Next, we hear a strange sound of crashing trees. The jeep slows and Massan, our guide, points to a herd of elephants eating grasses and scratching heads on tree trunks. Click, click, click...with the camera and once again we are off.
We are certainly not the only jeep full of anxious onlookers hoping to spot an endangered species this day. Although, it's safe to say we are the only Americans. Corbett isn't a real "hot spot" for foreigners, especially when it comes to tiger spotting. There are other Parks in India and nearby Nepal much more heavily visited by tourists in search of tigers. Corbett tends to draw those that admire the vast expanses and sheer rugged beauty of the lower Himalayas. Tiger spotting isn't always high on the list because the chances are slim to none.
We are unaware at the time of the fortuitous arrangement of our particular jeep. It is only later we find out the best tiger tracker in the Park is assigned to us. He is part of the new breed of fabulous eco-tourism safari guides many parks around the world are providing for their adventurous guests. His skill at tracking big cats is legendary in the area.
Eric and I had just a year before decided to become vegetarians. And, we are cat lovers. So, the fact that Massan is aligned with us this day feels like a Divining Hand sweeping over us. Even our hired driver from Delhi, who is with us the entire week, has not yet known foreigners able to spot a tiger here. He tells us on the drive up to Corbett Park that he will pray and ask the goddess Kali to watch over us, protect us and allow us to see one of her beloved tigers.
You may wonder why I'm bringing all of this up. The best answer I can give you is to never underestimate the deeply spiritual nature of a people. At the time I had no idea how the aligned thoughts of so many would manifest in the physicality of a gorgeous tigress!
Back to the search...
After the elephant watching Massan spots a tiger track in the dirt of the jeep trail. He and the driver use a series of non-verbal movements that take us along another road. Massan becomes even more excited when he notices and points out recent cat scat droppings and nearby claw marks on a tree trunk. Tigers do this in the same way domestic cats use scratching posts to stretch their bodies and sharpen their claws.
We arrive at a clearing where our driver parks and turns off the jeep. Eric and Massan are both using binoculars and standing on the jeep seats. The really cool thing about safari jeeps in India is you can stand on the roll bars. In fact, it's encouraged! Especially when searching for hard-to-find animals.
So... after a few minutes they are both standing atop the roll bars. 10 minutes pass. Nothing. 20 minutes pass. Nothing. 30 minutes pass. Nothing. My eyelids heavy. My body not quite fully adjusted to the 12 hour time difference. The air is warming up. I'm nodding off. 35 minutes. I feel the jeep shake. Eric and Massan jump down excitedly, the air alive with energy . Now they are sitting with huge smiles. Massan raps the arm of the driver, makes a circle formation in the air with his finger. The jeep fires up. We back out quickly!
to be continued... Coming soon! Part 3 of Tracking a Tiger
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