Stripes in the Mist: A Hunt Remembered
Updated: Jul 13
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is to witness Parwali (the renowned tigress of Dhikala zone) chase a spotted deer in the Ramganga riverbed. It was an incredibly lucky break for us.
Even though it was our third day at the Corbett, we were just as excited about the day ahead as if it were our first. Around seven in the morning, we set out for the Sambar Road in the renowned Dhikala zone of Jim Corbett National Park.
As you soak in the fresh air, you hear countless calls of nature... birds' tweets, the sway of trees to & fro, whistling wind, screech & scream of langurs, elephant's trumpet, and bees buzzing around...
Despite being fairly overcast while we drove early, our guide, adding to his experience swiftly, spotted a tiger near the sambar pathway a few minutes after we embarked on safari. Tiptoeing at the edge of Ramganga, this tigress walked below into the bushes alongside our trail. Looking through the bushes as much as possible, we finally got a peek at her. Reliving by her presence, we planned on waiting for this big cat until she gets back on track. It was almost 9:30 am, and we had waited for approximately 2 hours. At a distance, we noticed a chital approaching the very location where this tigress commenced walking.
As this chital walked closer and closer, our hearts pounded as we sensed & hoped to witness some activity. This deer was completely unaware of the tigress residing in the ambush at a slope next to our safari jeep, and it kept walking towards her. Little did the deer know that a predator was silently stalking it from the shadows. This deer senses some risk and jumps off the other side of the river. Parwali had been watching the deer for some time, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It sprang from the bushes, swam through the river slowly, and stalked the chital. It's powerful muscles propelled it at breakneck speed toward the deer. The deer fled in fear, but the tigress was equally quick. It quickly bridged the gap. Within seconds, the deer, followed by the tigress, jumped into the river in complete panic. The deer managed to keep the gap open and eventually ran away, disappearing in the dense fog. The tigress sat down and kept looking in the same direction where the deer disappeared. It was heartening to see an unsuccessful hunt attempt by this young tigress.
The thrill of the chase was incredible, and I felt like I was living in a scene straight out of an adventure movie.
Reading “Stripes in the Mist” took me back to a chilly October morning two years ago when my brother and I set out for a sunrise hike in the Blue Ridge. The fog clung to the trees like a living veil, and the trail was barely visible until the first rays of light pierced the haze, turning everything a muted silver. We were chasing a rare bird that season—its plumage a striking banded pattern that seemed to disappear and reappear with each gust of wind https://www.esafety.gov.au/ When we finally caught sight of it, perched on a low branch, the moment felt almost mythic, as if the mist itself was protecting a secret. The way you described the fleeting stripes and…
Your vivid description of the chase through foggy woods instantly took me back to the night my brother and I tried tracking a lone fox on our family’s farm when we were twelve. The air was thick with mist, the kind that clung to every branch and muffled our footsteps, making each rustle feel like a secret. We followed a faint trail of broken twigs and the occasional scent of pine, our lanterns casting wavering circles on the ground https://www.lifeline.org.au/ When the fox finally darted across the clearing, its sleek, striped coat flashing like a ghost, we froze, breath caught, hearts pounding in unison. The thrill of the pursuit, the hush of the forest, and the fleeting glimpse of that…
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