Ranthambore National Park is located in Rajasthan, India. This is a tiger reserve that was declared a national park in 1980 and is now home to a variety of wildlife including deer, leopards, desert foxes, crocodiles and sloth bears. In total, the area is home to approximately 35 species of reptiles, 40 species of mammals and 320 species of birds.
Visitors from all over the world travel to Ranthambore National Park on safari to explore its rich wildlife. While tigers are the main attraction, those on safari often get a glimpse of how these giant felines interact with other animals—in this case, visitors see a tiger go up against a sloth bear , is sufficient to elicit a response.
Unlike other bear species, sloth bears do not hibernate. Since they don’t live in cold climates, they stay awake year-round, sleep in burrows, and nibble on ants, termites, seeds, and fruit. While sloth bears are not naturally aggressive towards tigers, sloth bears have evolved to survive in this environment where tigers are often encountered.
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At the beginning of the video, you can hear the whispers of the audience behind the camera as a tiger chases after a sloth bear. The tiger got close enough to sniff the sloth bear’s back, then stepped back a few steps and remained motionless. The sloth bear seemed preoccupied with what was on the ground and didn’t pay much attention to the tiger.
Sloth bears look smaller than tigers when you look at them from this angle. So engrossed was the sloth bear that he didn’t even notice the tiger stalking him. It took a few steps forward, turned around and saw the tiger, and immediately stood on its hind legs. It also sends out rumbling bark.
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Then, it rushed to the tiger and continued to bark loudly. The tiger immediately regretted his decision to disturb the bear and started running in the direction it had come from. As the bear continued the chase, the tiger came across another tiger lying lazily on the ground.
It was only a few feet away from the two tigers, and stood up again with its chest out. Its two clawed front paws are at the sides, as if in a bar brawl pose. Threats and lures worked, but Erhu remained calm and refused to make a move. As the frightened tiger ate its dust, the bear got back to its work.
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I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
