ATR - Day 26: Two hunts, two preys and two tigers

Today, I saw both the brother and the sister hunt and noted the difference between the hunting skills of the two. But I am keeping the details for tomorrow.

October 26, 2023

Thursday, 08:00 PM

Greenscape Satpura 

Jungle Retreat,

Madhai, Madhya Pradesh, 

India

The safari today opened to pugmarks and pugmarks everywhere as we entered Satpura Tiger Reserve, and so the search for the tiger began. But the thing with tigers is that one can find pugmarks all the time, raising one’s hope and then one can go round and round the entire day, thirsting for a fleeting sight of a tiger and not catch a glimpse. That can very well happen and pretty often does, but today was different. We did come across the tiger we had seen with her brother yesterday. And then we also chanced upon the brother.  

We found her relaxing, and she kept on with it for a while, allowing us several good pictures of her. And then she spotted a herd of Indian bisons (gaur), and decided to make a meal of one of them. But it couldn’t be easy, for bisons are big and powerful animals. So a spirited tussle ensued as they gave mighty fight to her. Later in the day, we would also see her brother’s hunt. (we met him, too, yesterday, if you remember). The sister charged and attempted to bring down a bison while the brother tried his hands (or claws and teeth) on a deer. Different prey, different areas of the jungle, different tigers and different aspects of the same skill of hunting. 

And I noted the stark difference between the hunting prowess of these two tigers even though both are powerful and both ferocious. But hunting has more to do with mind than with the might of muscles or the sharpness of claws. 

But that’s the story I am keeping for tomorrow because I am a little too tired to tell it today. Watch this space for it.