Ranthambore National Park: When Tigers Cause Roadblocks

Pic/@adityadickysin/Twitter

In a refreshing break from pandemic-related news, ace wildlife photographer and conservationist Aditya "Dicky" Singh posted this image over the weekend showcasing majestic tigers blocking the road to Ranthambore National Park.

The route, Singh told this diarist, is actually a paved road that goes to the Ranthambore Fort from the Sawai Madhopur town to take visitors to the park. "Normally, it also has a steady traffic of pilgrims going to the famous temple of Ganesha atop the fort. Tigers and other wild animals move across this road regularly but rarely do they sprawl out in the middle, blocking it," he informed.

The national park is now open to visitors after being shut down during the lockdown, although the temple is shut. Thus, there is very little traffic and Singh, along with his conservationist friend Dr Dharmendra Khandal, headed to the park last Friday morning.

Detailing his experience, Singh added, "We were the first in, and as soon as we reached an area called Ada Balaji, we found a tigress called Arrowhead and her two nearly full-grown daughters blocking the road. I have been living and photographing animals in Ranthambore since 1998 but this was something that I had not really seen before. Within a few minutes of us hitting the road block, vehicles of the other visitors to the national park arrived. The tigers got up and slowly walked on the road till they went towards the horizon. It was all over by 6.15 am. A great start to the day."

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