We just returned from our very first trip to India where we were hoping to see tigers in the wilds.

We first visited Ranthambore and there we had our first frustration:
Suzuki Gypsy cars are the game drive vehicles plus huge topless busses with 28 pax. - all lead by the most unqualified "naturalists" I have ever come across.

The crowd was loud, no discipline and the drives a rush for the tigers. Here no "tiger shows" due to lack of elephant because of the unsuitable terrain which was the only highlight besides a sighting of 2 sub adult tiger cubs.
We were told be the "naturalist" that the father killed the mother because she was defensive of her cubs especially the male cub which the father wanted to kill. Ooops - "naturalist" is the wrong term for that kind of guide. Tourists might sometimes be stupid but for certain not all of them "buy" such a weird story.

Second reserve was PANNA.
The only tiger they had left the reserve 4 month ago (4 year old tiger). No information on his whereabouts.
2 tigeresses were introduced to that reserve 1 month ago. They are now monitored by some kind of personnel.

Then came Bandavgarh.......
Again Gypsy cars PLUS the "unique opportunity" to participate in the "tiger show": The forest guides block off a tiger sighting - no car can get close to the sighting ! - so that they can sell the "tiger show" which is a ride on the back of an elephant (up to 8 people!) to the sighting, have a glimpse on to the tiger and take off for the next eli to approach. That goes on for ages until the last spectator got what he wanted - and paid for.
DISGUSTING! to say the least! Needless to say we boldly refused to take part it that kind of circus.

In Bandavgarh we witnesses tigers mating and were able to take decent photos.

On the way out of the reserve we came across an elephant cow in a chain accompanied by her calf which was approx. 2 years old. The calf's forelegs were chained so that it could only kind of hopping to go forward.
We won't forget that sight for the rest of our lives

Followed by Kanha National Park
NO TIGER in 2 days! Here tiger sightings in a track was blocked off for the show! We ourselves did not see a tiger here.

Finally PENCH National Park
Here the same as Kanha: No tiger in 2 days!
The "tourism zone": All waterholes were dried up.
The "non-tourism zone": All waterholes were full and the "tiger shows" are conducted in the non-tourism-zone .

What we could observe: The Forest officials/government are not at all interested in protecting its wildlife - especially the tigers. They just abuse the cats to make some extra money.

Fences are bad for habitats where ancient migration routes are cut off - as in Africa.

But leaving these national parks unfenced is a crime as it allows poachers easily to do their bloody jobs and leave.
Furthermore as for Bandavgarth where there is an overpopulation of tigers which creates stress (territory fights, inbreeding etc.) it's easy for tigers to leave the park and then become "problem animals".
Officials still refuse to translocate a tiger surpluss into other parks.

There is nothing like a serious anti-poaching in place.

It was absolutely wonderful to see tigers in the wild. But I will never ever return to India as it created many more bad memories then positive once.

I fear it won't take much longer than 5 years and all tigers in the wild will be extinct. ((

A park in East Bengal lost more than 170 tigers to the recent flood desaster. Out of 180 only 7 have been found yet..............

Before that desaster the estimation was 1400 tigers left in the wilds......................

Pippa i had hoped for a happy return with tales of excitement & wonder, How things have changed in four years.
Alas I believe the writing was on the wall then, but I was too blind to read the words.

Today is a very sad day for me.

I often look at the photo's of the tigers I have been lucky enough to encounter & wonder of their fate..................Now I cry!

Kipper

Sorry I did not want you to be sad!

The sightings we had were amazing and the more I think about the tigers and their future the more angry I become. I ask myself again and again how blind, ignorant, arrogant, stupid and selfish a government can be to let all that happen?

AndBeyond/Taj had flown over to Africa 15 officials from the forest ministry and park officials. On their own expenses! In the end they said they cannot do anything - their hands are handcuffed. Some naturalists stated that it might well take yet another generation until these people come to realize that a change is overdue. Or they need a new fresh generation to take a new approach towards conservation.

AndBeyond/Taj have now started to convince the government to allow re-location/translocation for some of the tigers. The 2 tigeresses which were released into Panna were done so solely on AnsBeyond expenses and very reluctantly from the government's side and only after long long talks and maybe even more "backschisch".
But this way/procedure might be far too time costly and won't be sufficient in order to safe the cats.

But then it might be too late!

How can a country which worships all kinds of god's incarnations and which beliefs in re-incarnation treat its wildlife that badly?

Isn't it our all wildlife asset which sadly comes only to live in India accidentely?

Shouldn't we all try to stand up against that crime?

I asked a guide whether there are many incidents when elephants kill their mahouts. And yes - it often occurs. I watched an elephant mom with a tiny baby:
they were right next to the (closed) entrance at bandavgarh. the mahout went towards both of them. the eli mom wanted to protect the tiny one (estimated 3 - 4 month old) and blew dust towards the mahout. but she did not trompet. not one single tone. It was all too sad. Heart breaking!
I wished the mahout to be just crashed by the mother. He stared at me for a couple of seconds and I don't no whether he understood what I was saying........and before he could answer I was gone.

As I already stated: NEVER EVER AGAIN!