardly any jeeps went on it, hence it was quite peaceful. Further our joy in seeing the sighting was echoing in our minds. I noticed something up ahead and tapped on Nikhils shoulder to ask him to stop. Initially I thought it was a barking deer but closer inspection revealed in was an Indian Wild Dog also known as a Dhole. They are pack hunters and some of the most vicious predators in the wilds of India. I remember the first time reading about them in the Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. The dog was a bit far ahead and hence it was tough getting a clear shot, and the animal slunk back into the forest. It was too far for me to get a sharp image. I was quite keen to encounter these enigmatic predators in Tadoba, as very little is truly known about them and about their fearsome reputation. There are even tales of Tigers being hunted down and killed by large herds of wild dogs.

That afternoon we were in much better spirits given our successful encounter, and looked forward to another amazing afternoon safari. Venturing back into the park, we headed straight to the area where Choti Tara’s cub was seen. And as predicted he was there again, this time we spent more time with the tiger, as he was pacing along the side of the road, and walked right up to us once again. Thereafter he crossed the road and headed for the rocky outcrop where he settled down and fell asleep. 

Leaving the sighting we headed back to the center of the core zone when we got news of Matka Sur the king of Tadoba being out and about close towards Tadoba Lake area. We headed that way and almost missed him sitting in the forest as I had to squeeze the driver Nikhils hand to make him stop. We could see his body but his head was covered behind a tree. It seemed like he was either feeding on something or licking his paws. We decided to go ahead and turn the vehicle around in case he comes on to the road, and as predicted he started walking towards us. Initially two jeeps ahead of us blocked our view much to our annoyance, but thereafter the tiger again swerved from the road towards a tree. Nikhil tried to drive up to the tiger, but thanks to my experience I firmly asked him to remain where he is. We got an excellent view of the massive male tiger rubbing his face on a tree and thereafter marking with urine. It was an incredible view with the lush green forest and the dried tea leaves on the forest floor playing great props for captivating images. This was a dream come true for me, getting an unobstructed photo opportunity with a dominant male tiger. Afterwards Matka Sur kept walking towards us, and simply passed our jeep mere arm’s length from us. He made no noise, except the soft crunching of sand as he walked passed us. Jackie was sitting right next to him, and could have reached out and touched him, he was that close. It was a humbling and mesmerizing experience which I would never forget for the rest of my life. On the way back we spotted two sloth bears in the buffer zone to end our experience in a high note.

The next day we were to focus on the buffer zones, and as we have had some great sightings the previous day we were in no pressure to find tigers and could hence enjoy some other wildlife. The buffer zone was in fact spectacular, as we drove deeper and deeper inside the habitat became more and more dense with clear streams running across and lush green foliage the habitat almost look like a rainforest. In among this deep dark forest we found two massive Gaur or Bison, as well as a large male Nilgai, and on the latter stage a sloth bear who crossed the path in front of us. There were tiger tracks everywhere, and we attempted to follow all these tracks for quite some time but to no avail. The experience overall was quite pleasant and we enjoyed this morning safari in the buffer zone.

For the afternoon round the lodge suggested another buffer area which is much further from where we are staying. Given its distance we left the lodge in a car and to meet the jeep at the entrance to the buffer zone. The ride was much longer than expected and took over an hour to reach as we drove through narrow lanes in small towns and villages. Getting closer to this gate we realized the area were staying in is much better and much more accessible compared to the other gates.

Reaching this new buffer we hopped on the jeep and headed in. It was said that a tigress is seen almost daily in this zone, hence we worked very hard to catch a glimpse of her. But luck was no on our side this day. But we did see something unique in the form of a Chousingha or Four Horned Antelope a strange animal which was feeding on the side of the road. We got pretty late getting back to the lodge which we wished was earlier given myself and Bala were leaving early morning at 3.00 AM the next day to catch our flight back to Mumbai. Namal and Jackie were staying back one more night and thereafter heading to Pench National Park to continue their safari.

After settling all our bills etc. we called it a night and headed back to Nagpur half asleep the next day. We had an 18 hour long wait in Mumbai and rather than waste time in the airport we decided to stay in a nice hotel in the city and rest till the check in time. At midnight we once again entered Mumbai airport for another hectic process of standing in line for hours and going through one of the most unprofessional and rude security I have ever come across. Exhausted we landed back in Colombo finally after a long journey back. Overall the safaris and encounters were unbelievable, but the travelling was less desired given the amount of processes we have to go through in the airports. But I guess this is the sacrifice one needs to make in order to truly enjoy the wonders of wild India.

The Last Lions of Asia

Lions in India, somehow sounds a strange phrase, as if it doesn’t match or make sense. But the reality is, there are wild lions in India, and no they were not introduced, rather they have been roaming wild for thousands of years. The Asiatic Lion, a unique subspecies are the rulers of the wild kingdom of West India. Historically, these majestic animals spread from the coast of the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan all the way to central India. The Lion was the symbol of power and Royalty even among the Sultans, Maharaja’s, Kings and Rulers of this land for thousands of years. Evidence in the artistry, pottery, and ancient artifacts lie testament to the lion’s legacy in this country.

Despite its historical significance, the lions were also prized as game, and were the victims of many Royal hunts, which decimated the population. Thereafter limited mainly to the Gujarat state, and in particular the Gir Forest these majestic predators were given full protection which has resulted in their growth in population over the years, and grown to a population of over 500 animals.

Comparing the Asiatic and African Lions, one of the primary differences is the Asiatic Lions signature skin fold running across the stomach. This fold of skin is not present in African lions. Further the Asiatic Lion is very slightly smaller than its African cousins, but the difference is minute and can differ from animal to animal. The manes of the male lions in the Asiatic Subspecies is less thick and have a different look to the African Lions given the nature of its habitat of thorny scrub and bushes, similar to the maneless lions of Tsavo. Further the faces are more elongated which gives the Asiatic Lion a unique look.

My experience with these majestic big cats begins with my journey to Gujarat this October leading a group of like minded clients on a safari.

The journey to get there was long and arduous, from 7 hour layovers in the airport, to near death experiences while on the road to Gir we faced it all to reach the Gir Birding Lodge which was to be our abode for the next few days. A quaint safari lodge located right at the border with the national park, and surrounded by a sprawling mango orchard.

The safari the next day began with the usual process in most Indian parks where we first head to the park reception to obtain our guide/tracker and the route we are assigned to for the day. Thereafter we entered the park for the first time. It was a pleasant experience to see such a lush and green park thanks to the heavy monsoons this year. Driving through the dense forests full of large teak trees and dense foliage. Our only concern was the ability to spot a lion in such dense cover. Along the way we observed a few spotted deer, but not much, and a few bird species which are commonly found included the Spotted Owlet. We passed by two villages located inside the park itself. These are people from the Maldari Tribe, who have been here for generations and have learnt to co-exist with lions. They are pastoral people and hence tend to cattle and water buffalo. The lions regularly feed on these livestock which supplements their diet. 

We came across a carcass of a buffalo which a lioness apparently has taken down and has fed. But there was no cat in sight, and hence we moved on. Along the way we got a message from another jeep that there is a male lion up ahead. Driving up to the point we faced a large gathering of jeeps. There were rangers on duty and who seemed to be monitoring the lion. After some time we noticed the visible shape of a big cat moving through the foliage, and out came this magnificent lion who was very large and tall. I did not expect the lion to be this large, as I have always read of them being smaller than the African Lion. But this specimen was magnificent with a very stall stature, and he walked right up to some of the jeeps to observe what was going on and thereafter calmly walked back into the thick brush. Our first encounter with the Asiatic Lion was brief but memorable.

Back at the lodge we spent the remainder of the day at leisure, until our next safari in the evening. The drive started in another route which first took us through a border of the park. Leaving the lodge we came across another interesting wildlife encounter with an Indian Chameleon. This was a lifer for me as even though I tried very hard to find one in Sri Lanka I have never been lucky. This amazing reptile was slowly crossing the road near the lodge and made its way up a small branch of a bush. I believe in leaving the animals undisturbed and glad we managed to photograph it without handling it or trying to manipulate the animal for the photograph.

The initial part of the game drive was unimpressive as we passed many village houses etc., and very little of the forest. We came towards a Siddhi Village, who are a community descendant from the Africans brought by the Nawab of Junagarh as soldiers and slaves. Sadly they are a marginalized society and still face severe discrimination and racism in India. It was so blatant to the point where the tracker showed us the village saying “this is a Nigger Village” and we were shocked to hear him using such a derogatory word. Given my years of travelling to Africa, I have learnt to love and respect its people from many tribes and cultures who make up such an amazing continent what it is, and to see people being discriminated for their color and ethnicity made us feel quite sad.

Continuing on the safari, finally we turned into a forest road. We hadn’t gone a few kilometers when we came across a jeep which has seen a leopard go into the forest. I asked the driver to reverse back and wait. After around 10 minutes I noticed some movement in the forest and told the driver to go ahead and stop. While waiting the tracker noticed the leopard attempting to cross the road, and in the drivers excitement he turned the engine on and tried to race ahead much to my disagreement as I would have preferred them to remain where they are given how shy leopards are in India. But as the driver tried racing ahead the leopard darted across the road like “Grease Lighting” and was not to be seen again.

Continuing on our safari we also came across a unique and rare bird in the Oriental Hobby, a lifer for me and a beautiful small bird of prey.

On the tail end of our safari, when we least expected we came across a beautiful lioness seated on the side of the road. She was very calm and relaxed. The ranger who was monitoring her was on foot and was very relaxed as well and only had a big stick for his protection. We asked him if it is safe what he is doing for which he calmly replied saying that these lions know us and as long as you keep your distance they will not attack you.

That night we had a performance by the Siddhi Tribe at the lodge. The performers were young men from the village and they danced to the rhythmic drums of their African heritage. After this stunning performance the staff of the lodge had arranged a cake and wished me for my birthday. It was a nice surprise and welcoming touch to end this day.

Next day was uneventful when it comes to lions as we didn’t see any. But we did come across a pair of leopards who once again darted across the road. We also came across some species of birds including the Knob Billed Duck (a rarity in Sri Lanka), a Steppe Eagle, Black Ibis and many more. We also saw the iconic Nilgai or Blue Bull the largest antelope in India.

On our final day morning, as soon as we entered we came across some rangers who said there were two male lions on a kill and for us to move back and wait. After a few minutes the two males walked to wards the road. We observed them for a few minutes. It was a pair which seemed to have an older male with a dark mane and a younger individual with a shorter and scantier mane. Both were curious as to the throng of jeeps which have gathered. After sitting under a tree and observing us for a while both cats slowly moved interior where the carcass was. Happy we saw two lions at least compared to none the previous day we moved on.  

Again we came across some rangers who said there is a big male lion up on a hill and is moving down, and hence to be ready. We noticed the big male coming down from the hill, and walked right onto the road and walked just next to our jeep. He was so close we could have reached out and touched him. One of my clients needed to take an inhaler due to the excitement of the encounter. The lion passed our jeep which was in the last of the line and began roaring which is typical of lions to mark their territory and to announce to other lions “he is there”. It was a thrilling experience.

That evening was to be our last safari in Gir and it began to rain very heavily just as we were about to head out. Given the jeeps are all open we were wondering if we should go or not. But finally decided to go ahead with our plans despite the bad weather, taking towels and umbrellas. Heading in, we came across the large lion we saw in the morning, calmly sleeping on the side of the road. There was quite a large gathering of jeeps, but we managed to get a great view when he woke up and observed us for quite some time. He was a magnificent specimen and I think it was the same lion we saw on day 1. We were very glad we decided to continue with our safari despite the rain.

Afterwards we even came across on of the two lions we saw in the morning. He has dragged the carcass closer towards the road and was feeding on it. We observed it for a few minutes but as time was running out to exit the park we had to leave the sighting. The park rules are very strict, with each jeep assigned a specific route every day with no deviation from the route, no mobile phones allowed, and the timings are very strictly monitored. A three minute delay can cost the driver a massive fine and ban from the park. Hence they were very careful to adhere to the rules. This was good in making the park less crowded and better managed.

Back at the lodge we celebrated our final night in Gir which was a memorable experience for all of us.

The next day after breakfast we headed back to Rajkot to board our domestic flight to Delhi. From which we had a fairly long layover before boarding the flight back to Colombo to end our memorable adventure.

Overall it was thrilling to see the last remnants of this enigmatic species which few know even exists in India, and also to see a new part of this magnificent continent and its wildlife. I sure hope to return one day maybe during the dry season to view these amazing cats once again.