Sunday, October 21, 2012

Wakeeta.

On our first day in the park we did not see any tiger and none were seen for the next two days. How the tigers are so elusive in Bandhavgarh?
We entered the park again today. I accompany three guests who are staying with us at the moment. They were thinking all sorts of stories about the Tiger. They never saw one in the wild before.
Kalicharan served the coffee a few minutes before schedule time only because I asked him to do so because almost everyone was awake by 5.15 AM. Sanjay was gone to check the entry ticket. I got out with my tools by 0600 AM, Elisabeth and Stine were waiting anxiously but Till Nafe was still watching the minute details of make up. 
We start in time to reach the entry gate. Last night we heard that carrying capacity is being increased to 48 vehicles in a day, still a rumour going on about 110 vehicles. I have no idea how this rumour started and how they can push it to that high.
Only six vehicles at the gate, rest must have been still sorting their entry tickets.
Nice crisp and cool air, trees and grasses alongside road are shiny green, no trace of dust yet. We didn't see any animal until we reached Chakradhara. Two good herd of spotted deer were grazing on either side of the road.
Pugmarks of a male tiger were seen going towards Jamunia and Chorbehra.This male Tiger came from Ghodademon road and walk all the way to chorbehra and beyond. Vijaya was moving with her cubs in Chakradhara to Gopalpur to Badi Gufa and cut short to Kila rd to bottom of Sheshshaiyya. We thought to take that chance of Sheshshaiyya, if we see a tiger well and good otherwise we will see the Sheshshaiyya, one of the most important monument in Bandhavgarh.
We herd few Barking Deer alarm calls coming from kila road. So she is resting in that area with her cubs. Kila road is out of bound for tourism so we decided to move on towards our allocated route B. 
Nothing was seen till Hardia. Now when we don't have any tiger show then I don't see any point in going to Hardia for registration. This is an utter wastage of prime time in the jungle.Some jeep drivers guides heard few alarm calls near old Aama nallah camp so we chose to go back via that road but no clue or alarm calls. I wanted to check some Barleria flowers but there was not enough time left so I didn't ask him to stop.
We saw few jeeps waiting in Barua nallah. Tourists from these jeeps asked us to stop so we stopped. Tiger was miles away from us. She cross the road between two jeeps ahead of us. Luckily she moved towards dry river bed and that was good for us because she was going to come down in clear sand.
She came out of the forest and disappeared in thick undergrowth again. She is in good health. Her cubs must be about 18 months old and semi independent. Killing small prey for themselves.
Last few minutes in the park were very dusty. Luckily we all came out of park in time. 

1 comment:

Imtiaz said...

Nice to see wakeetha in good health...