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Tiger tracks. A thrilling find during a trek in the forest.

A young tiger in tall grass. This is the sibling of the tiger in our banner and in the last two photos of this essay.
They were still together, on the periphery of the sanctuary.
They were not yet in a position to claim a better, private, territory.

On elephant, we followed this tiger through a forest.
After a while, it decided that it couldn't be bothered and stopped under this rock.
We stayed for only a quick look, and then left.

Out in the open.

A mature tigress on a rocky plain. She was out of sight when we drove by in a jeep.
But, when we reversed our direction and returned the way we came, she had moved out into in the open.

A large tiger, who had just eaten and was cooling off, climbing out of a river bed.
(His kill was in the hill above. We spotted him in the grass by the stream.)

Even when young, a tiger is, and knows he or she is, a TIGER!

My main goals in visiting the subcontinent were to see a tiger in the wild and to trek in the Himalaya. For the first, it took a number of trips, and three years, before I figured it out. I have had sixteen tiger observations, involving thirteen or fourteen different animals. Most of the sightings were in remote sanctuaries, not well-visited, and in April or May, at the height of the summer just before the monsoon. At this point most water sources dry up, so the best observation areas are obvious. The temperatures, however, can be extreme, regularly exceeding 45 degrees centigrade (113 degrees Fahrenheit).

Travel to the sanctuaries was rough, and the local guesthouses were basic, without air-conditioning.

It was worth it. The photos document a number of the high points of my life.

Having said that, though, it is worth noting that all but one of the animals in these photos were reacting to the presence of people (including me!). They would much rather have been left alone. However, “eco-tourism,” the arrival of people such as me, with the money that we bring, helps keep them alive. Without us, they would unquestionably be killed much quicker for their skin and bones. (Thank you traditional Chinese medicine!) There is only one solution: all humans must learn that all life has equal rights, including the rights not to be hunted and to be left alone.