Crouching human, hidden tiger
We were so excited, we could burst - after 3 super relaxing nights in Sauraha the day had finally come for our 3 day jungle hike. After stocking up on some bakery goods, we crossed the Rapi River on a dugout canoe. It was just the two of us and Mayaram and his 19 year old son Nariam (spelling?).
Once we were in the park, Mayaram gave his now famous briefing - "The animals are not so dangerous - a tiger will never attack you. Rhinos and bears are a little bit more dangerous. If a rhino comes for you, you climb in a tree or stand behind a big tree. If there is no tree, or if a bear comes after you, we do not panic because we have sticks. We fight them." It was precious!
We had just started walking when Nariam said "I smell a tiger". We first thought he was joking, but a few meters further we found fresh tiger prints and fresh urine and dung from earlier that morning. Once you know what a tiger smells like, it is quite easy to pick up - it is a very distinctive smell and we were confronted with this smell many times during the following days. They always found most of the animals by just smelling and listening! Johan was outstandingly good at this - he could smell tiger (and even distinguish between tiger and bear) even before the guides would! Janine on the other hand was practically useless at smelling.
Most of the park consists of either grasslands, riverine forest or the tall trees of the sal forest. The days were spent walking, smelling and listening and waiting at specific spots. We spend the nights in remote villages outside the park as visitors are not allowed to overnight in the park. These nights with Mayaram and Nariam and the locals we were staying with were fantastic socializing times for us - precious memories we will never forget.
Early in the mornings with the mist still heavy all around, we would be back in the jungle. Often we would see bear tracks over our tracks or fresh tiger prints, but we were unfortunately not lucky enough to see either of these. The vegetation in the park is so dense at this time of the year that it is hardly the most ideal time to go searching. We did, however, see many species of monkey, many wild boars, many rhinos and spotted deer and barking deer.
Once Mayaram heard some rhinos about 100m away in the deep bush and we pressed closer through the undergrowth to get a better view. He instructed us to get high into a tree and then left to call the rhinos closer. His strategy worked very well. It actually almost worked too well. The rhinos were furious, more furious than anything we have ever seen! They made loud echoing warning noises (which sounded like a jack hammer) and stormed through the bush to right under our trees.
Their eyesight is poor, but their sense of smell is excellent. They stopped about 10m from Johan's low and dead tree and then turned around and ran straight for our bags at the bottom of Janine's tree - one sniff and their unhappiness echoed through the forest before they sped off again.
Janine really enjoyed this episode from her position of safety high up in a good solid tree (Mayaram was, incidentally, quite impressed with Janine's tree climbing skills) while Johan was severely shaken! His tree was much lower and exposed and the rhinos less than 1m below him. They were also much bigger than the ones we have previously seen!
The following 15 minutes was nerve-wrecking for Johan as we tried to find a way back to the main road. He was convinced that the rhinos would return with avengeance!
We eventually extended our 3 day jungle walk to 4 days. It was one of the most amazing experiences of our lives - we also saw a few friendlier rhinos in the footpath and countless parakeets.
We are sure we will be back...
Once we were in the park, Mayaram gave his now famous briefing - "The animals are not so dangerous - a tiger will never attack you. Rhinos and bears are a little bit more dangerous. If a rhino comes for you, you climb in a tree or stand behind a big tree. If there is no tree, or if a bear comes after you, we do not panic because we have sticks. We fight them." It was precious!
We had just started walking when Nariam said "I smell a tiger". We first thought he was joking, but a few meters further we found fresh tiger prints and fresh urine and dung from earlier that morning. Once you know what a tiger smells like, it is quite easy to pick up - it is a very distinctive smell and we were confronted with this smell many times during the following days. They always found most of the animals by just smelling and listening! Johan was outstandingly good at this - he could smell tiger (and even distinguish between tiger and bear) even before the guides would! Janine on the other hand was practically useless at smelling.
Most of the park consists of either grasslands, riverine forest or the tall trees of the sal forest. The days were spent walking, smelling and listening and waiting at specific spots. We spend the nights in remote villages outside the park as visitors are not allowed to overnight in the park. These nights with Mayaram and Nariam and the locals we were staying with were fantastic socializing times for us - precious memories we will never forget.
Early in the mornings with the mist still heavy all around, we would be back in the jungle. Often we would see bear tracks over our tracks or fresh tiger prints, but we were unfortunately not lucky enough to see either of these. The vegetation in the park is so dense at this time of the year that it is hardly the most ideal time to go searching. We did, however, see many species of monkey, many wild boars, many rhinos and spotted deer and barking deer.
Once Mayaram heard some rhinos about 100m away in the deep bush and we pressed closer through the undergrowth to get a better view. He instructed us to get high into a tree and then left to call the rhinos closer. His strategy worked very well. It actually almost worked too well. The rhinos were furious, more furious than anything we have ever seen! They made loud echoing warning noises (which sounded like a jack hammer) and stormed through the bush to right under our trees.
Their eyesight is poor, but their sense of smell is excellent. They stopped about 10m from Johan's low and dead tree and then turned around and ran straight for our bags at the bottom of Janine's tree - one sniff and their unhappiness echoed through the forest before they sped off again.
Janine really enjoyed this episode from her position of safety high up in a good solid tree (Mayaram was, incidentally, quite impressed with Janine's tree climbing skills) while Johan was severely shaken! His tree was much lower and exposed and the rhinos less than 1m below him. They were also much bigger than the ones we have previously seen!
The following 15 minutes was nerve-wrecking for Johan as we tried to find a way back to the main road. He was convinced that the rhinos would return with avengeance!
We eventually extended our 3 day jungle walk to 4 days. It was one of the most amazing experiences of our lives - we also saw a few friendlier rhinos in the footpath and countless parakeets.
We are sure we will be back...
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