Vratika’s Close Encounter with a Wild Tiger

Earlier this year, were heard that Vratika Chaudhry, a M.S. student under Dr. David Tonkyn, the founding Advisor of Clemson T4T, was almost charged by a tiger on foot! Here is her story.

“I conduct my fieldwork in Kanha Tiger Reserve, India for my Master’s research here at Clemson University in South Carolina.  For my M.S. research I am looking into disease spillover risk from feral carnivores to wild carnivores in central India.  I was in India for my second field season from January to May 2015.  During my fieldwork I came across a massive male tiger, too close for comfort. Thankfully, no one got hurt and I will be able to tell the story and share my memories forever.

On February 25th 2015, I finished my work for the day, and decided to go for a walk in the buffer area of the national park.  I asked my friend Dimple to come along. Dimple Bhati is the hostess of a Kanha Jungle Lodge, which is one of the oldest resorts in tourist zone of Kanha Tiger Reserve.

We had been planning to go for a walk for a while, but we struggled to find the time due to our busy schedules. Finally when we got a little time on our hands we went for the walk at about 3.30 pm. I had my equipment in the car so I asked my driver/ field assistant to stay back. Dimple suggested bring him along as well and he joined us on our trek.

So we walked about half a mile on the trail and we saw footprints of a male tiger, relatively fresh, maybe from that morning.  As we walked down the riverbank we heard a long grumbling noise… I thought it was tiger roar. Dimple thought it was elephant, as an elephant camp was nearby. We were confused because it was a really long and low-pitched sound. However, it shortly stopped and we forgot about it. We walked 1.5 miles further down the trail, and decided to go off the trail, following an animal tract towards the riverbank.  I can recall the three of us standing on the riverbank, looking at black ibises, as Dimple was on phone telling her chef, the recipes of beetroot soup. Both of us were a meter apart and the driver was a couple of meters behind us.

A tiger in Kanha National Park, India

Suddenly out of the corner of my eye, I saw black and orange stripes walking down the bank, about 15 meters away from us on the same side of the bank. It took me couple of seconds to comprehend what it was and take out words from my mouth- Tiger! “Where?!,” said Dimple. As she looked across the riverbank searching for the cat, I pointed at the huge male tiger, 15 meters away, who has just spotted us- TIGER!

The driver creeped behind us, peeked a look from behind me, and decided to trace his steps backwards quickly. He kept telling us to trace backwards as well, but we knew it was not an option; one wrong move on our part and tiger would have attacked us in reflex. We could not find my driver for a long time after that.

The tiger looked at us, all confused, as he was coming down the bank to drink water out of the river. But he found us…and then he sat down on his hind legs, looking intently at us. Dimple wanted to take a picture but I asked her not to in fear that the tiger would react. Now we regret it :D. I was constantly asking her to step back, one step at a time, as I thought it would be good to increase the distance between the tiger and us. I took one step back with my left foot and the tiger reacted! He moved one step ahead, ears facing front, white of ears visible, face bent, and nose peeking...(attack mode). We froze..

That was the moment when both Dimple and I thought, this is it, we’re going to die! Dimple and I kept talking to each other and looking into tigers eyes.. The tiger stared at us with intensity. All of us (Dimple, the tiger and I) stayed frozen for three minutes, which seem to have lasted forever, until the tiger decided to go back on the trail.

In that moment, we realized that we needed to run. We had two options. Either go back on the trail and take the risk of bumping into the tiger again, as tigers sometimes ambush from a different direction if there prey has spotted them, or run through the river. We chose the second option. I kept making loud noises the entire way. And somehow, we managed to get back, alive and intact!

Even when we thought we would die, I could not stop myself at being awed by that amazing animal, so muscular, so graceful, so fast, and somehow in the back of my mind, I knew it wasn’t going to harm us, and if it attacked, it would have been due to our stupid reaction.

Thinking about the behavioral science behind the whole event, I had a few questions in my mind. So I thought I would answer them for you.  

1. Why did tiger not hear or smell us? (We were quite loud on the trail)

We were on the bank that had a four-foot drop from the trail on the either side that blocked our smell and sound. It was a hot day and we were there in the early evening. I’m going to assume that the tiger just woke up from catnap, as they do sleep up to 16 hours a day!

2. What was he thinking when he saw us?

He was as surprised to see us, as we were to see him! He didn’t expect to see us there. He was just coming down to drink water and he found us instead.

3. Why didn’t he attack us?

He was trying to figure out if we were a threat or prey. He matched his moves to ours. All of his motions were reactions and then when he perceived that we were not prey, he traced back.

4. Could the situation have been worse?

Oh yea! If it was a mother tiger with cubs, and we were in middle of the family, I would not be here to tell the story. If it was an injured tiger or a tiger protecting its kill, again, probably I would not be writing this post and hopefully someone would have published my results…

5. Did we deal with the situation well enough?

Most likely yes! Well, we are still alive ☺ The worst thing we could have done was to run and trigger tiger’s reflexes to charge.

6. So how do you try to avoid a tiger attacking you?

Here is my advice: Go in groups, carry a stick, try to look for signs like spray scents, scats, fresh pugmarks, and if a situation like this arises, never try to run, try to look bigger, shout and beat the stick and hope that the tiger would spare you. ☺

It was once in a lifetime experience, which I am never going to forget.”

Vratika Chaudhary

Masters Students

Clemson University

vchaudh@g.clemson.edu 

Thank you Vratika for sharing this incredible story! We are so thankful that you are alive and well! For more information on Vritika’s work with tigers, please visit Dr. David Tonkyn’s website at http://www.davidtonkyn.com/. 

Go tigers,

Sean

Meet the Intern: Sierra Hoisington

The National Tigers for Tigers Coalition has recently partnered with  the Refuge Association to provide special internship opportunities for Tigers for Tigers members on various refuges throughout the country.

Sierra Hoisington, a Wildlife Biology major at Clemson University, is interning this summer at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. Sierra is a rising Junior and has been involved with Tigers for Tigers for two years. I sat down for a quick Q&A with Sierra about her internship and time at Okefenokee.

C: What have you done so far/what are your duties as an intern?

S: For the month of June, I am working in Visitor Services due to the large amount of people who visit the swamp in this month (in July, I will be switching to the Biology and Forestry Departments.) Duties associated with this part of my internship include educational outreach, maintenance of the Visitor's Center & the Environmental Education classroom, taking part in the planning & implementation of our Junior Refuge Ranger Summer Camp, teaching educational programs, and the general tasks that come up on a day-to-day basis. 

Sierra pictured fourth from the left with fellow Okefenokee interns/volunteers.

So far I've participated in multiple environmental education programs in which we travel to libraries up to an hour and a half away. There, we put on our "Oke Friends Swamp Theater" Puppet Show in which the children in attendance get to learn about the importance and threats to swamp animals such as owls, alligators, and frogs. With these programs, I either get to help out preforming the puppet show, help with the program, or I get to be one of our several mascots that the children love to get their picture with. I've also helped with our annual Children's Fishing Derby at our sister refuge, Banks Lake. That was a lot of fun because there were so many activities for the kids to learn about appreciating nature and see the swamp in a whole other light. Recently though, my main duties have been focused on the execution of our Junior Refuge Ranger Summer Camp. A lot hours has gone into planning this two week event - and our first day was today and it was a total success! (6/17/15) Some of the activities that the kids get to participate in are a Okefenokee Swamp boat tour, fishing, "Be a Wildlife Biologist", a boardwalk hike, and many many more fun things. My duties surrounding this event included every aspect of the more administrative duties to right down with being with the children at all times. 

I also had a day last week where I was able to go out with Georgia DNR and help and watch them complete some of the Gopher Tortoise studies. In the field, we completed line transects in the thick brush to look for these tortoise's burrows. Once we would find a burrow, the process of finding out if a tortoise was "home" commenced. We would then feed a camera scope down into the burrow (which can be up to 40 ft long and 10 ft deep) and see if you could spot a tortoise within the burrow. It was a very cool experience, and I'm very glad I could participate. 

Sierra as an owl as part of a library program focused on swamp education

 

C: Have you been to a refuge before your internship?

S: No, I have never been on a refuge prior to this internship. But now that I've seen what they can include, I'm determined to visit a bunch more!

C: What were you expecting out of your internship?

S: I was expecting a well-rounded view of what takes place on a National Wildlife Refuge. I had always heard about US Fish & Wildlife, but had never really gotten to fully see first-hand what the organization does. And honestly, after only being in this internship for about two weeks - I can say that I definitely want to work for US Fish & Wildlife at some point in my career. 

Sierra assists with the puppet show

C: What's one thing you've learned so far?

S: One thing I've learned so far is the extreme importance of education and outreach. These younger kids are our future. And if we want our wilderness to stay wild and protected, we need to educate the importance of appreciation of our wildlife and habitats to younger generations. They love to learn about animals and the environment, and it's a great joy to see their faces when they learn something new. 

C: What's it like interning on a refuge?

S: Interning on a refuge is a lot of fun! You start off the day with driving a government vehicle into work on one of the most historic swamps in the world and life can't get much better than that. Your view of the swamp lets you see American Alligators every time you look out to that water. Preparation for programs is the day to day work and the fact that you are surrounded by an awesome staff makes every day fun and different. 

C: Would you recommend the internship to other students?

S: Oh my goodness, yes! Again, I've only been on the refuge for a short amount of time but I love it and never want to leave. 

C: What's been your favorite moment/day so far?

S: My favorite day thus far was today, our first day of summer camp. The kids just had such a great time all day, but my favorite part was when we all took a boat tour on the swamp together. The kids would get so excited at every gator we saw (and we probably saw around 40-50 on our 1 hour boat ride) We got to show the kids a pair of Barred Owls perched on a Cypress tree on the edge of the canal, egrets, Great Blue Herons, and even a what we believe was a Spoonbill. Giving kids that appreciation of the swamp is something that is super invaluable and something I'll cherish for a long time. 

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Okefenokee has been nominated as one of the top 10 camping sites in the US by USA Today, and it is the only national wildlife refuge to be nominated! Please cast your vote for Okefenokee by clicking the following link www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-scenic-campground.

Go Tigers!

Carrah Lingo

Communications Associate

NT4TC

Meet the Intern: Taylor Tench

The National Tigers for Tigers Coalition is proud to announce that we have our first official intern at the offices in Washington, D.C.! Taylor Tench will be a Policy Intern this summer for Tigers for Tigers tackling wildlife trafficking issues, planning for our first ever leadership conference, and aiding in communication with all of our T4T students across the country. Let's just say this intern won't be fetching morning coffee!

A 2015 Clemson graduate, Taylor is getting real life experience right out of college in the conservation world. Saving our mascot from extinction is vital, but so is offering our students amazing opportunities to learn, network, and get jobs that they are passionate about. I sat down with Taylor last week to learn more about his experience with T4T, and what he hopes to get out of it!

Taylor with his T4T gear in the D.C. office!

C: How did you get involved with Tigers for Tigers?

T: I became involved with Tigers for Tigers my freshman year at Clemson University. I had always been interested in endangered species conservation and once I discovered an organization on campus dedicated to saving our mascot I was immediately hooked.

C: What have you learned through your involvement with T4T?

T: T4T taught me so much throughout my college career, not only about tigers but also about the field of conservation, teamwork, leadership, and the value of hard work. Before my involvement in T4T I had a very narrow view of conservation in that I assumed “conservation” was limited to going out to some exotic location, studying an animal, and somehow that was all it took to make a difference. I have learned that it takes collaboration from all different disciplines (science, policy, law, communications, education, etc) to enact successful conservation efforts. Through my time as a T4T member at Clemson I transitioned from an ordinary member, to an officer in the organization, to President my senior year. My experiences in T4T at Clemson showed me just how important teamwork is to accomplish your goals. It takes hard work from a team of like-minded individuals to achieve difficult objectives, and thankfully T4T is full of members across the country ready to do what it takes to save our mascot! Even now as an intern I continue to learn each day, and that is what keeps me so interested in and excited about the work this organization is undertaking.

 Taylor volunteers at Clemson's organization fair "Tiger Prowl" in 2013

C: What kinds of things are you taking on this summer for your internship with NT4TC?

T: I’m taking on any and every task the Coalition needs me to do to this summer. So far I’ve been helping out with planning for Global Tiger Day, writing letters, attending hearings on newly introduced legislation, corresponding with students and faculty coming up to DC next week, and am working on putting together information for some new Coalition publications. Soon I’ll begin putting together content for the Coalition’s fall leadership conference. So needless to say, I have plenty to keep me busy!

Taylor speaks at the 2013 5K he organized

C: What do you hope to get out of your internship?

T: I want to contribute as much as I can to help the Coalition grow and succeed. I’ve been a part of the Coalition ever since its inception and believe this organization is on its way to be a huge player in the world of tiger conservation. Additionally I’m hoping to learn as much as I can about the policy side of conservation and understand how things get accomplished here in our nation’s capitol. 

C: You’re from Florida, went to college at Clemson and are now in D.C. How are you enjoying it?

T: I love it! It’s very different from what I’m used to, but I think that’s what makes it so exciting.

C: What advice would you give to other T4T members?

T: Stay open-minded and don’t lose sight of your goals. Take chances and expose yourself to different fields and experiences outside of your main interest. As long as you continue to work hard and seize every opportunity handed to you, you will succeed.

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Taylor is currently helping lead T4T leaders on a three day trip in D.C. to talk to senators about wildlife trafficking. Stay tuned for a blog this Friday all about their accomplishments!

Go Tigers!

Carrah Lingo

Communications Associate

NT4TC

Congress Works to Keep Tigers and Other Wildlife Happy!

Last weekend, the House and Senate passed the appropriations bills to fund the government for 2015, which is GREAT news for tigers!

The National T4T Coalition and a few T4T members traveled to Washington D.C. in September to meet with their Senators to advocate for more funding to support international wildlife.

We asked Congressional leaders to allocate $10 million to support USFWS-International’s programs. Thankfully USFWS-International received $9.1 million to continue supporting conservation efforts. Within the $9.1 million, $2.4 million will be allocated to the Rhino and Tiger Fund. Awesome news for both tigers and rhinos!

T4T members still have fun when working to #SaveOurMascot!

Some of this money is used to support our partner Tiger Trust in India who conducts multiple women forest guard trainings to reduce human-wildlife conflict issues in central India. Click here to learn more about how USFWS-International is assisting Tiger Trust’s programs.

The National T4T Coalition also asked Congress to allocate $50 million within the Department of State to combat wildlife trafficking, a $5 million increase from last year. The good news is that USAID received $55 million to address these issues, of which $10 million will be used to combat rhino poaching.

 “It made me realize how much is being done at the federal level, and how many more opportunities remain to make an even greater impact,” said Taylor Tench of Clemson University after his trip to Washington D.C. with Tigers for Tigers.

It is a great week for tigers and international wildlife thanks our T4T clubs and your support by raising your voice for our mascot. A special thanks to the National Wildlife Refuge Association for assisting us on our D.C. trips! 

You can continue to show your support for tigers over the holidays by purchasing your Tiger Stamps at your local post office or online. Click here to learn more about our recent trip to Washington D.C. with our students!

Sincerely,

Sean Carnell

National Coordinator

NT4TC

t4tcoalition@gmail.com

To Russia With Love

In a world that is becoming increasingly accessible, where well-traveled people claim that “everyone speaks English” and smartphone apps can instantly translate any book, it may seem as though learning a second language is a waste of time. For future conservation professionals, this myth is promoted through course requirements that leave out foreign languages and in turn focus on math and economics. While math and economics are undoubtedly important, if you want to work towards conservation in another country, I can attest that learning a second language can be as good as a ticket there.

(C) Jen Morton 2013

I recently finished a field season in the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Reserve in the Russian Far East. This reserve has been set aside strictly for tiger conservation and is only open to researchers and managers. My work was focused on analyzing prey populations for the endangered Amur tiger. I spent three months collaborating with some of the world’s most renowned tiger researchers and participating in tiger conservation efforts. I had the opportunity to photograph tigers in the wild and spend a great deal of time in one of the world’s great wild places. For me this was a dream come true, and I attribute it in large part to learning Russian while I was an undergrad.

When I began searching for a graduate school, I was required to find an advisor to take me under his/her wing and into their lab for the research component of my Master’s degree. While I wrote dozens of emails, the only promising response I received was from Dr. David Tonkyn of Clemson University.

(C) Jen Morton 2013

When David called, he wasn’t impressed by my GPA and didn’t want to hear about any extracurricular activities or leadership roles or any of the typical college acceptance things. He wanted to talk to me about Russia. He noticed a singular line on my resume that said I had double majored in my undergraduate program and that I had received a degree in Russian. I should point out here that the only reason I double majored was because I took a few Russian classes on a whim and I really liked them.

David had been interested in Russian ecosystems for a long time and had always been on the lookout for a student that he could send that way. It was a great match for both of us and before I knew it I was on a plane, another plane, another plane, and a long bus ride down a dusty road to Ternei, Russia.

We all know, of course, that learning a second language will not guarantee you a dream trip to one of the world’s great wild places. Many of the researchers that live the dream saving the great and threatened flora and fauna of the world though will tell you that a second language can be a very nice bridge between a dream and a job.

Jen Morton

Clemson University Graduate Student