In the intense heat of mid March, we were on a safari in Tala zone when we heard a few spotted deer alarm calls coming from a location named Gopalpur- then suddenly all the voices went silent.

We were certain that it was a subadult tiger- one of the 3cubs of Chakradhara female, sleeping in a shaded area behind some rocks.When we got there, the only thing we could see of the reclining tiger were its dazzling white patches behind its ears.

However, the tiger was soon aroused by a faint Sambar deer alarm call from afar, and instead of leaving his secure place, he tried peering through the bamboo thickets to look for any potential threats. It quickly dipped down and nearly vanished into the trees. It’s amazing how little these animals interact with one another and how sensitive they are to even the slightest noise in their environment.