I’ve spent much of the last days head down in my
laptop. “Mr Jack sir, you are always so
busy!” says the guy who brings my pots of masala tea. I haven’t been able to hold down much more
than tea thanks to a nasty something playing havoc with my digestive system, if
you get my drift.
No problem, just get on with it. I’ve had stuff to do here in Kathmandu, it’s
been interesting. My mind is still in
the jungle though. My mind got messed
with by a tiger, a tigress actually.
I’ve written a lot about it, mainly to myself. I’ve written, edited, re-edited and then I
finally sent it away to a friend, a literary agent. He got back to me with, “you can’t blog that,
they’ll have to buy the bloody book to get that story!”
So sorry, you’ll have to buy the “bloody book” … but hey,
the funds will go to tiger conservation.
I will tell you this.
It was an incident I will never forget.
A tiger completely flummoxed me.
I already had great respect for this highly intelligent predator but now
I feel something even more. It’s hard to
explain.
The tiger has taken me many places, enabled magical wildlife
experiences, incredible moments with tigers but at the same time also led me into a world where the dark underbelly
of illegal wildlife trade, corruption, politics, greed and ego (so much ego!) has
really made me question many aspects of humanity.
Then there are the moments like the one with the
tigress. Her stillness, her power, her
very connection to her habitat made me very small but at the same time filled
me with even more motivation, determination.
It had already been an inspiring week.
One of the anti-poaching team, Dipa, had an encounter, at five metres, a
mock charge. Dipa is a different man
now, he says a better one. I had
the privilege of witnessing several people have their first tiger
sightings. The emotions of joy, awe and pure
wonder were plain to see, to feel. I also had some my best sightings ever. Anyone who has read my rants will know I do not seek this, I am happy with pug marks, with proof of tiger health. A sighting is a bonus, a blessing.
To say the tigress fooled me that morning is an understatement. Later in the day, after two more fantastic sightings
of a huge male, I had a close encounter with a cub. Where was the mother? Was it her that had given me such a moment
earlier in the day? A quick scout round,
little pug marks, big pug marks, they were close by. I gathered our team, made the decision to
leave. This was tiger habitat, time to
leave them alone. The season was
ending. Almost on queue Hemant said this
should be our last day in this area, just let perimeter patrols keep
watch. The synchronicity continued later
in the day as the monsoon finally gave us the first big rain, such relief after
a day of extreme temperatures and humidity.
The tigers of Bardiya would have their own small private
water holes now, no need to venture out where humans might spy them. An epic season of sightings, some say the
best ever, had ended.
Join me in this place, you will not regret it. If it does not change your life I will question if you are really alive.
jk@wildtiger.org
Back here in the urban jungle I reflect. Information comes digitally and
verbally. An investigative team has
found a tiger skin in a remote village.
A high ranking official has bought two parrots from Australia. My sources are impeccable, totally
admirable. The news they bring is
sobering.
So I reflect how I crouched in the jungle, a tigress hid, my
sweat laden eyes trying to understand, make sense, her sharp gaze made a
mockery of my blur … we had our moment together…
The mountains await now … home of a mountain tiger?
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