How Tadoba forest staff survived tigers

Two forest department staff from Tadoba Tiger Reserve riding on a motorcycle became the object of curiosity for two eager tiger cubs near Jamni Village. What unfolded in the next four to five minutes was an 'edge of the seat' thriller. A two-minute video of the incident from December has now become viral.

Both the rider and pillion were at an arm's length from the tiger cubs. Interestingly both of them managed to escape without inviting the ire of the cats. To add to the drama, their boss, Mukul Trivedi, Field Director of Tadoba Tiger Reserve incidentally happened to be right there, witnessing the entire sequence atop his open jeep. All this while he signalled the duo to stay put and stay calm.

Speaking to DNA, Trivedi said that the incident occurred during the last week of December, while he was carrying out an inspection of the forest in his vehicle, and came across two male sub-adult cubs of Chotti Tara, who is also known as Jamni tigress. Suddenly they spotted two of our staff coming on a motorcycle from the other end. After seeing the Tigers, both of them stopped.

"Both the cubs are around two years old and have been used to seeing humans around them, when they were growing up with their mother tigress Chotti Tara. Young tiger cubs are always known to be extremely curious and hence seeing these two men riding a bike, one approached from the front and another from behind," said Trivedi.

IN THE WILD 

• Both the rider and pillion were at an arm’s length from the tiger cubs
   
• Both managed to escape without inviting the ire of the cats
   
• Both cubs are used to seeing humans around