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Tigers in India |
Spotting a Tiger in the
Wild | Tiger Conservation
The first thing you realize is that you seldom watch an
animal satisfactorily just by luck. This certainly applies
to mammals. An animal detects your present long before you
know it is there. In every case it is a contest of wits
you are pitting your knowledge against the instincts of
self preservation of a wild animal, instincts that are
helped by acute senses, particularly those of smell and
hearing.
In general, wild animals are shy and elusive. Many times
visitors to a national Park are disappointed on not
spotting any wild animals especially big game like the
tiger and leopard.
Tracks or pugmarks provide important clues. Not only do
they tell us of the presence of wild animals but they can
also i ndicate
the size, sex, and sometimes even the age of an animal.
The marks of animal feet on the roads of the Park reveal
their presence and the freshness of the tiger's pugmark
reveals its whereabouts.
Tracks on the road can also reveal the presence of cubs
with a tigress.
Looks on the road can also trees where tigers leave
territorial signals that demarcate their home range.
These trees are also marked by their scent.
Alarm and scare calls of animals like sambar, chital,
bluebull, chinkara, langur monkey or even Peacock, provide
clues to the exact location of the tiger.
Understanding and interpreting visual signs and sounds ins
an art in itself. And one of the most enjoyable to learn
while you drive through the forest.
Ranthambore's 300 km of roads have been superbly planned
and tigers that are soft padded animals walk them
frequently. As long as you don't get too close or intrude
and disturb them they will pad along the road and have
even been known to block traffic for long periods of time
as hey did with president Clinton's convoy in 2000.
Always pause, listen and assess the clues that the forest
provides about the tigers presence. Remember that the
edges of the roads will have scats (droppings )of tigers
and their scrape marks, which are also indicators of the
freshness of their presence.
Crows on a tree are also good indicators of meat nearby
and provide clues to a kill. Tree pies do much the same by
either calling incessantly or flying over a specific spot.
Remember to look for low circling vultures, especially if
the are dropping down at a spot they are excellent
indicators of a kill. King vultures and Egyptian vultures
sitting patiently on a branch of a tree can also indicate
a kill nearby. All these scavenging birds can lead you to
tigers, leopards of jackals.
Tiger Photography
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Wildlife Photography
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Bird Photography
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Leopard Photography
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