Tiger Census 2005: 28th May 05 till 1st June 05

Report submitted by Gurvinder Singh and Geeta Bhatnagar of Joint Adventures and Rachel Lawrence Bhooi of Divarose Eco Home Stay

28th May 05:

We arrived at the main office in Ramnagar and were informed that we were assigned to the Dhikala Range. We were given a document stating that we were volunteers who had been invited to take part in the Tiger Census. Reported to Mr Pant at Dhikala and the rest of the day was ours to take an evening ride in the Chaur and view several herds of elephants. The evening saw us eating early as there was a tigress that was seen visiting the campus and the guests were advised not to roam around the campus at night and to stay in their rooms till daybreak.

29th May 05:

5:30 am saw us at the elephant stand, where we met the Park Director and the Chief Wildlife Warden. After some deliberation on the part of the Director (since we were two ladies) it was decided that we should proceed by our Jeep due to the threat posed by the tigress. We were assigned to Nayab Khan, a former mahout and Puran Singh Bhisht and were to pick up Togadia from Watchtower No. 2. All three Forest Dept. Staff had certain sectors assigned to them and it was our duty to take them around their specific sectors safely and observe / oversee / help them in the work of the Census. We started with observing tiger pug marks and identifying frequently used paths (battiyas) where the staff cleared the ground of leaves etc and made a 'pad' which was first dug up and then beaten down (tilled) to a soft mix of fine mud about 1.5 inches thick which would then take a good impression of a pug mark if a tiger walked on it. The pad was also broad and long enough to be able to measure the full stride (chaal) of an adult tiger. After making about a dozen such pads in Nayab's sectors to add to the ones already made a day or two before, we proceeded towards Ringora and a Gujjar village that lay just on the periphery of the National Park. It was an interesting visit and the Staff explained to us the difficulties faced by the Forest Department due to the presence of this nomadic cattle rearing tribe due to undue grazing and encroachment upon forest land, The ground was stony and hard and it was difficult to make pads. Quite a few pads were made regardless. On the way back we were shown the grave of a Tusker that had died recently due to the infection he suffered when a tigress attacked him. There were Vultures present on a tree nearby and there was evidence of elephants that had left spoor marks on the grave. This was explained as an attraction to the salt that was used on the carcass to help in swift decomposition. By 11am we were back in the Dhikala Complex. All vehicular traffic other than those involved in the Census was restricted till 9am every morning.


4:30 pm We drove up Kanda Road towards Hathipani, which was Puran's sector and made pads along short cuts that came down to join the main road and down lower paths where there was evidence of pugmarks. Here too the road was really hard and stony and we wondered if we would meet with any success. We also got a chance to see a survey map that Nayab was using for his and his colleague's sectors and were once again impressed by the sincerity with which these men approached their jobs. Each one of them knew every path and nallah that was in their sectors and they told us that they were encouraged to go on long field trips that lasted from 5-6 days so that they could famil iarize themselves with their beats/sectors. We reached Hathipani to discover that the stream had dried and there was just a trickle of water in which we saw a tortoise. Nayab cleared the leaves and made a channel for the water to collect and quench the thirst of the birds and animals of the area. We returned to camp by 7pm. By 8pm the campus was abuzz, with shouts because the tigress came back to the periphery with one of her cubs. The director, who was present at the spot, handled the situation with skill and restraint. We were fortunate to have seen the tigers before they were driven away by the forest officials.

 


30th May 5 am returned to check pads that we had made the previous day and were rewarded with at least two set of pug marks on the pads and others on the main road. As soon as we crossed Gaathia row we saw the pugmarks of male and female tigers and through Nayab's expert knowledge recreated the dawn meeting of the two tigers. We saw where the male tiger had sprayed and where they had killed an eaten a porcupine. Tracings were made and strides measured after which the pugmarks were covered with stones and twigs. All the other pads were checked in this way and also the pug marks that we found on the main roads. 4 pm. We left for our sectors accompanied by forest officer Chauhan who double-checked all the measurements and tracings that were entered on the forms. On our way up to Hathipani we spotted pugmarks of a large female tigeress that had come up and gone back down to Phulia Srot. Tracings and measurements of chaal were taken and we made a plaster cast in one of the pugmarks. We learnt that plaster casts are taken only of the left pug of the tiger. We were back on the campus by 7 pm. All was quiet on the tiger front this night. 

 
31st May 05. 5:40 am At Gaathia row, the jungle was alive with calls of Elepha nts, Sambhar Deer, Hornbills and there were lots of new pug marks. While the casts were being made to be picked up later in the evening, we even heard a tiger call. Not distracted by all the excitement we went on our way checking pads and making casts of other pugmarks found. We met the ranger of Kanda range who was on his way to check the Tolia Chowki range. Work done by 10 am, we were returning towards the campus when we heard many Cheetals call on Phulia Chaur and we stopped to see a panic stricken heard of deer run across the road and spotted two tigers who were just about to break cover when a lot of jeeps arrived on the scene. We waited quietly and were rewarded by an excellent sighting of what appeared to be two young tigers, male and female. We had to leave soon as we were approaching our 11 am deadline.

4 pm Took a round of both Nayab and Togadia's sectors collecting plaster casts and clearing away debris of prote ctive stones etc. from the road. Saw a mixed group of vultures sitting on the trees bordering Phulia Chaur. As we reached Gaathia row, we came across four jeep loads of tourists and photographers who were waiting for over an hour after hearing a Sambhar call two or three times. We waited for MC Pandey, who was returning from his census duty from Tolia Chowki. As Nayab and he compared notes the rest of the jeeps left. We also headed after them and as we crossed the area where we drive through the river, a movement caught our eye on the left and we saw a tiger come out of some grass that she had been lying in by the side of the river, while she was patiently waiting for the departure of the tourists. Judging by her size and facial features she appeared to be a female cub. We were back on the campus by 7 pm. As this was our last evening here Nayab introduced us to his family and we got more first hand information on the tough and lonely life of a forester. This night the tiger was once again driven away by the Director, the Honorary Warden and other officials present without incident.

1st June 05 5:30am We returned, for what was now a familiar beat for us, to find the jungle very quiet. Finished work by 9 am and returned to campus to meet and thank all the officials present, before going in for breakfast prior to our departure. While we were present in the restaurant we were alerted to the presence of two tigers in the river below the Dhikala campus and were pleased by a sighting of both of them walking out and into some grass nearby. By 11 am we left on our return journey, it was hot in the open jeep but just after Barsoti Srot we spotted a tigress under a tree. Heat, sun etc forgotten, we looked through our binoculars and saw that her left nostril was injured and she had scratch marks on her back with some fur missing. Her wounds were dry and healing. While we were there another two vehicles arrived and after a long hot wait, we were witness to her hunting down of a monkey who had come to the river for a drink. She attempted to get a second monkey without success. We left her to her lunch and carried on to report the matter first at the Main Dhangarhi Gate to Subarati Ahmed and then on to Ramnagar where we reported her injuries to the Park Warden Mr. Rawat in person.

We would like to comment in the end that we were very impressed by the sincerity with which the Forest Department handles all their work and crisis situations. All officials, from the senior most, Chief Wildlife Warden, the Park Director, Deputy Director, Park Warden, Rangers and Foresters were present and hands on with the Census. We would like to always assist them in their selfless efforts in taking care of our wildlife and forests which are treasures for our coming generations. It must be mentioned here that during the Census we made tracings of at least 7 different tigers  and were blessed with sightings of 8 tigers! Another highlight for us was the abundance of birdlife seen. As per our check list we saw about 72 different birds ranging from emerald doves, pied hornbills, khaleej pheasants, bee eaters, kingfishers, francolins, a host of raptors , Indian pitta, woodpeckers, paradise flycatchers, brown fish owls and red jungle fowl.

We look forward to returning for the next census.