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12/24/1980 - Tigers in Nepal, and Elsewhere (II) by William E. Knowland

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS WEK Tigers Nepal Elsewhere II Jalan Midah Besar Taman Midah Kuala L umpur December Mr Peter B Martin Executive Director Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire 03755 USA Dear Mr Martin We tiger previous night though tried See WEK The still however bright promise second Nepal Royal Chitwan National Park Breakfast welcome packing chore I sitting native canoe probably Indian cotton trees Bombax ceiba prevalent along river shore Our canoe quickly caught current Naryani When first boarded rubber about forty miles upstream three mornings before river Trisuli The Trisuli originates Tibet Nepal norther border Like Asian streets rivers Nepal often change names reach intersection The Trisuli become Naryani confluence Gandaki Farther along after crossed India Naryani would become Gandak eventually Ganges Morning mists sometimes briefly obscuring shore surface river Almost third Nepal freshwater rolling under canoe Some recently deposited twenty twenty thousand above level Himalayan peaks If Himalayas world Naani noble gutters Here little hundred miles downmountain those peaks gravity already pulled Himalayan waters above level Inertia momentum would supplement gravity final hundred miles No wonder flight Calcutta Kathmandu appeared above pancake packed villages turning mouldy green unsettled edges There right A Sambal Cervus unicolor So large sturdy could almost American William Knowland Forest Man Fellow Institute Current World Affairs Although based Malaysia recently brief visit Nepal With dignity retreated steps shore disappeared among bushes Overhead black white phantom glided silently shore His white wings steady The black trailing marked stork The wings flapped braked descended He stood proudly parallel spread wings again lifted himself several hundred yards farther downstream The sequence repeated itself twice before finally unintentioned chase heading upstrea A flash brown There grass opening A eacock peafowl Pavo crisatus His erect turned follow progress paddled Over above other shore again More white wings These instantly familiar They small cattle egrets Bubulcus ibi__s recent decades spread tropical Asia Africa toLatin America there colonizing United States north Canada There sailing scattered trees grassland angling river The scattered trees openness below flying egrets almost startling The contrast between right shores marked difference between worlds On outheast point Royal Chitwan National Park On right belonging small herds cattle people The river Park boundary there Two decades would identical banks river The people living terai small aboriginal group known Tharus It fertile river valley wouldn attractive others there barriers First there virulent malaria endemic valley marshes Over centuries Tharus apparently developed genetic resistance strain disease Or least their survivors For large valley Chitwan there administrative barrier The reserved hunting ground royal Rana family The Ranas overturned Also during 1950s major internationally supported effort eradicate malaria region It successful program With barriers removed population pressure deteriorating economic productivity hills unloosed floodtide human Valley In effect following their eroded soils mountain Slopes Within decade northern portion square Chitwan Vmlley heavil settled thirds forests grassland cleared agriculture The lower portion Chitwan declared preserve great Indian horned rhinoceros Then square miles aside national This increased present square miles years later Along Definitely crocodile The binoculars confirmed gharial eating crocodile Gavialis gangeticus__ A gharial snout extremely narrow elongated One easily imagine slicing quickly through water We lucky There perhaps gharials world Enough mists still rising river place enough forlorn wonder whether prehistoric creature guardian evolutionary Warp perhaps harbinger Lost valley which being swept The river slowing broad flats began protrude shores It looked another major stream would coming around corner But wouldn On shore Land Rovers We current carry shore As approached vehiles revved their motors moved several hundred meters point moment splashing ankles transfer Rovers front The engine lurch first bumps obvious human senses involved longer floating along smooth waterway It modern iorted transport trying natural rrain There sorts obviously under stress recent rainfall The surface pavement varied various consistencies frequently several inches water standing We traveled river through grass somewhat better roadway young stands forest Shorea robusta The driver slowed neared series ponds Through openings grass between water hoping medium sized marsh mugger crocodile o4xlus palustris sitting The mugger other crocodile Valley It things besides whenever We started moving again again slowly Partly Qn account The driver doing I complaining Partly hopes wildlife As entered another patch brake small appear amidst trees These chital spotted Axis The common subcontinent And favourite leopards tigers The chital beautiful animals perhaps beautiful world Once stopped stopped least hesitated Several fawns adults stood middle brief seconds They right pedestrians everywhere their right They moved seemingly slowly disappearing quickly among trees other Their camouflage spots wonders dappled light We passed cluster houses homes personnel Then glimpse elephant straw fodder human rider turned corner buildings Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge A guides there greet inviting dining coffee briefing schedule But caught opposite direction The morning mists beating warmly through clear From front Lodge vista magnificient There miles grass marsh gentle ridges Mahabharat range which rafting canoeing through three But dreamlike infinity above beyond horizon Himalayan massif jutted third Huge peaks Ganesh Himal Himalchu Manaslu All covered A little farther would famous climbing destinations Annapurna Dhaulagiri Everest hundred miles covered peaks Standing there tropical shade banana believe could close Only sixty eighty miles eagle flies Before lunch there nearby woods Wangdi staff naturalists downriver It morning birds moving plants trees enough examine Giant spiders their small termite mounds columns marching across trail merited close scrutiny We headed towards baiting lodge although Wangdi tmention destination until It In almost streambed running within sight blind which perched small finally recent tiger crisp tracks moist Large Wangdi pulled pocket measure Thirteen centimeters Probably early morning This regular route Wangdi surprised But neither around longer necessary It return lunch anyway After consuming north subcontinent curries lentil I fended drowsiness business A friend wanted learn firewood jungle lodge staff study energy Nepal We already nearby woodpile quite impressive But before poking around kitchen wanted check manager The manager Tiger Tops I wanted Charles MacDouga11 A nights before Kathmandu I through T_h_e Face Tiger It highly readable illustrated account tigers Chitwan based research MacDougall others conducted there previous decade He being cornered We talked tigers firewood The topics disparate might thought since concern people region One interesting connection between concerns grass In order maintain grasslands Chitwan elephant grasses afire spring before beginning rainy season The flames seedlings trees might quickly convert grassland forest clear grass fresh wildlife nourishing shoots emerge The ecological implications burning fully understood maintain prime habitat rhinoceros other The annual burning practiced people region several hundred years least For several weeks before grass fired neighboringpeople outside permitted enter remove carry The elephant grsss essential constructing repairing traditional houses terai When Chitwan first gazetted wildlife reserve people living region mainly resentful desired settlement least grazing their cattle Encroachment illegal grazing along poaching But decision allow people enter grass seems happy Population pressures people cattle around grass found almost nowhere eiseo The people might still prefer graze their cattle there Iso recognize leaving parkland ungrazed indeed pr6vide important benefit today respectful boundaries By finished measurements interviews kitchen troupe monkeys moving through Lodge large surrounding trees there before afternoon elephant safsri I forty elephant myself Jst mahout The phanit driver In India I believe driver would called The mahout ssfsri master He hangs flank elephant standing occasionally giving shsrp whistle waving direct p_hanits Riding elephant seems described being astride horizontally bouncing stick You settle rhythm strides Not worse Land Rover actually Slower maybe quieter capable going through water grass river banks would mechanical craft short perhaps including hovercraft For hours woods through savannah marsh across river under shower clouds rainbow setting moved across landscape The scenery impressive enough mountains disappeared behind grass Can really complain about wildlife either There And rhinoceros The first rhino miniature silhouette trotting through grass The other asleep watery wallow Asleep perhaps frozen stiff surrounded dozen elephants their human riders He budge He blinked couple times budge So I couldn really complain about wildlife Yet I realiy hoping might tiger Tiger Tops Or least leopard I decided register informal complaint headmistress Lodge I tendered after touching ground mounting elephant Probably having heard similar laints other hopeful visitors levelled You really expect broad daylight Her Majesty humbling accent I mumbled something about daylight would least picture taking easier quickly retreated The setting I uncramped wandering fetch before wandering upstairs shower Bless management solar water heaters several years amenities enjoyed clear nscience scarce petroleum laboriously gathered firewood I unbuttoning shirt It actually centered middle between sleeping lodge dining lodge I forgotten about completely before third I remembered anyone interested assemble because tiger leopard blinds nearby It blind nearest leopard That little minute Same drill night before No talking tiptoeing blind There plenty light leopard beautiful From yards slooked larger I maybe happens remove S feeding Occasona there listen around seemed oblivious presence After perhaps twenty minutes watching getting uitoes neighbour seemed presence leopard Time tiptoe again Not quite tiger entire worth after The headmistress around congratulations expression gratit So another shower Solar energy works after I buttoning shirt again I still tucking jumped headed distant blind Five minutes jeeptrack night stopped From there would another minutes It should tiger Here hoping rhino anything Nepali night would scare This trail mostly uphill No streams cross Soon enough there blind Shoes practically levitated hundred yards At place inside blind I lifted binoculars ready position awaited spotlight On And there twice light She looked direction blinked leaned dinner She still fifty yards mostly hidden shadow But turned I could through binoculars rubber plastic collar That would contain radio transmitter And meant Chuchchi Chuchchi Pointed Toes I recall correctly Charles MacDougall least years She reputation cautious tigers For least years refused touch staked baits distinctive tracks blinds Apparently frequently passed right beside calves anything couldn heavy cover choosing given tightly tethered bullock baits But tonight indication becoming daring As blind returned shoes I tried exhilarated emotions There something magnificent about seeing large mammal especially carnivores And especilly I grizzly bears close before wolves They mpressive particularly close range But I recalled remark Penny Dewar seasoned observer mountain lions Vanco Island Everytime amazing mountain lions I believe creature actually exists That feeling I Perhaps attraction carnivores which I people share rooted fascination natLre combines deadly cunning violence regular killing beauty In perspective underlying ruthlessness species terrifying Or contrary perhaps recognition carnivore killing limited meeting genuine needs Violence everywhere natural world almost nowhere senseless excess Can species relearn lesson probably hopefully lived I fondled African someday should I Africa I their cousins And cheetahs And perhaps Central South America I II fortunate Gary Hartshorn jaguar GSH Butin night Nepal I leopard tiger That match Up those Himalayan hills however ultimate mystical leapard iFelis uncia Never handful people Those peaks almost close enough touch least morning Someday Sincerely William Received Hanover