Drives 3-4
Safari-3: Morning, 16th May 2011
We got allotted same route as yesterday (Rt-1) morning and again we saw several wild-boars, Gaurs, Jackals and hundreds of Spotted Deer everywhere we went today.
A majestic spotted deer with antlers
A family of jackals were running around and playing ........ on a grassy meadow, near the backwaters
A Bison (Gaur) and her calf
We saw several Wild Boars today
A Blue Jay - locally known as Neelkanth
A Langur perched on a rock
Soon we got news that Collarwaali Tigress with her cubs is near a kill of Neelgai in an area called "Tiger-Sasar" which is not near any regular jeep trails. However, Elephant-back "Tiger-show" safaris had started from a non-jeep access path to view this tigress and her cubs.
We immediately went to Ali-Katta camp and booked the last 'token' for the elephant safari (Rs 200/- head). We the drove to the elephant boarding point, which was about 200M from the Tigress and her kill near a stream depression.
Ali-Katta Camp site
By the time we reached and our turn came, the Tigress and the cubs had finished their "lunch" (rear half of a big Neelgai) and were resting in nearby shady spots. We did manage to get close (5M) to the tigress on elephant back and took some clear pictures. The cubs were lying around at some distance in shady lantana shrub-cover.
The Elephant safari going to the site of Tiger's Kill
One Cub was awake in a nearby lanata bush shade
Another shot of the two sleeping cubs
A Closer look at the awake cub
A herd of spotted Deer freeze ... and look in the direction from where a predator "alarm call" came
A Langur family with a small frisky baby
The Hut where elephant-safari booking is done at AliKatta
Collarwaali Tigress dozing near her half-eaten Neelgai Kill
Two Other cubs were fast asleep ... after ' neelgai' meal
Another cub sprawled and fast asleep
Safari-4: Evening, 16th May 2011:
We went to Baghini-Nalla site as we heard that the Baghini Tigress had been spotted there around 3:30PM. But by the time we reached there, the tigress had withdrawn into a hidden shelter, beyond a low ridge, seeing the noisy crowds in many jeeps.
Our driver Bablu said she has to come out from that hiding place and so we waited for two hours ... Thinking she may reappear, as most of the jeeps had gone away. But no luck till 6:30PM the closing time of park, was near. Bablu said we will try this area again tomorrow; but we must come early as the first jeep to arrive here.
Baghini-Nala waterhole where we waited nearly 2 hours to see Bhagini-Nala Tigress; but without any luck !
See details of Safari Drives 1-7 (inside Pench Park) in the sub-pages (in Left Margin Menu Options)