Meeting the Tigress P-2 of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve

The tigress P-2 or the "Pandharpavni", as called popularly, is the most photographed celebrity feline of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve these days. She is the progeny of famous Pandharpavni tigress which died of a suspected snake bite in October 2012. The Pandharpavni area in the TATR is famous for its pond and the adjacent some thirty five acres of open grassland which offers many opportunities to shutterbugs for photographing beautiful wild life and avian, especially the Green Bee Eaters (Merops Orientalis) which abound in this area.
I was lucky to spot the P-2 on fifth December 2013 early morning. At Jamni road quadrangle my guide spotted fresh pug marks of a female tiger . The pug mark pattern revealed tigress's movement towards Jamun Bodi road. We also followed the  route and saw some jeeps standstill on the road at about hundred meters from us. Anticipating some action we sped to find four jeeps stopped in the road their engines shut off. A tourist, in the jeep in front of us, pointed to the left and there I saw the P-2 walking leisurely in the fire line parallel to the jeeps standing  in the road. After a minute or so she turned to the right stepping on the main road and started walking ahead in front of the first jeep.

 

She continued her walk for about two -three minutes casting some occasional glances to her left and right and then veered to left in a grass land patch which merged with bushes some five hundred meters ahead. There she stopped for a while looking back as if saying - Oh you tourists . Why are you pursuing me? Why don't you leave me alone?

By this time the P-2 was hungry perhaps. Camouflaged in the tall dry grass she started stalking her prey.

 There was lot of excitement in the air. We all waited for the next. The tigress didn't disappoint us. All of a     sudden we heard a "Whoosh", the sharp rustling sound made by the charging rush of the tigress in the tall dry grass, and then the cry of a fawn . It was the death cry and most pathetic. The P-2 had made a kill.

The tourists in the jeeps, about ten vehicles by this time, kept waiting there on the road for quite some time hoping that the tigress may emerge from the grass cover with her kill. But that didn't happen. Then the jeeps made a bee line for the Panchdhara area anticipating to find the tigress somewhere there around the stream for a drink after having finished her breakfast, but the tigress didn't oblige. We also waited there up to 9.30 a.m . and then moved towards Tadoba Lake.

I was lucky again to meet the P-2 next day, the sixth of December 2013, also. I was on the last leg of my afternoon safari near Tadoba lake when the guide suggested a drive on Tadoba- Pandharpavni road. We hardly had driven about three hundred yards when we saw the P-2 on our right side walking in the fire line area.

From the fire line she entered the wooded area helping her with mouthful of grass shoots to keep her digestion in order.

 By this time  jungle sentries, the Langurs, had seen her movement . They let out an  alarm call and soon the Spotted Deers also joined them . For a moment the P-2 also looked to the direction of incoming alarm calls and then with out showing any interest moved deep in the jungle.

                                                                            

The P-2 is a magnificent creature.Watching her for two days was a sheer joy.

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