"Always be attentive and keep track of things around you. Make sure you have cleaned your ears a day before you walk in the jungle. You should give your attention to every bit of sound thats strikes your ear. I repeat every single sound. It could be dried leaves falling from trees but chances are equal that it might be snake lurking down, a splash of water but it might be crocodile splashing in, from a distance it might sound like a monkey approaching but you never know if a rhinoceros emerges out from tall and dense elephant grass.Okay FINE!!, even if it is a rhinoceros don't panic. Stand still, watch properly but if its ears goes backwards (it is ready to charge), look for trees around, if nothing make your exit as soon as possible." says Hom Bahadur Gurung of Radha Krishna Samudayik Ban in Meghauli.
This is his experience summarized in best possible way. What takes me to him is his work. His job description is my passion: walk in the forest, look after animal tracks, see if poachers have placed traps, see if tigers are using community forest, educate community to protect forest and wild life. Hom Dai is one of the Bagh Heralus (Tiger Rangers) of 9 community forests of Meghauli.
As a wildlife enthusiast and precisely that of tropical and subtropical mega faunas it is obvious that Chitwan is my second home. Last week I was in the jungle with Hom Dai. Passing through the bushes and scanning for the tracks. Tiger tracks. It takes a lot of commitment, determination and will to do this every season, every day. Not all days are good days. Sometimes you are chased by rhinos and sometimes by wild elephants and all you have n your defense is a stick. And in worse case if anything happens to you your family will get nothing i.e. no life insurance. In monsoon it rains and when sun comes out its hot, humid and in such times you tend to think why am I here in the forest? Hom Dai and many dedicated tiger rangers of Chitwan know the answer that their efforts are protecting wildlife and forest.
We were at the start of our walk passed the Bhimle Post (Chitwan National Park) and its elephant camp and 10 yards in to the forest and Hom Dai says, "Yi, Sir Bagh ko Panja" (See Sir, its tiger track). It was of a huge male tiger. This tiger is named "Gaida Khauwa" (Rhino Eater) as it has been known to hunt and feed on rhino calves. It is never easy to hunt a rhino calf because it is under very protective and possessive mother. If a tiger has done so then it must be a really big one. 200 meters ahead we reached a Machan constructed by the community forest to view the jungle and wild animals. As we entered deep into the forest it reminded me of wildlife presenters in TV programs.
Deeper in the forest we arrived in a river stream, pure water, lotus, it was early morning stream a poetic display of nature it was. But from a researcher's eye it is a perfect habitat. Water, grass lands and hide outs for creatures. The spot was oozing with life around. Ratuwa Deer, Spotted Dear, Tiger pug marks, Wild Bore marks, were plenty on our way in the forest. We crossed couple of rivulets and again found the pug marks of Gaida Khauwa. It was clear the Radha Krishna Samudayik Ban had one resident male tiger. Community forestry in Nepal has helped regain the degraded habitat around national park and tiger colonizing these area is good indicator that the forest is healthy. Since we started bit late than we planned it was not possible to see the tiger. According to Hom Dai, Gaida Khauwa patrols this territory in the community forest during night as it has zero human entrance and crosses Rapti early in the morning to the national park which is safer during the day time.
The walk in the jungle for me is my class room and people like Hom Dai are my professors. My class went on for four hours in the field. Learning to see tracks, identifying the animal and repeating the same thing. I was never tired, always scanning the ground for marks. For four hours I forget that a different world exists outside. I would have spent my whole day doing the same thing because I know am ready to spent my entire life doing the same thing.
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