Part I - The Jungles of Western Ghats, South India : Spotting a Huge Male Tiger and Witnessing Indian Dholes Hunting a Wild Boar

12/27/20249 min read

Into the Heart of the Western Ghats:

The Western Ghats - a sprawling, ancient chain of mountains stretching over 1,600 kilometers along India’s western coast, are more than just a geographical marvel. Rising steeply from the coastal plains and cloaked in emerald forests, these hills are one of the world’s most vital biodiversity hotspots. Here, mist-laden peaks pierce the sky and the air hums with the calls of creatures found nowhere else on Earth. For me, the Western Ghats represent far more than a natural marvel. It is a place that I share a deep connection with. Since childhood, I’ve been going to these jungles in search of wildlife. There is a always a sense of thrill knowing that somewhere, hidden within the dense foliage, some of the most apex predators known to man prowl.

Tigers are among the most physically powerful animals on Earth, in terms of raw strength relative to their size. In the Western ghats, they mainly prey on wild boar, monkeys and deer (chital and sambar). They also occasionally hunt gaur. Despite no tangible evidence for some of the below facts, it gives you a glimpse into the power of these beasts. These references found in online forums and wildlife blogs are often attributed to field observations by naturalists.

The paw swipe of a big male tiger is extremely powerful and strong enough to crack a bull’s skull in a single blow. Some internet sources claim it can exceed 8,000 - 10,000 pounds, though this has yet to be scientifically verified.
Some wildlife forums claim that a tiger dragged away a gaur bull weighing around 800 kg, a task that thirteen men together could not accomplish.
A tiger can lift up to roughly twice its own body weight.

Western Ghats, South India

Dense forest cover of the Western Ghats, South India

Hilltop view, Western Ghats

(All photos in this blog were taken during this trip)

This time, my journey took me deep into the forests where three states meet-Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, a remote area near the Nilgiri Hills that forms a unique trijunction. The convergence of these states creates a vast, contiguous wilderness that is a sanctuary for some of the most magnificent wildlife in the Western Ghats. Unlike the more open, dry deciduous forests of central India, where tigers are accustomed to human presence and sightings are more common, the Western Ghats’ terrain and vegetation make it much easier for predators to remain hidden. It is a game of patience and luck. A decade ago in Bhadra National Park, I caught a fleeting glimpse of a leopard. That was my first time seeing one in the wild. The encounter was raw and primal, a moment that stirred something deep within my soul. This distant memory still exhilarates me. Since then, each trip has been a quest, not just for the thrill of the chase, but for that soul-stirring connection with the wild.

So, I wanted to experience that feeling again. I have long dreamt of seeing a tiger in the wild. But I knew it was no easy task, as one has to be extremely lucky to spot one in these dense jungles. I know some locals and even seasoned forest rangers who have been venturing into these forests for years without ever seeing a tiger. Tigers in the Western Ghats are incredibly difficult to spot due to the dense forests and thick shrubs that provide perfect cover for these shy and elusive cats. Factors like forest type, season, timing, and even weather play a huge role in whether you will catch a glimpse of one. For the most part, they remain ghosts, felt more often than seen.

But this expedition unfolded in ways that surpassed even my wildest imaginations. For now, this post serves as a glimpse, capturing only a few key moments without going into the full story.

Western Ghats range (in green) along the west coast of India

A herd of spotted deer (Chital)

Hanuman langur sitting on a tree

On one of my previous trips to these jungles, I had seen a male Indian gaur that was absolutely enormous, truly a bull on steroids. These animals have a very muscular body and an intimidating structure. The Indian gaur is the largest wild cattle species in the world, standing nearly six to seven feet tall at the shoulder with some individuals weighing up to 1500 kgs. This time, despite searching hard, we only came across females and their calves, which are noticeably smaller and less bulky than the males. The difference in size between the sexes is striking, with males often weighing up to twice as much as females and standing taller at the shoulder.

A juvenile Indian Bison

A Herd of Indian Bison

Indian Dholes: Ruthless Pack Hunters of the Indian Jungle

The Indian dhole, also known as the Asiatic wild dog, is one of the most formidable and efficient predators in South Asia’s forests. Their hunting style is both fascinating and brutal.

Dholes hunt in highly coordinated packs, often targeting prey much larger than themselves, such as deer, wild boar, and even young gaur. Unlike many other predators, dholes do not kill with a single bite to the throat. Instead, once their prey is brought down, the pack immediately begins to feed, often while the animal is still alive. They tear open their victims and quickly disembowel the prey, consuming organs like the heart, liver, and lungs first. Smaller Prey is usually faster , but larger animals may suffer for several minutes as the pack eats, sometimes with guts spilling out. This rapid feeding is partly to avoid losing their kill to larger predators like tigers or leopards.

Dholes are communal hunters, relying on teamwork and strategy. Before a hunt, they engage in social rituals, strengthening pack bonds. During the chase, they use a unique high-pitched whistle-remarkably similar to a human whistle-to coordinate movements and keep in contact across dense forests. This whistling is a signature behavior of the species and helps them outmaneuver and surround their prey.

We witnessed a pack hunting a wild boar this time. The hunt continued out of our sight in the deep forest, leaving the climax a mystery.

Inspired by Kenneth Anderson’s Books

Before I move on, I want to share this. My love for these jungles is fueled not just by experience, but by the words of a legendary British hunter who lived in India. Kenneth Anderson (1910–1974) was a famous hunter and writer known for his thrilling stories of hunting man-eating tigers and leopards in South India. I absolutely love reading his books. It guarantees a dose of adrenaline for the reader. His tales are more than hunting stories, they are windows into a time when the jungle was more dangerous and mysterious.

His encounter with the man-eating tiger of Segur is one of his most gripping and memorable jungle tales, in which his “sixth sense” ultimately saved his life.The incident took place in the dense forests near Segur, where a tiger had turned man-eater after being blinded in one eye by a poacher’s bullet. He was determined to end the animal’s reign of terror, which had already claimed several lives between the villages of Segur and Anaikatti. Tracking the tiger was very difficult, as the thick undergrowth provided perfect cover. Anderson followed the trail down to the banks of the Segur River, where he believed the tiger might be lurking. At nightfall, his senses were on high alert. Suddenly, he felt an inexplicable uneasiness - his sixth sense warning him that something was terribly wrong. He stopped in his tracks. It was then that he realized the jungle around him had gone unnaturally quiet, a sure sign that a large predator was near. Trusting his sixth sense, he resisted the urge to move forward and instead crouched low, scanning the dense foliage for any sign of movement. Moments later, he caught the faintest flicker of movement, a shadow. The tiger, that Anderson thought he was tracking, was now stalking him using the thick foliage to its advantage. The hunter had become the hunted. But luckily, he was able to spot the tiger just in time. He raised his rifle and fired a shot that brought the man-eater’s reign to an end.

Another near-fatal episode involved a man-eating leopard known as the “Spotted Devil of Gummalapur,” responsible for several deaths in the region . Perhaps most chilling was the psychological warfare waged by the leopard. Its attacks were so terrifying that its ability to silently approach and vanish into the darkness made it seem almost supernatural. The leopard was known to break through thatched walls and roofs, sometimes wiping out entire families in a single night. Anderson, called in to end the reign of terror, quickly realized he was dealing with a creature of extraordinary cunning. The leopard displayed a malignant modus operandi that he had never encountered before, often stalking its human prey with unbelievable patience and striking with lethal precision. Anderson spent many nights in the jungle alone, often using himself as bait to track this elusive and deadly predator. On one tense night, while inside his hut accompanied by a stray dog, the leopard silently approached, ready to attack. Thanks to dog’s timely warning, Anderson narrowly escaped a fatal encounter. This brush with death underscored the danger posed by man-eating leopards and the razor-thin line between survival and tragedy in the Western Ghats back in those days.

Indian Dhole (Asiatic wild dog)

Indian Dholes hunting a wild boar

A bit later into our trek, we found ourselves near a stagnant water body. It was here that we spotted another wild boar. But something was amiss. Even from a distance, I could sense that all was not well.

As we watched quietly, it became heartbreakingly clear that the boar’s lower jaw was broken, hanging loosely and rendering it helpless. The animal looked very weak, probably because it hadn’t eaten in several days; with such an injury, feeding would be impossible, and even drinking water was a big struggle. The poor creature tried again and again to drink, lowering its snout. But no matter how much it tried, the water would not enter its mouth. It was something painful to witness.

In these forests, there are no second chances. With such a grievous injury, the boar’s fate was sealed. It was only a matter of hours or days before predators would do their job. Such incidents are sobering reminders of the wild’s harsh realities. Nature is breathtaking but it is also unforgiving, a place where survival is never guaranteed.

Wild boar with a broken jaw trying to get water

After an intense search and tracking, we finally spotted the king himself. A massive, muscular male tiger in his prime. Every step he took was so powerful to watch. He had the attitude of a boss, with no one to answer to.

Watching a tiger in its natural habitat is an experience that stirs something deep within the soul. The moment the tiger appears, time seems to slow down. Your heart races as you witness this magnificent creature moving with effortless grace and supreme confidence.

You are now in the presence of an apex predator the whole jungle fears.