Forgive the photo dump. This is for me a dream come true – sighting not one, but two, tigers in the wild at Nagarahole Tiger Reserve and National Park in Karnataka.
Whilst the thrill of the search is of itself memorable, Anthony’s amazing spotting skills resulted in enjoying the sight of a majestic male tiger strolling across the road in front of us, without so much as an acknowledgment of our presence.
Still buzzing from the sighting, flashing lights from another Jeep signalled the presence of another tiger – this time a gorgeous tigress, lying in the shade having just eaten. She posed obligingly for a photo shoot before stretching out, clearly intent on resting for the afternoon. Reluctantly we left her in peace.
The glorious tigers were not the only triumphs of our safaris. We parked up in the presence of an elderly mother elephant and her calf. Our guide put her age at about 50 – the tops of their ears start to curl at about 30 – which surprised me given the lifespan of an Asiatic elephant is about 50-60 years. It was a peaceful moment in the heart of the jungle, with acoustics provided by the surrounding birds, insects and monkeys.
As we set off in the early mornings, I am very aware of how fortunate we are to travel to extraordinary parts of the world and have the opportunity to enjoy animals in their natural habitat. Whilst it does at times feel intrusive, happily the jungle inhabitants seem quite content to share their corner of the earth.
Hi, I’m Rachel 