M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, June 4: An encounter with two cubs of leopard in the Betla compartment of the Betla National Park is recalled with love, admiration and fear for life by the Deputy Director of the North division of the Palmau Tiger Reserve Kumar Ashish.
Ashish told lagatar24.com on Saturday that he was on a car patrol in Betla National Park a few days ago when he found two cubs of leopard by the side of the road.
The cubs looked to have been born around 15 days ago. They looked extremely dependent upon their mother.
Their mother was not around. Ashish said it was no happy time either for the cubs or for him as well. The cubs were as restless as he was both for different reasons. The cubs wanted to see their mother back to them while he said he was fidgety if the mother leopard attacked him thinking him to be a threat to her two cubs.
Ashish said he had a gut feeling that the mother cub must not be any far away from her cubs and the presence of a human being close to the cubs could enrage her. She could have come and made a surprise attack on Ashish. Moments later, the mother leopard came. She scanned the area first and looked possessive of her cubs.
Ashish said he thought it better to keep seated in the patrol car and not to step out to avoid any bad encounter with the mother leopard.
The deputy director said it was a tempting moment for him as he wanted to go to the cubs to cuddle them but it had a very inherent danger in it. The mother leopard would not have spared him for it, he opined.
The mother, on getting assured that her two cubs are safe, walked down with her two assets to the left side of the jungle in the Betla compartment.
Ashish immediately asked everyone in the Betla National Park from trackers to forest guards to the tourists to stay mindful of the cubs and leopards.
“Our wildlife does not recognise us and is not bothered about our hierarchy,” Ashish said. He said he did what he was taught during the training.
“We were told to be extra cautious if in the area where there is the cub or cubs of the tiger or leopard as their mothers are bound to be extra aggressive all to keep their cub or cubs safe from human beings,” he said.
Ashish said his encounter with the cubs and mother leopard was barely two to three minutes but every second that he had spent then looked far longer than any minute. He made no noise as wildlife with family needs peace and privacy, unlike human beings who can’t afford not to make noises.
Betla National Park is said to have around 10 leopards. A total of 4 cubs are reported here including these two who are only 15 days old.
Sources said the tourists do wish to spot a leopard in the jungles but their eyes search for the tiger. Tiger has been well publicised than many other carnivores and hence it is the most sought after thing for any tourist.