It has been my dream to spot a male tiger since I started my Wildlife and Jungle Safari adventures back in the day. I have been to Jim Corbett countless times in the last 10 years and taken numerous Jhirna Zone Safari packages simply in the hope of spotting a male tiger from various platforms. I have seen female tigers many times during many of these safari experiences, so this time I was adamant about seeing a male one no matter what.
In the hope of that, I planned a Safari Adventure trip to the Jhirna Zone of the Corbett National Park along with my wife Neha. It was in the summer of 2024, and this season usually marks a dry spell in the region. The forests are dry with very little water seen in the river tributaries as well. As you move through the rocky off-road pathways of the Jhirna Zone, it tells you a story of the greenery and vibrancy that surround these jungles during monsoon. But in summer, it is quite the opposite. Making it extremely challenging for the wild animals to exist with each passing day.
Starting My Jhirna Zone Safari Hoping to Spot My First Male Tiger
Spotting a tiger is not so common in the vast Jhirna Zone of the Jim Corbett National Park, be it a female one or male. But I wanted to spot a male one and that’s why I started my adventure trip. We moved from our guest house in the afternoon after planning everything with our Jhirna Safari Guide. The afternoon safari started with lots of excitement.
At the start of our Jeep Safari, we came across a group of deer who seemed stressed due to the summer heat and were looking for some shade and water. They were fighting the summer heat to navigate through the day. Moreover, as we continued our Jhirna Zone Jeep Safari, we noticed that the chirping of the birds was not that prominent due to the summer weather. There was silence everywhere because of the scorching heat.
Jhirna Zone of Jim Corbett is One of the Best Tiger Spotting Locations
Jhirna Zone in Jim Corbett National Park is one of the best tiger-spotting regions and I have encountered the majestic tigers face-to-face many times. Not only that, but I have also spotted numerous animals such as deer, boars, elephants, etc. But since it was the summer heat right over the head, there was hardly any movement to be seen anywhere of these wild animals. All the animals have their own way of dealing with the scorching heat of the summer and find a resting place in the shades to avoid discomfort and unrest. They usually hide in the forests where there are trees and shade.
Summers in Corbett’s Jhirna Zone result in dry lands everywhere while in monsoons the lands are filled with vegetation and greenery. As I continued my jeep safari, I observed significant differences in the overall landscape between summers and monsoons at this place since I have been here almost every season. At many places, you could spot a water tanker that is filled with water periodically for the wild animals.
Spotting Wild Pigs, Monkeys, Boars, and Forest Department Elephant
Further into the Jhirna Zone of the Corbett National Park, it brought me close to many unique wildlife sights. One of those was spotting wild pigs and monkeys enjoying themselves together in a water body. Both of them were living in harmony and didn’t have any problems with the presence of each other. This was quite a rare sight to observe because these animals were at peace with them and that happens usually when they are away from any kind of danger such as tigers nearby. These are those moments that make you admire the true beauty of nature and how various wild animals also like to spend their days stress-free without any fear of those above their food chain.
Moving ahead, I spotted a giant elephant that was under the supervision of the forest department in the Jhirna Zone of Jim Corbett. The elephant was putting sand over his body to get some temporary relief from the intense summer heat. Every animal in the wild jungles tries to get relief from the summer heat in their own way, but the way elephants do it is quite a view to come across. It looks amazing but at the same time, you feel sad for these animals that they have to deal with the scorching summer heat in this region of the country during this time of the year.
Continuing the Jhirna Zone Safari
Further into the Jhirna Jeep Safari, I spotted a group of wild boars crossing our pathway at a distance. We halted far off from where we could get a clear sight of them. They seemed in a rush, probably running away or hiding from other animals. We spotted them for a while and took a break there. The surroundings were mesmerizing and really amazing to look at. With trees, mountains, and clear skies all around, we stayed there for a while to enjoy the beautiful landscapes. Then we moved towards our most anticipated moment of the day. Hoping to see a male tiger for the first time.
Patience and Perseverance Led to the First Male Tiger Spotting
Every wild animal in the jungle always stays attentive to the presence of others above their food chain. That’s how the wild ecosystem works. Towards the last stretch of our Jhirna Zone Safari, we reached a place where there were significant jungles on both sides of our pathway. There were many jeeps on our side and other side of the road in the hope of spotting a tiger.
We saw a group of deer in front of us getting alarmed. Probably they sensed that a Tiger was nearby. They were in unrest. The entire group was moving left and right hoping to find a safer hiding area. We were witnessing all these in front of us. So, we decided to stay there for a while hoping to spot a male tiger. We were hearing alarm calls everywhere which almost confirmed the presence of a tiger in the nearby areas. We saw the group of deer running away at speed as they finally were sure that a tiger was nearby. They wanted to safeguard their life. So, we stayed there in silence starting the wait for the most anticipated moment of my life.
Time Passed by and We Weren’t Having any Luck
Other jeeps behind us, and on the other side of the road started to move away from that region. We were also losing all hope that we would be able to see any male tiger today. But we decided to stay for a little longer if we got lucky.
As we were also about to leave in disappointment, I finally heard a light roar at a distance. That made all my senses come to attention, and we were the only jeep left among many. As I started to look carefully using my binoculars too, I saw the most amazing sight for which I had been waiting long all day.
There it was in front of my eyes, a giant and majestic-looking male tiger moving slowly and crossing the road to the other side. I felt so emotional and joyful that I was out of words for quite some time. I just stood there, admiring the sight and presence of the male tiger.
Our jeep was the only one to spot the tiger, and all our wait became worthwhile. This is how Jungle Safaris are. You need to have patience and persistence to spot your favourite wild animal. However, within a few minutes, the tiger went away into the dense forests and disappeared. Those were the few moments that I waited the entire day for. It was all worthwhile. My Jhirna tiger sighting wish came true!
Finishing the last stretch of the Jhirna Zone Safari
As we continued with the last phase of our jungle safari through the Jhirna Zone, we came across a water body where our eye captured a peacock and a deer together near the bank. It was a mesmerizing sight to look at. That made me realize that every creature in the jungle has its significance in the overall natural ecosystem. And when all these animals and creatures come together, it creates a wonderful scene that one can admire for a long time.
Before we reached our guest house, we also spotted a large group of elephants in an open ground. All of them were engaged in themselves. It consisted of a male tusker, many females, and a few baby elephants. It was such a beautiful sight to look at and a perfect end to our day.
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