Thoughts on tiger 'sightings'

"Tigresses have added a new module to their training regimen for cubs — how to behave around canters and jeeps, and crowds of noisy humans." Ramkesh Meena, the guide on our canter for the afternoon safari at Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve said this with a straight face, so it was hard to make out whether he was serious or simply spinning a fanciful tale as tiger buffs are known to.

But watching Arrowhead — the three-year-old tigress who's being called the 'new superstar' of Ranthambhore, strut her stuff in front of a 100-strong audience of squealing children and susurrating adults, I found myself disposed to believe Ramkesh. Arrowhead, so called because of the 'arrow' shaped stripe on her forehead, just did not seem bothered by the human presence — even when we were close enough that she could have grabbed one of us with just a half leap.

For about half an hour, thus, she went about just being herself, doing various tiger-like things — she lolled about licking her hind paws, then turned around with a leisurely back flip, looked around at the world as if somewhat bored with it, got up, and sashayed along the banks of the picturesque Raj Bagh lake, then rose on her hind legs to scratch the trunk of a tree and sprayed urine on it to mark her territory. Once done, she ambled across the dirt path barely metres from the safari vehicles, before walking majestically into the bushes, that were lit beautiful blush pink in the setting sun.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime sighting," said Meena, underlining just how lucky we were, just in case we hadn't realised it ourselves. I, for one, needed no such reminder. This was, to all intents and purposes, my first real 'sighting' of a tiger in five visits to various tiger reserves around the country. The last time I'd 'sighted', it was coincidentally, Arrowhead's nani Machli, the legendary tigress of Ranthambhore who died in 2016. But that had been more of a 'technicality' — she'd been no more than blink-and-you-miss-it blur on the viewfinder of the binocular!

With a high tiger density — there are 60 tigers spread over its nearly 1,411 sqkm area according to the 2016 census — Ranthambhore is one of the best places to spot the big cats. The topography characterised by relatively flat plains, water bodies covered in dry grass, shrubs and the dhok tree is also conducive to 'sightings'. These factors, combined with its proximity to the Delhi-Jaipur-Agra 'golden triangle' of tourism, has ensured that Ranthambhore attracts one of the highest number of visitors among tiger reserves.

Given severe regulations, tourism is allowed in only 300 sqkm of the buffer zone — the core area, spread over 1,113 sqkm, is a no-go zone. Even here, the tourist area is split into 10 zones, each spread over as much area as it is possible to cover in a four-hour-long safari, not all of which are open at all times. For instance, only five zones (1 to 5) were open on the two days over the Christmas weekend that we spent in Ranthambhore. Jeeps and canter movements are also severely regulated — they must remain confined to the zone they have a permit for.

All of which serves to greatly lower the probability of your being in luck and seeing a tiger or two. For the seasoned tiger chaser, that's part of the charm of the hunt! As for me, I am happy that Arrowhead deigned to grant me darshan!