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Permalink Reply by John Hackney on
A very interesting topic so thought I might add some of my experiences on the subject ...unfortunately I am not an expert on UK wildlife as until recently have lived abroad for most of my life. However during my travels I have been lucky enough to be able to explore the jungles of Northern India on foot and thus pursue my interest in tigers. The place I stay is very close to where the author and conservationist JIm Corbett used to live at Choti Haldwani,Kaladhungi. The area here still has good forest and jungle and as it is outside a National Park one is allowed to walk around on foot. Certainly there is more general disturbance than in a park but the bonus is the freedom instead .Most wildlife movement is at night but if one knows where to look its surprising what can be seen in daylight hours especially early mornings and evenings. Incidentally in these jungles there are tiger, elephant, leopard, chital and sambhar deer, barking deer, wild boar, ghooral,porcupine etc plus lots of birds.Incidentally if anyone is wondering about how safe it is wander around alone in an area where tiger and elephant live, local villagers do this all the time, and as long as you know certain safety rules and what to do in an emergency there shouldnt be any problem.
To try and get pictures of tiger and other wildlife at night I have recently been using a scoutguard trailcam.However as far as tracking goes the best time is early morning especially for tiger.At night,these 'big cats', apart from hunting,tend to be very active patrolling and 'marking' their territory.The size of territory used by a tiger varies considerably and females have a smaller area.Because of this signs of tigress's are more frequent to those of the male- some exceptions being when mating or if there is a fresh 'kill'.
Anyway I wanted to mention something about tiger tracks as over the last 20 years have been trying to learn more on the subject although to be honest I still get confused ! Firstly most experts try to identify a particular tiger by looking at and measuring the rear 'pugmarks' of an individual animal.In my experience the rear pugmarks of a full size male tiger will measure around 10cm across the pads, 12+ cms across the toes with a realy big tiger going up to 13+ cms across rear toes, while a tigress will be 8.5 to 9cms across rear pad and 10.5 to 11cm across rear toes.These are measurements taken on fine sand or dust as, in soft sand or mud, tracks will appear much larger.Apart from the size its possible to identify a tiger from a tigress by looking at the shape of the pugmarks.The front and rear footprints of a tiger will have roughly the same general shape although the front paws will appear a little larger. However in the case of a tigress the rear pugmarks are more elongated than the front pugmarks( this is sometimes so marked that it can almost seem that two diffferent animals have been present) and the middle rear toes tend 'stick out' slightly - in the case of a big, old tigress this length of toe can be very pronounced.....mind you having said all that I often have great trouble trying to 'sort out' the identity of a particular animal- on my last trip to India there was a large tigress, a medium size tiger and a young subadult all with similar sized pugmarks - confusing was hardly the word !! Eventually I caught the young male on the trailcam which helped sort out the problem.,
For years I was confused about how to identify the tracks of a large dog from those of a leopard.The pugmarks of all the big cats have a pad that is much larger than its toes, while with a dog the sizes are much closer though in practice thisw is not so obvious....However a much easier way to identify any of the big cats is by looking at the rear of the pads where there are 3 distinct rings.Attached is a photo of a tiger pugmark which, I hope, shows what I mean.
I have also attached a picture of a tiger 'scrape mark' which is one of the ways tigers and leopard 'mark' territory (along with 'scent marking' and scratches on trees). This is a particularly good photo as it also shows two pawprints as well !
Anyway I hope these notes are of interest. John.
TIGER SCRAPE MARK and PUGMARKS
ABOVE-TIGER PUGMARK -if you look carefully you can see the '3 rings' at the back of the pad.
Permalink Reply by Ron Bury on 
Permalink Reply by James Amos on Very interesting John!
It sounds like you have Tiger tracking down to a fine art. Do you work with wildlife or is this purely for pleasure?
James.
Permalink Reply by John Hackney on Very interesting John!
It sounds like you have Tiger tracking down to a fine art. Do you work with wildlife or is this purely for pleasure?
James.
Hi James,
Thanks for reply.I have been interested in tigers since I was a child and read Jim Corbetts books, so when I got the chance in the 1970's to travel to India I headed up to where he used to live and later, when time and money allowed, started to spend time there.(Incidentally Corbett's book 'Jungle Lore'' is of particular interest as far as tracking goes...).
I dont actually work with any particular wildlife group but have close contacts with some of them.Over the years I have tried to help with wildlife conservation in North India by exchanging information and contacts and in particular have tried to promote interest in the area where I stay (Kalahhungi -30kms east of Corbett Park), and the area east of Haldwani through the Nandhoor Valley and up to the Sharda/Mahakali river on the border of Nepal.Sorry ! You will need to get out a map for more detail, but just follow the edge of the Himalayan Foothills from Haldwani in the west to Tanakpur in the east on the Nepal border.
Fortunately there is now some interest in this region though progress is slow.The trouble is that wildlife conservation in India is usually at odds with other organisations who have their own agenda....The result is that projects get blocked and polititians tend to side with those who are of most use to them.Add the systemic corruption in that country and wide spread poaching of the 'big cats' and I think you will get the picture !! Anyway one has to keep trying and besides being able to explore the jungle on foot is a bonus not to be missed...
John.
Permalink Reply by John Hackney on Hi John.
This is very interesting to me as I read most if not all of Jim Corbett's books which were in my school library. That was a long time ago and I don't have copies of them these days. You might have inspired me to see if I can find some of them again.
I survey and study Red Squirrels and other mammals in the Glen Affric forests in Scotland where finding prints is difficult other than in snow, but there are plenty of other signs.
Thanks for an interesting read.
RonHi Ron,Thanks for reply. The forests of Scotland sound pretty interesting as where I live in Kent is rather limited as far as wildlife goes.I do have a trailcamera out in a local 'Country Park' but apart from foxes, badgers and the odd muntjac its hardly on the par for Scotland or India for that matter ! 'If you reread Corbetts books you might be interested to know that where I stay is only half a mile north of Corbetts old house(now a museum) at Choti Haldwani, Kaladhungi.The camp (Camp Corbett) is right at the edge of the Himalayan Foothills and next to the Nainital road.The Kaladhungi canal and Boar river are just below the camp to the west.If you look the area up on 'google earth'' it may give you a better idea.Despite a road being next to the camp and villagers in the jungles during the day there is still a surprising amount of wildlife about especially at night as can be seen by fresh tracks found early mornings.Tigers pass 100yards across the road at night and occasionally through the camp as do Elephant,while Chital and Barking Deer hide around the orchard, both day and night .Below are a couple of photos of the area which I thought might interest you. John.WILD BOAR AT NIGHT EAST OF CAMP FROM BASE OF TREEBOAR RIVER AFTER MONSOON 5 MINS NORTH OF CAMP OPP OLD CANAL
Permalink Reply by John Hackney on Permalink Reply by John Hackney on Thought this might perhaps be of interest to those on this forum...A few years ago while staying in N.India and while out walking, I found where a tiger had killed a Sambhar Deer.After checking that the tiger was not around (though one can never be realy sure) I followed the 'drag marks' across a dry streambed(part of Gothniagad valley) and into dense undergrowth.I did this very carefully as I was on my own and did not want to be confronted by an angry tiger-I have been growled at by unseen tigers at close range before and, believe me, it is a pretty terrifying experience.Incidentally following up drag marks made by 'big cats' is not something to be undertaken lightly unless one has considerable experience in the jungle and know what to do in an emergency...in particular, if following up 'kills' in heavy underegrowth, one should deliberately make some noise to warn any animal of your presence . That way you should avoid a charge although you will still probably be growled should a tiger be present !
Anyway in this instance the tiger was not around and in the undergrowth I found where Tiger had 'plucked' part of the Sambhar and then had a meal leaving a few a bones, and a little further on what was left of the rest the deer- parts of the legs and a few bones plus an area of flattened undergrowth.Evidently the Tiger had eaten out the carcass and moved away a day or two earlier.The area was near , Kaladhungi, Uttarkhand not far from the Corbett Park, North India.Incidentally its very difficult to find these 'kills' and in dense undergrowth one has to be lucky or observe the movements of other animals and birds. I came back later with a camera and took a video which is below. The quality is so so as is up on youtube. However I hope it gives an idea of what 'drag marks' are like and how a tiger behaves in those circumstances. John.
Permalink Reply by John Hackney on Thought this might perhaps be of interest to those on this forum...A few years ago while staying in N.India and while out walking, I found where a tiger had killed a Sambhar Deer.After checking that the tiger was not around (though one can never be realy sure) I followed the 'drag marks' across a dry streambed(part of Gothniagad valley) and into dense undergrowth.I did this very carefully as I was on my own and did not want to be confronted by an angry tiger-I have been growled at by unseen tigers at close range before and, believe me, it is a pretty terrifying experience.Incidentally following up drag marks made by 'big cats' is not something to be undertaken lightly unless one has considerable experience in the jungle and know what to do in an emergency...in particular, if following up 'kills' in heavy underegrowth, one should deliberately make some noise to warn any animal of your presence . That way you should avoid a charge although you will still probably be growled should a tiger be present !
Anyway in this instance the tiger was not around and in the undergrowth I found where Tiger had 'plucked' part of the Sambhar and then had a meal leaving a few a bones, and a little further on what was left of the rest the deer- parts of the legs and a few bones plus an area of flattened undergrowth.Evidently the Tiger had eaten out the carcass and moved away a day or two earlier.The area was near , Kaladhungi, Uttarkhand not far from the Corbett Park, North India.Incidentally its very difficult to find these 'kills' and in dense undergrowth one has to be lucky or observe the movements of other animals and birds. I came back later with a camera and took a video which is below. The quality is so so as is up on youtube. However I hope it gives an idea of what 'drag marks' are like and how a tiger behaves in those circumstances. John.
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