Surgeon with tiger tattoos
It was the call of the tigers that made Dr Krishnakumar Mechoor, an orthopaedic surgeon, fall in love with the wild. His fascination with the enigmatic cat began after watching Nat Geo documentaries. “And I bought my first camera just to photograph tigers,” he says.
It was after completing his studies and starting work that Krishnakumar first ventured into Bandipur to see a tiger for real. “They are really shy, solitary beings. That’s why spotting a tiger in the wild — even from a distance — gives such a high,” says Dr Krishnakumar.
“Tiger is the apex predator. The entire forest comes alive when a tiger is on the prowl. Birds and monkeys start warning calls, other animals flee as soon as possible. Even the trees and wind seem to react.”
Photographs are secondary to him, says the Thrissur-based doctor. “It’s that moment of seeing a tiger with bare eyes that gives me a kick,” he adds.
Dr Krishnakumar recalls seeing a tigress, Maya, the dominant female from Tadoba Tiger Reserve. “She was training her cubs. I got to just sit and watch her cubs hunt a piglet. I will never forget that moment,” he says.
Jim Corbett remains his favourite wildlife sanctuary. “You can see tigers crossing the Ram Ganga River. In winter, they grow a fur coat, which makes them appear even larger. It’s where Parwali and Pedwali rule,” he smiles.
Interestingly, the surgeon has tattoos of Parwali and her paw print on his arm.
Their lives are very difficult, he says. “Territorial wars and attacks from other tigers make it hard for them to nurture their cubs,” he says.
According to him, Parwali has had four litters, but only one cub, Pedwali, has made it to adulthood.
“Only by watching them can you understand the challenges they face. Tourism both helps and harms. While it promotes tiger conservation, it also disturbs their natural habitat, especially during hunting,” says Dr Krishnakumar.
That’s one reason why Kerala isn’t ideal for tiger sightings. “Only 15 percent of our forests are open to the public. Tigers rarely appear there. Otherwise, you must travel with researchers,” he says
Dr Krishnakumar says Wayanad, like Bandipur and Kabini, should have been a tiger reserve. “The lack of it is why we see so many conflicts. A good chunk of forest has been encroached upon by humans,” he laments.
'We sat stunned, speechless'
Seema Suresh still remembers the moment — the first time she saw a tiger in the wild. The moment their eyes met, just for a second.
“That was when I understood the majesty. When you meet them in their home, in their territory, where they are unabashedly themselves and free… that’s when you understand the fascination many have with this striped cat,” she gushes.
Seema, a freelance writer, began wildlife photography over a decade ago. “This fascination can never be complete without that moment with a tiger,” she says.
She set out for Bandipur, the nearest tiger reserve with a higher chance of sightings. “The first few trips, we didn’t see a single tiger. No wonder people call them shy,” says Seema.
Then, on her third or fourth trip, when no one was expecting it, a tiger crossed in front of their jeep. “It spared us a brief glance — not even a second — and just walked away. We sat there stunned, speechless.”
She couldn’t take a photo then. But that is the moment she always remembers when someone asks her about tigers.
“It was on another trip to Bandipur that I got my first tiger shot. A male tiger, Prince, was drinking water from a pond. And what a sight it was. He was truly the prince of that forest,” she beams.
Subsequently, Seema began visiting tiger reserves across the country — from Tadoba to Jim Corbett. At Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, she finally had a mesmerising experience.
“We spent four days without a single sighting. Due to a train ticket issue, we decided to stay for two more days and try the buffer zone safari. That’s when we saw Madhuri with her cubs, very late in the evening, after twilight. They were playing around her,” she recalls. “I watched them as long as I wanted. Again, not a single good photo due to low light. But I truly, really saw a tigress and her cubs.”
Seema fell in love with Corbett National Park — the sunsets, the sunrises, the Ram Ganga river, the weather, the elephants and, of course, the tigers.
“It’s impossible to stop talking about tigers. They are like individuals with their own traits,” Seema laughs. “Without tigers, our forests cannot thrive. Thus, conservation efforts are vital.”
'Uncertanity adds to thrill'
Aparna Purushothaman fell in love with wildlife photography by chance, after her husband gifted her a camera.
It began with birds, but as the chemistry teacher got hooked, she started widening her interests. “Till then, I only heard people talking about tigers, as if there is no meaning to go into the jungle unless you spot a big cat. I never understood that,” she smiles.
The first wild cat she encountered was a leopard. “It was on a hunt. I experienced some kind of rush in that — to meet those wild, big animals in their home. That’s when I started looking out for tigers.”
In Kerala, she adds, one can almost easily spot a leopard, but tigers remain elusive. So, she set out for Bandipur and Kabini in search of the big cats. “But even after umpteen trips, I was only able to see a flash of a tiger — like a lightning,” she recalls.
Aparna then decided to study tigers more seriously and finally, in 2019, set out to Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan.
What makes tiger-watching interesting, she says, are the hours and hours spent “just looking and waiting”. “The uncertainty and the anticipation add to the thrill,” she says.
After days on the lookout, she and her safari team witnessed a rare moment. Kumbha, a ‘senior’ male tiger of the forest, was in his territory when Noor, a tigress, passed through. They met. “And we saw them mating. It was a truly beautiful scene — two tigers napping, waking up, then loving each other,” she smiles.
“I saw Noor leaving after days, and Kumbha following her till the end of his territory. It was a bitter-sweet goodbye moment.”
Kumbha died three years ago. “Noor had many cubs. She gave birth to two cubs in 2022. I heard she also expanded her territory,” Aparna says.
It was when she met tigers that she realised they were “the true rulers” of the forest. “Many will say it’s the lion. But the might and power of a tiger is something otherworldly. The way they walk, the way they hunt... their power and beauty are unparalleled,” she smiles.
Aparna, who teaches at a higher secondary school in Kottayam, says one can truly appreciate the tiger’s charm only after watching one in its zone, says the mother of a one-year-old. “Even when they are just lying down, they appear majestic,” says Aparna. “I recently took my little one on a forest trip. I want her to grow up appreciating the magical beauty of nature.”