Nagarahole Tiger Reserve Day-5
Our day of safaris began early with a misty morning. We had heard from another jeep about a tiger sighting nearby. Our driver suggested we check the surrounding areas before venturing deeper into the park. After exploring a few tracks with no success, we returned to the spot where we expected the tiger to cross. By the time we arrived, several other jeeps were already parked, all waiting quietly. After a while, the tiger, another tigress, suddenly emerged from the undergrowth. She walked towards us, crossed the road calmly, and then disappeared into the forest on the other side.
We waited a bit longer to see if she might reappear, but when she didn’t, we decided to move on. Heading to another spot where we could hear alarm calls coming from the bushes. A caretaker at the park’s rest house had recently reported seeing the elusive Black Leopard in this area, know locally called Blackie. We waited there for some time, carefully checking the tracks, but neither the leopard nor the tigress showed themselves. As the morning drew to a close, it was time to head back to the gate. On our way out we spotted a number of woodpeckers including a pair of White-bellied Woodpeckers busy at work, pecking a hole into a tree trunk—a nice sight to end the morning with..
After breakfast and a rest, we had a close view of Smooth-coated Otters resting on the banks of the river, right in front of our rooms at the lodge.
In the afternoon, we headed back into the reserve, this time exploring Zone A. We had some good sightings, of River Terns, Yellow-footed and Green Imperial Pigeons, a Coppersmith Barbet, and a Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Across the lake we spotted a herd of elephants, but they were too far away for any photographs. Along another track, we saw Giant Squirrels and both Stripe-necked and Ruddy Mongooses before we left Zone A and drove over to Zone B. Unfortunately, Zone B turned out to be very quiet apart from spotting yet more woodpeckers.
Just as we began driving back towards the gate, we spotted a Sloth Bear emerging from the forest. It came right out in front of our jeep, offering us a spectacular, close-up view before it crossed the road and vanished into the trees. Continuing our drive towards the gate, we had one last surprise—a pack of Wild Dogs blocking our way. There were four adults and five puppies, giving us a fantastic view at the end the day. After enjoying this final sighting, we made our way out of the park and returned to the lodge. Once back, we had time to freshen up before gathering for dinner, reflecting on the day’s sightings.