[Leica] A Meeting With Machali

[photo at frozenlight.eu (Nathan Wajsman)]

Beautiful pictures, and difficult questions. But I can understand that the 
Wildlife Department has decided to intervene. From what you write, her 
importance transcends the utilitarian considerations.

Cheers,
Nathan

Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu
http://www.greatpix.eu
http://www.nathanfoto.com
PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/


YNWA



On Apr 25, 2012, at 10:48 AM, Jayanand Govindaraj wrote:

> Machali is India's best known tigress, and at around 15 years she is very
> old. She has raised 5 litters of cubs, and a large proportion of the tigers
> at Ranthambhore and Sariska are her descendants, one way or the other. A
> few years ago it was estimated that she has directly or indirectly been
> responsible in  bringing in around USD10-15mm per year into the local
> economy for the last 15 years, which is probably an underestimate. Anyway,
> every year I see her I presume it is the last time, and I bid her adieu,
> but she is not dead yet, and there we have a story with ethical and
> cautionary overtones. Machali has lost most of her canines and cannot hunt
> normal prey. When I saw her last year she looked to be on her last legs,
> she could hardly lift her head, and I really thought I would never see her
> again, as you can read:
> 
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Ranthambhore_001/2011/Ranthambhore_20110305_1450-Edit.jpg.html
> 
> At this time (last year), because of her general fame, the Wildlife
> Department decided to start feeding her, which they have continued to do to
> this day. Her territory, though shrinking is good, with plenty of prey,
> water and cover. If she had been allowed "to pass gentle into the good
> night", another tigress capable of bearing young would have moved in, for
> the ultimate good of a highly endangered species. This episode also raises
> another couple of ethical questions - having started to feed her, do they
> stop? If they do stop, do they also euthanize her?
> 
> Anyway, we did see her this year, hale and hearty, looking well fed (of
> course!), in the heart of her territory at a water hole called Lakarda. She
> came out of the grass behind our jeep:
> 
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Ranthambhore_001/2012/Ranthambhore_20120402_0152.jpg.html
> 
> She warily kept an eye on us as she started moving towards the water:
> 
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Ranthambhore_001/2012/Ranthambhore_20120402_0154.jpg.html
> 
> At one point, she stopped - but without taking her eyes off us:
> 
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Ranthambhore_001/2012/Ranthambhore_20120402_0166.jpg.html
> 
> She came close and stopped again - this is uncropped:
> 
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Ranthambhore_001/2012/Ranthambhore_20120402_0181.jpg.html
> 
> She then stopped on the rock next to the water and looked around with a
> regal bearing, fit for the queen she is:
> 
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Ranthambhore_001/2012/Ranthambhore_20120402_0195.jpg.html
> 
> Finally, she turned around for a last look, and then disappeared into the
> vegetation:
> 
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Ranthambhore_001/2012/Ranthambhore_20120402_0204.jpg.html
> 
> Please see LARGE.
> 
> Comments and Criticism, as ever, welcome.
> 
> Cheers
> Jayanand
> 
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