Wanting
to spot a tiger in the open jungle is like wanting to pick up a chick in a
nightclub: The more desperate you seem, the lesser are your chances.
Well,
I got lucky today (May 11, 2012), spotting a huge tigress and her (rather large)
cub as they strolled by me, ten meters away from my open jeep. Having read the
horror man-eater stories in The Jim Corbett Omnibus, I must say I was
terrified. Instead of reaching for my camera, my first instinct was to reach
for my swiss knife as I swiftly ducked under the seat. The family sitting at
the back was braver though, they lunged forward with their cameras almost
falling right out of the jeep.
As
many of you know, I have a problem with following the mainstream, ie.
doing what everyone else does. In Paris, I did not take a picture of the Eiffel
Tower and in Corbett, I will not take a picture of the tiger. Unless, of course,
I have an opportunity to take one of those pictures that will be framed and put
up in a library. I have however taken pictures of various monkeys, deer and
even dove footprints.
The
interesting thing about dove footprints is that when you spot the male and
female footprints together, they go left and right, up and down, following
arbitrary patterns. What I have been explained is that the female leads the
male into a dance, and makes him follow her all over the place! She goes left
and right and up and down, and the poor male has no choice but to follow.
There
is so much to learn from all the animals here, even the insects. The
animals blend into their environment so beautifully. It reminds me of something
Agent Smith (the machine from The Matrix) said: "I'd like to share a
revelation that I’ve had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to
classify your species, and I realised that humans are not actually mammals.
Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with
the surrounding environment; but you humans do not. Instead you multiply, and
multiply, until every resource is consumed. The only way for you to survive is
to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that
follows the same pattern... a virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer on this
planet, you are a plague."
His
views may have been a bit excessive in his condemnation, but we must think
about this.
At
least I am today, living within this natural equilibrium.
