Oct 18th, 2012 Camera Trapping
We got up before sunrise this morning in order to go and check the three camera traps we placed out. We placed one in an area we were able to make out paw prints of cats walking an established trail. The second was at a junction, where a Stupa sits. We found cat scratching and old feces here. The third camera was also placed on a well traveled path were cat scratching in the dirt were found. Of the three locations we staked out, only one denoted any movement by cats. We found fresh prints! We were very hopeful to see a tiger on the footage... To our great disappointment, the camera at this location did not function. For some reason, it would not trigger. What a disappointment! Even though we have a few more weeks to find concrete evidence of tigers, I feared that this may have been the moment. An opportunity lost. We placed a different camera at the same location in hopes of capturing something tomorrow.

After breakfast, we headed southwest to meet with a village family living in the area. These people told us that they have seen many tigers in the area over the years. The family successfully identified images of tigers and the sounds they said the animals made. They told us that two to three months ago, their children happened upon a tiger den holding 2 or 3 cubs. The father said that his kids through things at the cubs, chasing them off. Unfortunately these kids where not in the area for us to interview. The couple did, however, tell us the general location of the den and pointed us to an area they said tigers pass through regularly. Upon investigating the area pointed out to us, we found two sets of paw prints close to one another, which could indicate the presence of a female tiger and cub. The paw sizes measured approximately 3x4 inches (7.6 cm x 10.1 cm) and 4x5 inches (10.1 cm x 12.7 cm). We set up two camera traps at this location. All five traps are now in place and our finger's are crossed.