Setting off to discover the Year of the Tiger in India

By Julie Dickson
Issue 96 - July 2010

Did you know that at the time of the last census, 2007, it was estimated that there were only 1,411 tigers remaining in India? This figure is widely publicised on billboards around the country, but it is now thought that the actual number could be much lower.

To check on the plight of the tiger ourselves, we decided to head for Corbett National Park. Situated 250km northeast of Delhi, near Ramnagar in the foothills of the Himalayas, Corbett is home to an estimated 160 tigers and is the only place in India where numbers have increased in recent years.

Corbett prides itself on being a very natural safari experience compared with other parks in India.

In this vast expanse of forest and grassland, there are no guarantees that you will see a tiger – one guidebook reckons the odds at 1 to 10 – but it is this uncertainty and the feeling of tracking down a wild animal in its natural habitat which makes the trip such an adventure.

Delhi to Ramnagar
Our trip began with a comfortable five-hour flight to New Delhi. A bed and breakfast in the city, Anika’s Nest, was to become our home away from home during our whirlwind eight-day holiday. Endearing owner Kumar and his wife Anika loaded us up with chapattis, vegetable curries and other local dishes to get us through the six-hour drive to Corbett National Park.

Anyone will tell you that driving in India is an experience; the drive to Corbett was exactly that. We saw everything from wild hogs to camels on the road, and brightly coloured lorries bearing head-on towards us. Then there are the ubiquitous cows, for which a horn is something to be completely ignored. Still, with a good driver and a good car, we didn’t feel unsafe – in fact, we really enjoyed this intimate and colourful view of Indian life.

Corbett National Park
We spent two of our three nights in Corbett at the Corbett Hideaway Hotel – very pleasant, with a swimming pool for use in the warmer months.

Local figure Ramesh Suyal was at the hotel to greet us. I had tracked down Ramesh through online recommendations. He booked everything for us including the hotel, the jeep safari, the lodge, the guides and permits to enter the park.

A quiet, gentle man who signs off his emails “Your ever willing servant”, Ramesh is an experienced naturalist whose services ensure that money is passed into the hands of local providers, which in turn makes the locals eager to protect the tigers from poachers. He also does work within schools to promote understanding of the importance of preserving the tigers and their natural habitat.

The hunt begins
Huddled under blankets in our private jeep, we set off early on the first morning through the park, stopping to see wildlife along the way: herds of spotted and sambar deer, crocodiles and crocodile-like gharials in the river, and small groups of elephants. Under the direction of our knowledgeable guide Jaypee, we kept alert for the signs of a tiger, often stopping and waiting in silence to see if the peculiarly loud sound of a tiny barking deer meant that a tiger attack was imminent.

In the afternoon, we were lucky enough to hear the roar of two tigers playing in the undergrowth away from the road. We waited for some time but they didn’t emerge.

Overnight lodging
That night, we stayed within the park at the government-run Gairal Lodge – basic accommodation, but it allowed us to stay on site ready for the next morning’s safari. Though the generator was turned off at 9pm, leaving no heating or electricity, we managed to sleep. In the words of Ramesh, one night wouldn’t kill us! We woke to a warming cup of Marsala chai.

Perhaps Dhikala Lodge would have been a better choice of accommodation. Though fairly basic, it has round-the-clock electricity and is set on a hillside with a viewing platform overlooking the river and plain.

Getting closer
With the morning sun shining brightly, we set off again to find our tiger. At several clearings there were signs that one was close – including footprints in the mud. Then, just after we had stopped to look at a Serpent Eagle sitting above us on a barren tree, Dave spotted something prowling across the open grassland.

“Tiger!” he shouted. The kids started to giggle nervously, and there it was: our tiger, a female seeking a morning kill. We sat and watched for around 10 minutes as the tiger stalked a spotted deer just 50 metres from us.

Unfortunately, the combination of our presence, the deer’s warnings signals and a male elephant that had bumbled onto the scene caused her to give up this particular meal and move on across the grassland.

While our tiger might have been disappointed, we were overjoyed as we set off for breakfast at Dhikala Lodge.

During the rest of our time in the park, we saw many beautiful sights – baby elephants up close, black-faced monkeys, a jackal, a peacock (India’s national bird) and even a fish eagle swooping down and plucking its prey from the river in front of us.
On the last morning, we visited another part of the park called Birjani, this time with Ramesh as our guide. Within ten minutes of entering the park, we heard two tigers roaring at each other in the forest across the valley from our high vantage point. Later, we saw monkeys and deer scattering in alarm in the distance, but we didn’t manage another glimpse of a tiger.

Despite this, we considered our tiger adventure a complete success, and a memorable experience for the whole family.