National Geographic: Land of the Tiger Page #3

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The cubs of the cave-dwelling

tigress have grown.

The two, a male and a female,

are now five months old.

The cave has a commanding view,

and the tigress keeps watch for

possible prey

and for anything that may be

a threat to her cubs.

In late afternoon the tigress sets

off to hunt.

The cubs follow her.

Before she has gone very far

the tigress meets a real danger

to her young,

the resident male tiger.

She calls on all her ferocity to

challenge the much larger animal.

Territorial males, which are

known to kill cubs,

are the main threat

to the young tigers.

After the frightening confrontation,

the female cub seeks reassurance.

The summer heat continues.

Every day it is 105 degrees

or more in the shade.

The few water holes are shrinking.

Animals must travel long distances

to drink.

As in Ranthambhor, there is a constant

threat from the well camouflaged tigers

A white-breasted kingfisher

has taken up residence

and bathes frequently to cool himself.

Langur monkeys spend hours licking salt

and other minerals from the rocks

that surround the pool.

The water hole attracts a multitude

of birds.

Even the shy red junglefowl, the gaudy

ancestor of the domestic chicken,

must leave the protection of

the forest to drink.

A lesser adjutant stork probes

the water hole for fish and frogs.

The checkered keelback snake is

an unwelcome visitor

treated with circumspection

by the other animals.

But the reptile is no threat

to most of them.

It is non-venomous and

a confirmed fish-eater.

The deserted water hole no longer

has any interest for the tiger.

When the oppressive heat

of the day abates,

the barasingha emerge from

the forest to drink.

It is a time too when the tigress

and her cubs leave their cave.

Before she sets out to feed

on the remains of a sambar

she killed two nights ago,

the tigress suckles her young

during an interlude of

extraordinary peace and tenderness.

This morning the tigress did not bring

the cubs to her kill

even though they are old enough

to eat meat for themselves.

Danger in the form of the male tiger

is still near.

When the male approaches,

she hides the remains of her prey,

covering it with leaves.

She will stay with in

until the threat has passed.

Early June is the hottest,

driest time of the year.

The shade temperature rises

to 110 degrees.

Tigers suffer more than most animals

in this heat.

Then one day in mid-June,

as the koel and the brainfever

bird scream for rain,

a cool wind whips up;

the air becomes humid.

The monsoon has finally arrived.

For four days it rains

sometimes lightly, sometimes in torrents.

The temperature drops about 20 degrees

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