Smell, like memories leave a trail, unseen. Her pheromone is slowly taking over the backwaters of Kabini-Meet the new princess of the Kabini backwaters- a queen in the making.
Fathered by one of the boldest tigers that have walked the woods of South India (The Back Water Male), she has inherited his boldness and is a torch bearer of one of the finest specimens of Panthera Tigirs you will ever encounter.
She has long camouflaged her shyness with mystery, no more-The cub of the Backwater Female today is a lady who truly personifies feline grace. A little over 2.5 years old, she is daring and knows her move to perfection. Expanding her territory that once belonged to her mother, she is a story of transition.
The princess first breathed Kabini during October 2013.The backwater princess as she is popularly called has grown up under the observation of countless shutterbugs and nature lovers alike.
I personally have never seen her even after repeated visits, when she was a new born growing up to be a well-disciplined girl. My journey with her started early this year-post her transition to adulthood.
Her (The Backwater princess) mother originally didn’t belong to the Backwaters and have raised at least one litter before (News has come in that she has delivered once more). In the prominence of Zone-B (The Backwater) she delivered a male cub (There hasn’t been much news of him post adulthood, as some contemplate that he might have moved on to Bandipur) and a female cub-that has held the reigns of many unfulfilled dreams.
Here is a collection of few stray moments where we strayed with her-into the wild
Abhiroop G. Dastidar Photography 