Breaking the Tiger Jinx
Breaking the Tiger Jinx: My Favorite Kanha Moment
For any naturalist working in India’s great forests—especially tiger reserves—there’s one milestone that truly stands out: your first tiger sighting. Mine happened years ago in Kabini, and it was unforgettable—a roaring male tiger confronting the jeep ahead, pure adrenaline and awe. The moment stuck with me, and every new park brings that same anticipation.
I first arrived at Kanha in November 2024 for a short, week-long visit. A few safaris from Mukki gate were all I had—and if you ask me, love at first sight is easier to believe in these wild places. The moment I entered Kanha’s forest for the first time, those towering sal trees felt like a grand welcoming committee. It was overwhelming in the best way possible. Sadly, that brief trip ended too soon, and I had to head back home, the forest already calling me back.
By January 2025, I was back in Kanha, joining Outpost12 and ready to begin a new chapter. The first few weeks were busy—training drives in the buffer and territorial areas, sharpening our skills, getting to know the contours of this vast, beautiful park. We set out on safaris in all the core zones, each day stacking up fresh memories and stories. But let’s be honest, for a naturalist, there’s only one thing you really want: a tiger.
A couple of safaris went by without a glimpse of a big cat. I was enjoying Kanha just the same—the sheer size, the silent beauty, the endless potential around every corner. But each drive with no tiger started to gnaw at me. The tension grew worse when we bumped into Priyanka, on one of our drives. With a knowing smile she told DK, “This guy never sees a tiger.” I can still remember the look DK gave me, somewhere between sympathy and a friendly warning. I tried to defend myself, reminding her that she’d seen plenty of cats on safaris with me in the past… but the legend of my tiger jinx was starting to stick.
That night, I couldn’t shake the feeling: would I be the only naturalist at Kanha never to spot a tiger? The pressure was real. Next morning’s safari felt different, the forest glowing with early mist, dew clinging to every grass blade. We drove towards Mukki in that perfect, dreamlike light when suddenly Anand shouted from the back seat—“Tiger! Tiger!” And there he was, a huge male sitting quietly in the grass right next to our jeep. Time seemed to stop; this was my moment.
Was I happy? Over the moon. But even as I took in the tiger’s majesty, a thought flashed through my mind—a classic naturalist’s nightmare: I was sitting on the same side as the tiger, so why didn’t I see it first? Maybe I was too caught up in the training, maybe just nervous. I tried to convince myself it was all part of settling into a new park. All that mattered is we’d finally broken the no-tiger streak. After that, the floodgates opened—more drives, more sightings.
Still, it’s that first tiger sighting at Kanha that stays with me. There’s something magical about those first moments—the unique light, the Sal forest, and the wild silence punctuated by a sudden roar. I even managed to get one of my favorite habitat photos of a tiger from that day, a memory that sums up everything I love about these wild landscapes.
If you’re a naturalist just starting out in Kanha, trust me: the first tiger will come. When it does, every moment in the forest will feel new—and you’ll join the long tradition of naturalists who can say, “Yes, I’ve seen a tiger in Kanha.” And hopefully, you’ll see it before anyone else shouts it from the back seat!
Follow Sujith NS - @viajero_de_barba, Durgesh Singh (DK) - @dkinwild