I just visited the Jim Corbett Park near Nainital in India....and needless to say , like my first visit, the whole experience was just amazing. Zooming around the jungle paths in open top gypsies watching all sorts of animals was simply mind-blowing. The best part is the air of expectancy , the minute you enter the park everyone is on the look out for any animal sightings. And when they do actually see some animal, there is immense joy as if they finally discovered the alien :)
But no animal takes the cake like does the TIGER...the elephant comes in a distant second , but you ask everyone what they came to see , I guess more often than not the answer wud be that big majestic cat. And quite logical too coz it's one of the bigger Tiger reserves in India. On it's part the tiger is not so kind to everybody :) ..sighting a tiger is no less than winning a bumper prize on a lottery ticket. Those who actually do manage to see it are absolutely over the moon , yet I met some others who have been trying to spot the elusive animal for years together.
On that part , i think i was super-lucky..i must have been doing some good things for the tiger species in my past life. Coz within 15 minutes of the start of my Jungle Safari , there I was , staring eye to eye at a tiger some distance away. I will never ever forget that look and the stare the tiger gave. The eyes and the whole demeanour was conveying to me that it did not appreciate the intrusion i had carried out in what was essentially his kingdom.I thank my stars that it did not want to get rid of the intruder altogether. It could have done that very easily if you consider it's huge size and the fact that an open-top gypsy hardly provides you any protection at all. Again my deeds in the past life must have come to my aid :)
Things that catch your eye instantly about the tiger are the royal prowling style, the tiger stripes and the sheer strength. Just an awesome combination to watch. And add to that the fact that this was more like a natural habitat and surroundings for these animals , unlike the zoo, which makes them come out in their true colours and grandeur. I just wondered what the remaining 160 odd tigers were doing at that moment. Apparently the one we I saw was stalking a spotted deer so that the barking of the deer gave us a clue as to where the tiger would be. I was thrilled to bits as I initially saw it cutting through the forest bushes after it's prey. Only the stripes and the tail were visible at that point. But later on as we approached a dry river bed , there it was !!!!!! Standing in the middle of the road , looking ready to pounce anytime , flustered at the same time seeing human beings where thjey should not be , in it's jungle !!! Then soon the people watching became insignificant to it and it resumed it's prey-hunt disappearing in the distant trees . The whole tiger sighting scenario lasted about 2 minutes but it was an experience worth preserving for the rest of our lives.
Well after this experience one thing for sure , Tiger preservation is one of the more important considerations of my life now !!!
