Always dreamed to see 3-4 cubs together with mother. Always had the nightmare of being growled at and charged by a tiger in a dense jungle. Both got true at the same time last week at Pilibhit!
Very late in evening, almost dark, as we were about to exit the gate, I saw 4 small animals criss crossing the pathway ahead. From far one could have mistaken them for dogs too - but one knows when its a tiger! And it was! 4 cubs and a mother who had been secretly protecting them for long (as informed by forest dept later) - she would have never thought that we humans would bump into her family so late in the evening.
Could not get a great picture of all 4 cubs together (have a record shot only), but what happened next was hair-raising! As the mother stood in front of her cubs protecting them, I stood up and pointed my big lens at them. She felt threatened and then mock charged at us (I hope it was a “mock” only!) and let out a growl so loud and menacing that the whole jungle must have trembled - my co-passengers certainly did and dropped their mobiles with which they were shooting!
Then what happened was even more amazing. One of the cubs came out (they had hid in the bushes) and stood by his mother as she continued growling at us while sitting down now. And then in am amazing display of love and affection the cub cuddled against his mother, either saying “Calm down mother!”…or “Thank you for protecting us from these humans!”.
