6.May.1997
I am writing this days events with nagging pain in my legs. In the morning we would have covered nearly 16-17 km. and in the evening around 12 km. on foot.
 We started in the morning at 6:15. a.m., this time accompanied by a different assistant. Mr. Mohammad Yar, our earlier helper had to go to some important errand. We followed the same route as yesterday. Dhikala-Patarpani-Kammarpatta where we took a turn towards Chooha Pani waterhole. Here we came across our first pug marks. The sand was hard due to rains, hence the impression was not clear enough. The palm (gadeli in Hindi) of the tiger was not clear at all, nor the stride. From what we could make out it seemed as a tigress's impressions since it had pointed fingers rest nothing could be made. Mr. Aswal and I discussed in length that tiger marks should be taken since a tiger exists and it should be counted. If tomorrow it rains again or due to some other reason this tiger could be left out and one tiger short could be counted, but in subsequent days if we found similar marks in the same area we could dismiss the earlier marks taken. We both agreed and took the prints and then made fresh pads on the same ground.
It was interesting to see how the marks were taken. First a glass sheet was placed about one inch above the left pug mark then from one angle preferably perpendicular the marks were copied on the glass by a sketch pen. Then keeping a tracing paper on the glass we copied the marks on the tracing paper facing the light so that clear impression was copied on the paper. Along with the tracing of the pug marks the following information is also noted.
I) Identify the beat - area details are noted
II) The stride is noted - measured from:
left front finger to finger
or in short tip to tip
or palm to palm
III) Surface condition is noted
color and texture of sand
hard or soft
IV) Style of walk - normal, fast or slow.
In a normal walk the rear pug falls on the fore pug.
In a fast walk the rear pug falls in front of the fore pug.
In a slow walk the rear pug falls behind the fore pug.
V) Time
VI) Any other information
VII) Counter signatures
We returned the way Chooha Pani-Kammarpatta-Dhikala Road looking continuously for the pug marks on the way but none were found.
In the evening we started on the errand at 4:00 p.m. and went the other way this time via Dhikala Road towards Kammarpatta Marg and Returned via Patarpani Marg to Dhikala by 7:00 p.m. having no further luck on the way.
In the evening while talking to some other groups we came across a person who was quitting the job in between, it was amusing and sad to hear him narrating the events of the day. Amusing because he was describing the difficulties that how he had to cross the Ramganga thrice barefoot and how he had to go inside deep sots and ravines with twists and turns and how he fell down in water waist high and there were ulcers on his feet. It was sad because to see a employee (guide) of CTR quit a tough job assigned to him and unfortunate that he was creating a bad example for others.
Tiger census is not all the fun as it seems. One has to walk nearly 30-40 km. a day on foot and has to be alert all the time from the risk of wild elephants, tigers, snakes etc.. A gun bearer is with you, but the gun cannot scare a tiger or elephant nor there is a certainty that it would fire accurately when needed. The guns the forest guards have are obsolete and without maintenance for long time and the chances of misfiring a 12 bore is very high.
It was also sad to observe that no one was present as yet from any of the organizations / NGO's who are supposed to be doing so much for betterment of wildlife yet when the time had come to contribute in efforts they were not present. The presence of a wildlife enthusiast gives a boost to the moral of the employees who are already doing their jobs. An impression is taking roots in the mind of wildlife lovers / enthusiasts that the NGO's were basically guarding their financial interest so that they remain the sole finance controller for disbursement of money for saving the parks and actually they are unconcerned about safety of jungles and animals.
7.May.1997
We started on our task of tracking at 6:15 a.m. and took the same route as yesterday morning and reached Chooha Pani at 8:25 a.m.. We were happy to see fresh pug marks on the pads which we had made. The marks were very clear and resembled that of male tiger, very large in size. The stride from toe to toe was 138 cms.
When Mr. Aswal got ready to take the trace on glass, he realized that yesterday evening he had taken out the tracing glass in his cabin and had forgotten to put them back in his bag. In his excitement he suggested that he would alone go back and come with the glass. This suggestion was ruled out and it was decided that the party should go back to the base and return in our jeep. In case we find any other group en route then we might come back after borrowing their glass. To this we all agreed and proceeded to Dhikala via Kammarpatta-Dhikala road way. On the intersection of the two roads we came across Ajay, Avdesh, and Ramesh who were going towards Amla sot and halted them with a jungle call resembling that of a Sambhar. We narrated our part of the story and requested them to accompany us to the waterhole which was not far off.
On reaching the top of the hill from where the descend starts to the Chooha Pani waterhole Mr. Aswal pointed out that a tiger was sitting at the water hole, hearing us the tiger got up and went in the deep woods. What a magnificent sight it was to see him and his awesome face shining in the light filtered by the trees, along with clean coat. It was a beautiful sight but short-lived.
All six of us descended and reached the waterhole where Mr. Aswal completed the formalities of measurements of stride and taking impressions of the pug mark on glass and then on tracing paper. Since the mark was very clear we took the plaster of paris impression also. |
