The Art & Science of spotting big cats


There is a popular belief that you need to be damn lucky to spot a big cat in the wild. While there is quite an element of truth behind the statement, in my personal view there is more science and art to spotting the great cats of the wild, along with Luck. This is especially true in the South Indian jungles where Luck does play an important part but then there is an element of preparation and labor involved in creating a conducive environment for luck to come in. It is like the famous verse: To win a Lottery, you need to buy a Lottery Ticket! Let me elaborate .
 
The key to spotting the elusive big cats is all about understanding the call of the wild. In other words it is about deciphering the Sounds and smell of the Jungle.  The movement of these big cats is constantly tracked by the natural GPS of the jungles. Yes, Langurs on the high perches on tree tops keep a constant vigil on the movement of these cats and give out a warning call to the others on the ground of approaching danger. Similarly, Cheetal or Sambur, with their keen sense of hearing, smell and eyesight send out warning calls of these cats. Lapwings, Drongos and a long list of the birds send out telltale signs of animal movement. When this happens, it is extremely important to gauge the direction of the wind and the direction from which the call emancipates and park your vehicle downwind, switch off the engines, keeps absolute silence and wait patiently (sometimes even for an hour) for the cat to make its appearance. The chances of seeing a cat this way is extremely high when compared to driving around and hoping to find one along the way.

 Of course, if you are part of a crowd on the jeep it is difficult to convince everyone to wait for that long, and that is the reason why it is important that you pick your seats with like-minded folks (normally wildlife enthusiasts, photographers or frequent jungle goers) or travel with your own group or family. When there is an alarm call, your naturalist will identify the call and explain it to you. This is where your patience and self-discipline comes into play. Keep absolute silence, not even a hushed whisper.  

Wait patiently and when the cat does make its appearance, do not get excited and move about it just takes a moment for the big cat to vanish. Try not to break the profile of the jeep by standing up. Do not use your flash to photograph them and allow for them to take in the surroundings and settle down.
Yet after all this, there simply may not be a cat sighting. As a wildlife photographer I have been on innumerable Safaris where we decided to follow the warning calls and stay put in a place, and have returned without sighting anything at all. But then, this is part of the package and the thrills of waiting in a hushed completely silent environment are something that needs to be experienced to be believed.
Normally, the thumb rule is to heed completely to your naturalists opinions on the possibility of the sighting and the subsequent instructions and you will have a great sighting.

Popular posts from this blog

The Magician of Masinagudi

Image
Mark Davidar, a blessed son of the well-known conservationist E.R.C Davidar is no more. Rivaldo, his most cherished tusker will miss him more than anyone else. Having lost a good portion of his cheek and trunk to heartless poachers, Rivaldo was all at bay, when Mark decided to take care of him, and the rest is history. Though fortunate to have spent a bit of time during my visits to his wonderful place, it took me a long time to see beneath and beyond Mark's complex, sometimes intimidating yet mature persona.  Yes, he had a short fuse, true the huge influence of alcohol was disturbing, agreed that his profanities (especially when drunk) were annoying, yet here was a simple man, with a mature head on his frail shoulders. A man who had an uncanny ability to have a serene, calming approach to the wildest of the wild, and a love for the wilderness which is simply unmatched even today. A wonderful human being, like his illustrious father, Mark was a great lover of the wild
Read more

Yercaud Skywalk

Image
It was one of those gloomy September evenings at Coimbatore. The holidays were drawing to a close and it was time to drive back to Chennai (where we had moved a few years ago), for another few months of hectic, noisy, polluted metro life. Then the brainwave struck. Lalli’s suggestion to break the monotony of the drive back by a visit to Yercaud, was music to my ears. A couple of phone calls to friends at GRT and we had a Grand room at GRT Skywalk, the latest from GRT stable, waiting for us. The drive from Coimbatore was smooth, though the slow moving early morning truck traffic right until Avinashi, was a huge dampener, especially for my speed hungry Civic. A small break before Salem, to munch on mom’s lovely fluffy idly’s, and we were soon on the road from Salem to Yercaud, which was a breeze. Born in the racing / rallying town of Coimbatore, our weekend drives to the various hills and ghat sections around the city made me a seasoned Ghat / Off roader and this little stretch was no
Read more

Indian Gaur

Image
Often mistaken for a bison, the Indian Gaur is part of the cow family. The bison is a species found in two places – Europe and the USA. The gaur is amongst the largest and most powerful wild cattle found across the world. Found in abundance across the country, they are very adaptive to the environments and surroundings. An average gaur stands over 180 cm tall and weighs a little under a ton (1000 kg). This gives you a picture of its massive structure. It’s normally found in herds of at least eight to ten and is extremely aggressive – especially when it comes to protecting its young.   The massive size normally makes one believe that no predator gets close to these mammoth bovines, yet these gaurs are easy meat for the tiger, which is known to regularly hunt full-grown adults. As you may have guessed, these huge animals provide a tiger with enough meat for a few days, if not weeks!   The gaur plays a very crucial part in maintaining the ecological balance of the forest, espec
Read more