|
|
|
|
Ranthambhor National Park became a wildlife sanctuary in 1957, and after the relocation of nine villages to outside the park's borders, the Bengal Tiger has adapted to more diurnal habits, providing the opportunity for daytime encounters.
Several days of dusty trekking in open jeeps, however, leave us with nothing but some tracks. And then, we get lucky.
We come upon this tigress napping in the grass, surrounded by a dozen hopeful, hushed tiger-watchers waiting for her to wake up.
And she does ... rewarding us with a nice yawn! There are fewer than 5,000 of these Bengal beauties left, down from a
population of 100,000 just a century ago. Having survived the
hunting sprees of the British Raj, the danger today is poaching, as tiger parts
are a valuable ingredient in Chinese medicines.
|
|
|
|
