Another wild tiger hunt during off season. Peak winters make
for tough sightings but that’s when I get holidays. Despite the impending fog
scares and rough roads, we managed to reach Tadoba via Nagpur late in the
morning. The MTDC hotel was not too good but livable, food on the other hand
was very slow to arrive but after all the hostel food in recent times, I could
eat anywhere and like it.
A lake near the hotel had a number of openbills, moorhens
and ibises (black as well) but the safaris however are of course the main
attraction. The evening safaris last from 2.30 to 5.30 while the morning ones
go from 6 to 10.30. Timing are pretty tight and the guides and drivers are
willing to leave even tigers to maintain it. My driver and guide though did try
pretty hard to track tigers though.
6 safaris and I guessed I would find a tiger somehow.
Spotted a leopard on the first safari which scooted out of sight the moment I
picked up the cam. It had been walking with another jeep, didn’t like our jeep
too much though. This though was just a red herring. The forest is thick with a
dense cover of bamboos in a lot of places. Unless something steps out on the
road, there is very little chance of spotting it in the bushes in most places.
There are a few watering holes but most sightings in those areas are in the
summers. Some areas are beautiful as in cottajhari but most of the forest is
bamboo or thick brush.
Over the next few safaris we mainly spotted birds and a
jungle cat and lots of tiger paw prints but no tiger, this despite 2 females
with cubs seen randomly by villagers, workers and everyone who wasn’t a
tourist. On the last safari, we saw a sloth bear at some distance but the
highlight was a jungle cat that decided to lead the way in the early morning
before sunup for about half a kilometer. Everyone else around promised me one
within 3 safaris in the summer but it still has to be seen if I will take up
that offer.
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