As beautiful as they are I'm pretty sure I don't want to come back in my next life as a chital. Or for that matter any ungulate in Nepal (although it could actually be less dangerous than driving on the roads here). For spotted deer on the Terai to Himalayan tahr in the shadows of the world's loftiest peaks, all sorts of "tigers" await, hoofed animals are prey species for hungry big cats. Yesterday and today so far, ears, eyes, nose, sixth sense and technology have told me stories of chital coping with panthera tigris as wary movements, alarm calls and giant pug marks signal the drama of the jungle. Perhaps this deer was a scout? Tiger was nearby...
The word "tiger" in Nepal can mean leopard, snow leopard, smaller wild cats and of course the huge striped predator but to deer they all mean one thing, danger and the constant reminder that things could get messy...
The word "tiger" in Nepal can mean leopard, snow leopard, smaller wild cats and of course the huge striped predator but to deer they all mean one thing, danger and the constant reminder that things could get messy...
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