Behind the Lens
a blog every Friday on a specific species of animal or bird and stories of photos
Search for a specific species, genre or even a location or use the directory for a complete list of species I have photographed and written about till date.
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The Vanchowki Tigress
Pench National Park, nestled in the heart of India in the lower southern reaches of the Satpura hills, sprawls a massive 758 sq. kms across the states of Madhya Pradesh & Maharashtra. Named after the pristine River Pench it was immortalised by Rudyard Kipling in his Jungle Book. Every year millions make their way here to spot Akela, Baloo, Bagheera and Shere Khan.
Our story is about the beautiful and shy Vanchowki tigress who has made her home in the small hills and well-stocked teak mixed forest of Rukhad. Tigers, like many large mammals, are believed to have a mental map of their territories and they are also extremely territorial.
#wildartworks, #wildlifephotography, #penchnationalpark, #pench, #rukhad, #masoonalagate, #canon, #rukhadgate, #kurai, #seoni, #tiger, #jungle, #wild, #forest, #wildlife, #conservationphotography, #indian_wildlifes, #indianwildlifeofficial, #wildlifeonearth, #bbcearth, #natgeowild, #natgeoindia, @awpc.hk, @globalcapture, #madhyapradesh, #trackingwildlife, #tracking, #kingfishermale, #kuraigadmale, #kuraigarhmale, #vanchowkitigress, #monsoon, #pantheratigris, #scentmarking, #bengaltiger, #royalbengaltiger
Archi & her cubs at Tipeshwar
More often than not, spotting a tiger, leave alone a tiger with cubs, is an exciting game of hide-and-seek with small clues sprinkled randomly all over the jungle – a strangely silent and deserted waterhole on a warm evening, a skittish sambar stomping his hoof for no obvious reason, a pug-mark across a recent jeep track, a nervous langur peering at a lantana bush – all pushing the adrenaline as you await a climactic encounter with the apex predator of the jungle. It does not matter where and how it happens, the moment is always mesmeric. Something beautiful and primal stirs within our dulled urban souls and it is virtually impossible to be unmoved by the up, close and very personal experience of meeting almost 220 kilos of majesty and raw muscle.
#wildartworks, #wildlifephotography, #canon, #tiger, #wildlife, #conservationphotography, #indian_wildlifes, #indianwildlifeofficial, #wildlifeonearth, #bbcearth, #natgeowild, #natgeoindia, @awpc.hk, @globalcapture, #maharashtra, #trackingwildlife, #tipeshwar, #Mathani, #MathaniGate, #pantheratigris, #scentmarking, #bengaltiger, #royalbengaltiger, #bigcats, #archi, #architigress, #tipeshwartigers, #archicubs, #tipeshwartigercubs, #tigercubs, #7montholdtigercubs
Archi - the Dhole chase at Tipeshwar
If you spend enough time in the forest, eventually, you will see an apex predator exhibit its fearsome skills and there is no better place than in central India with its numerous tiger sanctuaries of varying climes and terrain. This was one such thrilling event that unfolded at Tipeshwar, unexpectedly, before our eyes - the chase of some Dhole by the tigress Archi - to ensure the safety of her cubs.
#wildartworks, #wildlifephotography, #canon, #tiger, #wildlife, #conservationphotography, #indian_wildlifes, #indianwildlifeofficial, #wildlifeonearth, #bbcearth, #natgeowild, #natgeoindia, @awpc.hk, @globalcapture, #maharashtra, #trackingwildlife, #tipeshwar, #Mathani, #MathaniGate, #pantheratigris, #scentmarking, #bengaltiger, #royalbengaltiger, #bigcats, #archi, #architigress, #tipeshwartigers, #tigerchasingwilddogs, #tigerhunt,
Meadow queen of Maregaon
This is about my experience with the Meadow queen of Maregaon in Tipeshwar, also called the “4” Mark tigress because she has a huge “4“ beside her right eye. She is the daughter of the Budha Male and the Pilkhan female born in their litter of 3 in November 2013. Read on.
#wildartworks, #wildlifephotography, #canon, #tiger, #wildlife, #conservationphotography, #indian_wildlifes, #indianwildlifeofficial, #wildlifeonearth, #bbcearth, #natgeowild, #natgeoindia, @awpc.hk, @globalcapture, #maharashtra, #trackingwildlife, #tipeshwar, #Mathani, #MathaniGate, #pantheratigris, #scentmarking, #bengaltiger, #royalbengaltiger, #bigcats, #4MarkTigress, #4mark, #meadowqueenofmaregaon
Two Tigers
Pench National Park, nestled in the heart of India in the lower southern reaches of the Satpura hills, sprawls a massive 758 sq. kms across the states of Madhya Pradesh & Maharashtra. Named after the pristine River Pench it was immortalised by Rudyard Kipling in his Jungle Book. Every year millions make their way here to spot Akela, Baloo, Bagheera and Shere Khan.
Our story revolves around two young male tigers who have made their home in the small hills and well-stocked teak mixed forest of Rukhad. Let’s track and watch the two tigers - from first light to last light - living, patrolling and marking the same territory.
Tigers, like many large mammals, are believed to have a mental map of their territories and they are also extremely territorial so to have two young males patrolling and marking the same territory is not observed very often. The presence of two males in their prime invariably leads to drama and multiple fights till one emerges supreme.
#wildartworks, #wildlifephotography, #penchnationalpark, #pench, #rukhad, #masoonalagate, #canon, #rukhadgate, #kurai, #seoni, #tiger, #jungle, #wild, #forest, #wildlife, #conservationphotography, #indian_wildlifes, #indianwildlifeofficial, #wildlifeonearth, #bbcearth, #natgeowild, #natgeoindia, @awpc.hk, @globalcapture, #madhyapradesh, #trackingwildlife, #tracking, #kingfishermale, #kuraigadmale, #kuraigarhmale, #safari, #nightsafari, #monsoon, #filmingintherain, #pantheratigris, #scentmarking, #bengaltiger, #royalbengaltiger