Tracking Tigers

Rajasthan's Ranthambore National Park guarantees big cat sightings throughout June. Find out why

The park isrenowned as one ofIndia's premiertiger reserves andshot to fame after a1997 BBC documentarytitled Land of theTigers, showcasing Machali,the then local dominanttigress. Circa 2011, Machalihas lost her territory to herdaughter yet visitors continueto pile in searching for theelusive big cat. But as wefound out, spotting tigersat the 392 square kilo metreRanthambore National Park inRajasthan isn't difficult.Throughout May and June,the park guarantees a tigersighting to every tourist. Andunless you have some seriousbad luck, it is difficult toreturn without an encounterwith India's national animal.

Why it works
May and June means peaksummer in Rajasthan. Thepark is open only for a fewhours every morning andevening, as the animals aremost active during this timedue to cooler temperatures.The chances of catching atiger on the hunt or a leopardout for a drink at the local poolare high.

While the visitors line upoutside the park with theirscarves, hats and sunscreens,the vegetation inside suffers aswell under the intense heatand it isn't uncommon to seevast patches of the jungle bare.

"They're dry deciduous trees,"the local guide informs, "Whenthe monsoon arrives, they willbe in full bloom". The herbivoressuffer in the heat. Theycluster in groups aroundpatches that have some greensand regularly visit the threelake bodies within the reserve.

It is these factors, combinedwith some great tiger trackingby the guides and jeep drivers,that ensures spotting a big cat.Tigers are largely territorial.So unlike the herbivores thatmove from one area to another,they will rarely leave theirmarked zone.

The heat ensures that theyhang around their few wateringholes for long durationsand the bare vegetation makesfor some easy spotting. Also,the guides and jeep drivers arewell acquainted with theterrain and the big cats'favourite hunting and restingspots and watering holes.

Also, the evening safaris havea higher success rate, as theforest rangers keep track ofthe big cat throughout the day.We were once made to wait atthe same spot for an hour saying"Tiger toh yahi se niklega"(the tiger will come out fromhere). An hour later theprophecy came true and wecaught sight of the majesticanimal swimming in the lakein front of us.

Making it matter
The other thing that worksis the enthusiasm of the guidesand drivers to ensure that youget a sighting. The guides anddrivers are mostly localswhose livelihoods depend onyou getting your money'sworth and recommending theplace. So they go the extramile to ensure that you seeatleast one tiger duringyour stay.

This also has its downside.Corruption is on the rise, asnow people accept bribes inexchange for a tiger glimpse.Some guides also break theirallotted zones to venture intoareas that give them a higherchance with the spotting. Also,visitors comes to see the tigerand there is little regard forthe other animals and birds.Yet, if you want to see a tiger,this is a trip worth taking.

Behind the scenes
Ranthambore is divided into five zones. Zone Two and Three are good for tiger spotting, zone One for leopards while birds are more common in zone Four. Zone Five is currently shut after forest rangers found tiger cubs in the area. There are approximately 38 full-grown tigers and cubs within the reserve. The best time to spot tigers and leopards is at first light in the morning or during sunset. This is the time that carnivores are most active. The tigress Machali, from the much-acclaimed BBC documentary, Land of the Tigers, lives in zone Four. She is 15 years old and has just one canine tooth. But she continues to remain a crowd favourite with the tourists and guides. The tigers within the reserve are given numbers for identification. They can also be differentiated on the basis of their stripes and whiskers. T19, Machali's daughter, is now the dominant tigress. Apart from the tigers, Ranthambore is also home to a variety of birds, herbivores like the Sambar deer, sloth bears and leopards. Also, a visit to the Ranthambore Fort is a must.

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