This was the next phase of my tiger trail after a decade post Bandhavgarh. Next stop is the tiger reserve which is called cradle of the tigers. I had never explored Tadoba except one safari I did a long back as part of a family gathering, when my cousin was posted in Chandrapur Army base and ordinance factory.
After an eventful train journey from Jabalpur to Nagpur when I got upgraded to first class for free. The train reached Nagpur early in the morning. With little jittery in platform finally met with Shalik as I am meeting him for first time. I have never met with him before but we have been interacting online for years as Tadoba was in my mind for a long time but somehow was not getting finalised. Little background of Shalik. Tadoba is his backyard playground. I never knew anyone who had studied tiger and its behaviour upto that extended . I have narrated here, how his knowledge and anticipating tiger’s behaviour helped us witness one of the most amazing phenomena of nature.
We started our afternoon safari with Nimdhela buffer zone. Where we are expecting to see Chota Matka. I really wanted to see this one. Usually I hate to personify any tiger and not get indulge in discussion on how we humanise them with the names and behaviours. But this particular tiger was special.
Finally towards end of the safari we got a glimpse of him. He was just chilling under a tree shadow after a hearty meal. So do you see any unusual aspect of this tiger. Its really huge and completely disfigured with half vanished Jaw and distorted nose. There is a story behind it. He is one among the rare case where he killed another fierce-full male to take over his territory. Usually in a territorial fight one of the tiger leave and find another territory. It use to be a rare occasion when any tiger use to die with territorial fight. But now tiger population increased with conservation effort and forest is shrinking with so called name of development. The tigers are losing the forest. They know as well if not this territory then they will not get another one. Hence they fight until one dies.
Recently I was searching in the internet the number of cases on tiger death due to territorial fight. I was stunned to see the result. Now a days this is not a rare phenomena. Though poaching is controlled with lot of strict laws in place but we are far from controlling tiger not-natural death in wild.
We can’t say the fight between Bajrang and Chota Matka was easy for the later as he survived. Chota matka too got serious injuries which could have been a life threatening for him. But with nature’s care and forest department’s close observation, helped him survive. But they say winner is a winner, even if the margin is very narrow.
The second safari in early next morning was in same Nimdhela buffer zone. As we are not yet over with Chota Matka’s euphoria. It cant be fulfilled just see him relaxing under a tree. Towards middle of the safari, we got an information that he is on the move in another location. We rushed to the location to have a glimpse of him. I had no imagination or expectation what I was going to experience in next few moments. Maximum I expected a decent shoot and nice look of him. Never thought he is going to pierce into my soul like this.
When we arrive at the location we saw lot of vehicles are lined up. we too got inside those queue expecting a good view of him. This is part of all part of that crazy tiger tourism. Thats a different debate all together.
Then he just decided to showed up exactly next to our vehicle and there was absolutely nothing between him and me. He was just burning bright in the morning sun rays. It was that moment of “Tiger Tiger burning bright, In the forests of the night ; What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry.” – William Blake.
He was so close to me that I could feel his breath and can see my own reflection in his eyes. My words are failing to describe my mind state during that point. Even if today I want to recollect what happened that time, I failed to comprehend . As I was completely out of myself. This closeness was not at all intentional. Our vehicle was positioned in a way that we couldn’t move and he just keep coming towards us.
They say tiger has hypnotism power. They can look straight into ur soul and steal it. I am not being dramatic here. This look has given me so many sleepless nights. It’s not that I am scared or terrified but something beyond description. Till date I get affected by this look.
He may be the ugliest tiger I might have seen till date in the wild. With half vanished jaw, disfigured nose. But he is the fighter and survivor. These are all his winning badges from the war he fought, to protect his pride. As per me he is the most beautiful tiger I have ever seen.
I almost missed so may shoots as I had a bigger lens of 150-600mm. The choice of lens was due to obvious reason that we don’t find them so near. Seeing my frustration Shalik, who too still uses Canon gears, advised me to take his 70-200 mm lens and mount in my camera. Thanks to his foresightedness on the spot so that I could make some decent images. When something has to happen everything falls into place, like fitting into a jigsaw puzzle. Shalik never carry his whole kit to safari. Not sure why that particular safari he carried his whole kit. With that I could capture one of the most remarkable moments in my images.
Next safari was bit slow and with sighting of a sloth bear and few birds. But glad it was slow as I needed sometime to absorb the whole adrenal of last safari. It needed a lot of time and energy to balance out the effect of Chota Matka’s glance on my mind and soul. Though It’s been already few months passed now, but still I can feel that its ruling my subconscious mind. I doubt it will leave anytime sooner.
The excitement caught up again in subsequent safari. This time it was in core area, from Moharli Gate. Few min after we enter the forest, we had a very brief sighting of collarwali. She just walked in front of us and vanished in bushes. Tadoba forest is well planned with a road for vehicle and these roads are horizontally cut through with fire lines. A narrow cut to separate forest vegetation, after certain distance. Which probably made to control the forest fire. and that’s the reason why these are called fire lines. More often these help in tracking tiger movement as they appear some of these fire line cross road, when they are on the move. We too apply that logic and try to find collawali looking through them, but no luck. Rest of the safari we were just enjoying the enchanting forest and few birds sighting. We were chit chating among ourselves as we haven’t got any leads to tiger sighting anywhere. But things can happen unexpectedly. Suddenly a tigress decided to show up just in front of us and walking towards our vehicle, head on.
Usually when any tiger about to be sighted, there were so many pre-syndrome were attached. Among them, warning calls are the more prominent. There will be some communication within the guides where the tighter is heading, where is the movement etc..etc.. But this girl just appear in front of us without any warning and we were the only vehicle to witness her. That to she just walk towards us casually, with her own usual cat walk.
She just behaved as if we don’t exists. Then she indulge in territory marking rituals with spraying followed by robbing. I suppose this is the habit, the tiger had adapted by seeing so many safari vehicle on a daily basis. They also understood, getting affected by the safari vehicles are waste of energy, which they can utilise in a better way than this.
She just decided to troll on the vehicle route without even bothering a bit of our presence. I suppose that’s the behaviour of a tiger. Until they have their personal space secured, they don’t bother. But if we violate their personal space we will not be in a condition to bother any more. There will be a conflict and as usually the tiger has to be blamed for the attack. As the decision makers are our own species and they will definitely support the own lineage. Hence its very critical to maintain that personal space in between. Think over, if our pretty images are more valuable than their life…!!
She was with us merely 5 minutes. Really cant count time when a tigress is infront of you and walking towards you. This sighting was so sudden and unexpected that it took some time to realise what had just happened.
The same day evening safari was in core area through Khutawanda Gate. There, for first time I met any lady guide in a tiger reserve. One aspect I totally appreciate this time, in Tadoba and as well in Bandhavgarh, there is an increased numbers of female forest guides. The one who came with us, her name is Niranjana. She is a village head, works in her own farm also work as a forest guide. Along with that, she takes care of family, home and kids, which are usual expectations form any female.
My narration would be incomplete if I don’t mention her. She is an amazing guide, a perfect mother and a home maker.
Let’s get back to tiger stories. If we don’t see a tiger in the back drop of Telia lake then the trip to tadoba is not complete. I had an imagination of making few tiger images against the lake but the kind of action that happened all my pre-processed imaginary frames got diluted.
In Morning safari, when we lose track of collarwali, later we came to know she has gone to Telia lake where she had a kill in the water and devouring that after dragging it out of water. So we thought lets give it a try during evening safari, if still she is there. Shalik’s and Niranjana’s theory was actually proved correct. She was there chilling in water after a hearty meal.
We had been observing and taking images of her for very long time. There were huge line of vehicles to have a glance of her. Casual mild conflicts among the drivers, guides and tourists for a perfect location to capture decent image of her. As usual she was least bother. Sometime I think if I could read tigers mind when so many humans are going crazy to take its images and flaunting in Social media to prove themselves the coolest person ever. What they would be thinking. It should be like ” what a Fool (not Full) bunch of idiots…!”
The golden rays of setting sun on the tiger is always an out of the world combination. she was completely glowing in the dusk light. We have been there for some time now. There was a discussion among Shalik and Niranjana if we can move from here and try our luck with another pair of male tigers, called Mama(Uncle), Bhanja (Nephew) duo. Yes you heard it correct. This two actually male cubs, now nurtured by a female called Bijlee. It seems Bhanja is the biological cub of Bijlee but Mama is the cub of Choti-tara who is eventually Bijlee’s mother. Somehow the cub get misplaced and Bijlee adopted him. But it says lot about tiger behaviour and adaptation over the changing ecosystems around.
We were in double mind if we want to leave collarwali chilling in the water and check out Mama-Bhanja or we just stay to see what’s her next move. May be she will get out of the water and cross the path. While all these going in our head, suddenly we hear a peacock warning call from other side of the lake. It was a very strong warning call. Just to let all of you know, unless the tiger in on move no one gives warning call. But this warning call is not for Collarwali for sure as she was just relaxing and not moving. Its someone else. Even Collarwali got alerted and gave a mild growling to expect a response. Shalik said, if it was a male then he would respond. If there was no response then we would see a tiger fight for sure as other one should be a female.
Initially I didn’t believe this and I was more interested in seeing those Mama-Bhanja sub-adult cubs. But Shalik was absolutely sure that there will be a fight. I am so glad I trusted Shalik’s experience and knowledge in this matter. Then I saw Collarwali slowly got up and instead of coming up and crossing the path, she just vanished along with lake bank.
We too follow her, even if she was not in sight, just with intuition that she might be walking along, side of the lake. Then I stood up on seat of the vehicle and I could see she has already started swimming towards the other bank of the lake. Only then I could realise there is another tiger just settle down near the thick vegetation across the lake. Now Collarwali slowly approaching her. My belief on witnessing a clash was getting stronger. Even Shalik said, get ready to witness something marvellous and once in a life time experience.
I was just following her through my lens and keep observing her moves. She reached the other bank and quietly got out of water. Observing a swimming tiger is an experience in itself. I knew they are good swimmer but never did I know they are so smooth and shift while swimming as well. Not much water plash neither a single ripple in the water.
Now she slowly moved towards the other tigress. By this time Shalik and Niranjana, had already identified the other tigress as Sonam. She is really huge. Here Collarwali approaching her very silently in usual tiger way. Tiger walks very swiftly due to their soft toe pads. It also a mechanism which aid them in their hunting activities, to ambush the prey in surprise.
Slowly and steadily Collarwali reach to Sonal and challenged her. This is clearly a territorial fight otherwise collarwali wouldn’t have come so far crossing the lake to challenge her. Usually female do less territorial fight unless they have cubs and the intruding female is threat to the cubs. In this case it was neither. This also shows a characteristic changes in tiger to adapt the shrinking forest space. What I heard, in this territory there are three females who are not only fighting for the territory but also fighting for the dominant mail, Chota Dhadial. I always known and believed that male tigers fight to establish the making rights on female. I was totally amazed to see its happening other way around as well.
It looks like they are gazing the power of each other for few second and challenging each other. What I head that Sonam is already injured and not sure how she can put up this fight.
Then start the clash of titans. Its not just that two tigers are fighting. It seemed the whole forest had come alive and participating in that fight. The roar of both the ultimate queens, was echoing in a high note in all over the forest. The peacocks, deers and Samber deers are screaming with the warning calls.
The dust is rising form the ground like a battle field. Again I will say here, wish images can capture the essence of those moments. It sadly, can capture only visuals.
After few minutes of 1st round fight, it seems Sonam is making sure to drive collarwali out of her territory. Both of them started to walk together. Sonam is walking bit behind. It looks like she is making sure that collarwali leaves her territory.
The moment Collarwali stops a bit while walking, Sonam attacks her. Like that there few round of fight, then walk, then again fight, till both of them goes out of the sight.
Just check this particular image above. you can see sever wound marks, the punch marks, and blood flowing form both of their legs.
This is another case of tiger evolution in lack of territory. Female tigers fighting for the territory was considered to be a very rare occurrence but its increasing now it seems.
This tiger trail was done by me, after a decade of being away from tiger photography and tiger tourism. Things have changed indeed since then. Tiger population has increased for sure and they are more visible than earlier as I could see 15 individual tigers in 11 safaris, only 2 dry safaris in that. The statistics says it all or may be my ten years tiger luck has paid off with interest.
The whole experience leaves me with lot of questions. The tigers are very easy to spot in compare with earlier. They are getting fearless and getting very close to the safari vehicle. Are they losing their basic instincts. Last but not the least, I find them more bulky than earlier in general. Are we taking away their hunting ability, by increasing prey base artificially to promote tiger tourism. Are we not taking away that characteristics of a top predator in the wild from them.
