| "> | | | | National Park. The air was crisp and fresh on this |
| "Stop! Look - fresh pugmarks." | | | | early winter morning, but also now charged with |
| Karin our naturalist stopped the vehicle and | | | | an incredible buzz and anticipation. My heart was |
| jumped to the ground. Using a twig to outline the | | | | definitely beating faster. |
| pug mark, he announced it was a male tiger cub. | | | | As we turned the next corner, I took a sharp |
| He went on to explain that if the pugmark is | | | | intake of breath. A male tiger cub was awakening |
| square in shape this indicates a male, and had it | | | | from the sandy track - the heavy morning dew |
| been more rectangular in size, a female. This first | | | | coats the forest floor in a wet blanket thus |
| lesson of tracking was eagerly received by Karin's | | | | making it an uncomfortable bed. The tiger was |
| attentive class in the back of the jeep. | | | | awakened not by the sound of our presence, but |
| This was the very beginning of our morning game | | | | the appearance of a group of young chital deer |
| drive with Karen, an expert naturalist with Taj | | | | innocently unaware of the tiger. |
| Safaris, at Mahua Kothi Camp at Bandhavgarh | | | | |