Let me tell you a story from Ranthambhore tiger reserve about 6 wild animals – a mama Sloth bear with two babies on her back, a pair of mating tigers and an ape with a camera (me). It’s an old story from almost a decade ago. Pardon the poor quality of pictures. Read on. 
I had heard that there was a mating pair of tigers in an area called Kala Paani and we went there hoping to get pictures of mating tigers. I had heard that there was a mating pair of tigers in an area called Kala Paani. We did find a male tiger Ustaad and female called Noor.
After a short wait we saw a mother bear with two young ones on her back – this is how they transport them over long distances. The curious cubs were playing with each other while the mother started walking in the towards the tigers. We thought that the bear was in serious danger.
Soon the tigress got up and started stalking towards the bear and the bear still did not realize what was going on. I could hear two voices in my head – one telling me that the bear is going to die and the other telling me to keep calm and stay steady. Easier said than done.
The mother bear got the scent of tigers. She raised her head and saw the approaching tigress. She called out to the babies and they instantly buried their pale snout in themother's fur. Then she charged at the tigress. CHARGED AT A FULL-GROWN TIGRESS. Raw Courage.
I did not expect that and neither did the tigress. Big Cats like tigers have no real competition in the wild and they are not used to other animals charging at them. The tigress decided to retreat, hoping that the bear would just go. This was definitely not supposed to be.
When the tigress realized that the bear is not going to let her get away from what was now a messy situation for the tigress, she decided to confront the aggressive mama. She turned to face a very angry bear that was by now standing on her rear legs with the babies clinging on.
The bear then went down on all four legs and bowed her head low challenging the tigress – a sign of extreme agitation. If you are on foot in the wild and you see a tiger or a bear doing this – you have very little time left on this planet. Take my word for it. Don’t try it.
The tigress realized that she had bitten off more than she could chew. FIGHT OR FLIGHT. After few tense moments the tigress decided that flight was a better option. She turned around and bolted. BOLTED – THE TIGRESS BOLTED. ONE DOWN. No one had ever told me that this could happen
All this while Ustaad, the male tiger, was watching his team loose. I think this was too much for the king of the jungle’s ego and he decided to get involved. The moment Ustaad got involved the bear got up on her real legs and started swinging arms while screaming.
Come on – male tigers approach any animal in Indian jungles and that animal runs – that is how it was supposed to be. The bear was not supposed to fight back so aggressively. CHEATING. The male decided to retreat too. TWO DOWN
Score as yet – Bear 2 / Tiger 0. And a very unsteady ape was trying to document it all. Once the bear realized that both the tigers had chickened out she walked off towards the direction that she had come from…….
………leaving behind two very sheepish big cats. King and Queen of that part of the jungle got nearly decimated by a mother bear with two small babies on her back. It does not get more inspiring than this. Moral of the story – NEVER EVER UNDERESTIMATE A MOTHER.
Pardon my grammar, spelling etc. My English and Photography teachers must be turning in their graves. Me needs 'reading glasses' which me never carries. So me can't often read what me punches in with me big thumbs. 🙂🙏🙏🙏🙏
