The making of a "maneater". The Pithoragarh maneater

[prashantsingh]

Interesting observation.
Point noted.
We reached our destination late night. I had requested the ranger to tie a bait at the same point we're the attack had taken place. I was also in touch with my friend Sanjay and and and giving him the updates.
Interestingly the last three human kills had been made at intervals of almost one month.

[Safarigent]

The firearms being used by me were a bolt action CRF .375 H&H Rifle with 270 grain softnose tips and an Over Under 12 Ga shotgun with buckshot.

[prashantsingh]

Unlike animal kills. Human kills are retrieved fast. Family members of the deceased come looking for the victim and the maneater rarely gets a chance to take a second helping.
I was sure this leopard was killing it's normal prey in between as well and killing humans only when the opportunity came up.
My friend suggested that I put more than one bait. Since the leopard had been disturbed it could have moved in any direction but was more likely to move back into home turf. Familiar ground. The attack indicated that it was now hungry and would strike again. So we moved Rockstar to his original position and tied another bait at the place where the attack took place. This place was almost 4 kms from the previous attack. Distance as the crow flies
We were exhausted after the long journey and decided to come back in the morning and inspect our two baits.

[prashantsingh]

Since the village where the recent attack had taken place was 3 kms from the main road. We called up the Pradhan (village head) and enquired about the bait.
The bait was untouched.
We told the Pradhan that we would come by afternoon and sit on a machaan in the evening.
We then drove to Chaubaati . The Forest Chowki to inspect Rockstar.
Rockstar had transformed into a handsome young fellow. His skin was now black and shiny.
The two forest guards on the chowki were taking good care of him. He had polished off all the "makka" they had grown for themselves.
Living away from their families. The two guards would feed him Roti and Gur. He was their new pet.
"Isko itna mat khilao. Jyada mota ho jayega to Baagh ko bhaga dega". I told the guards.
"Dont feed him so much. If he becomes too healty he will fight off the maneater".

Male Buffalo calfs are a neglected lot in rural India.
They are either sold off dirt cheap (since the demand for beef is less) to a "kasai" or are set free in the jungles to fend for themselves.
The female calf has a lot of financial value. She grows up to yield milk and produce more offsprings.

These feral male buffalo calves , in most cases fall prey to the big cats (leopards) in the hills.
There is a fantastic photograph of a leopard bringing down a buffalo calf on the Nainital Road on the internet. I am sure some of you must have seen it. Someone can please post the link here.

[zaheer.bakshi]

[brihacharan]

> Taking a cue from Kalyan's suggestion of soaking the bait in hooch....here's an out of the box suggestion...
> Since the leopard is seeking human prey....why not install a human effigy soaked in hooch as bait?
> The leopard could mistake the effigy to be real & pounce upon it....time enough to take a killing shot perhaps...
> I know this sounds a bit strange...but why not give it a try?
Briha

[prashantsingh]

There is a twist in the tail Briha sir.
The moment I get some time I will pen it down here

[zaheer.bakshi]

[brihacharan]

This is a very strange picture indeed...
Usually leopards bite into the top (base) of the neck to sever the spine or at the bottom of the throat to choke the breath out...
In this picture it seems to have bitten at the side of the neck....probably the picture was taken when the leopard is trying to get a proper hold....am I right?
BTW - is this the leopard you are after?
Briha

[prashantsingh]

This is an old photograph from the net . I was talking about this photo.
Zaheer you can post the link so that you do not violate any copyright.

[zaheer.bakshi]

http://hillpost.in/2012/07/leopard-atta ... way/47078/


This photo of leapord was taken from internet for sharing with friends.

[prashantsingh]

That's my friend Shahid outside the Sandeo Forest Rest House.
The only snap we took in the second trip.
The attack took place on friday night.
We were there on saturday night.
As mentioned earlier the two baits had been tied.
Next morning we went to Chaubati Forest Chauki and after a heavy brunch left for the village where the attack had taken place.
We made a machaan on a favourable tree and sat through the evening. There was nothing eventful except for a dog barking at around 8 pm.
We called it a day at 10 pm and left the baits overnight.
The next evening we searched the area with a spot light and hired a pickup . The forest dept. vehicle had gone for some repairs.
The pick ups driver was a devout hindu and a pure vegetarian.
After giving the driver some basic instructions we started just before dusk and went on till late night.
Half an hour into the drive. The driver suddenly breaked and started honking.
We had asked him to drive slowly and be quiet. It came as a surprise when he almost sat on the horn in the middle of the jungle.
When inquiring what had happened he told us that there was a frog infront of the vehicle and he wanted it to move away.
We were shocked and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Shahid got down and gave the driver a good firing. "Aise to kabhi bhi baagh nahi marega."
"If you are scared of a bloody frog . How do you expect us to kill the maneater."He concluded.

The latest attack was reported extensively in the local media. There was tremendous pressure on the Forest Dept and as a result the DFO issued two more permits to hunt the maneater.
People wanted results . And they wanted them fast.
On our return to the Rest House we found the famous hunter Lakhpat Singh Rawat with his team of 4 and another hunter Joy already present.

Hunters have a larger than life EGO. and I am no exception.
I had spent almost two weeks on this maneater.
I knew we were close to getting it. But seeing the other hunters I decided (against my team mates wishes) to leave the following morning.

We had dinner with Lakhpat and chatted on till late evening. I shared with him all the information I had.
Found him to be a nice soft spoken gentleman.
Lakhpat asked us to stay on. But I had already made up my mind.
I told him politely that since the most experienced hunter in the state was here . The locals had nothing to fear.
There was nothing more we could do and wishing him the very best before retiring to bed.
Lakhpat had just come back after spending a month in Bageshwar trying (unsuccesfuly) to hunt a maneater there.

Before going to sleep . I deleted all the local contacts from my mobile.
Starting from the DFOs down to the forest guards and the Gram Pradhan.
I felt deceived by the dept. When they had given me a job. They should have at least given me time to finish it.

[prashantsingh]

Early next morning. We had a cup of tea and left for Dehradun.
A few hours through the drive at around 8 am I got a call from the Ranger.
I was shocked to hear what he said.
"Dr Saab. Rockstar is dead. Killed and partially eaten by a leopard last night."
All these days we had worked so hard and no kill was made.
I had been bitten by ants and sucked by leeches. I had shut down my clinic and come all the way here.
And today when we had finally left. The first kill in more than a fortningt had been reported.
After a moments silence I told the Ranger "This is not A Leopard. This is THE MANEATER we have been looking for. Zindagi aur maut to upar wale ke haath me hai Ranger saheb. Agar maneater ko aaj marna hai to woh maara jayega. Best wishes to your hunters."
All these days Rockstar had been tied to the same spot.
A spot hardly 500 m from the place where the maneater had made the last human kill.
Shikar by Chance.
This would be Lakhpat's first maneater in less than 24 hours. I thought.
I could almost visualize seeing his snap in the news papers the next morning.
I slowed down the suv and stopped.
Got down and walked up to Shahid's door.
"Give me a kick on my backside" I told him.
"What happened?". He questioned.
When I told him the story he looked at me and said.
"Dr Saheb. Kasam se . Ek nahi . Kheech ke Do laat marne ka man kar raha hai."
The rest 10 hours of our drive back home were in complete silence.
My mind was bogged with each and every event of the past couple of weeks.
I couldnt think straight and asked shahid to take to the wheel.
Found myself staring blankly outside the window.

The next morning I called up Zaheer.
I did not have the heart to call up the Ranger.
Zaheer spoke to the Ranger later in the day.
The maneater had returned in the evening for a second helping.
It was indeed a big fellow. Probably a male. Surely more 7 feet in length.
And up on the tree waiting for the beast. Was amongst the most experienced of all Shikaris in the country.

[AgentDoubleS]

What beautiful narration Prashant. Sorry to hear that you and AB missed bagging this. With the way we humans are hell bent on destroying nature I am sure, and regretfully so, that many more opportunities would arise. My congratulations for the effort to all of you involved.

[herb]

Thanks Prashant & gang for sharing your hunt with all the details & pictures. I was following your posts very closely and felt like I was there with you, and I sure was at least in spirit & thoughts. Very disappointed at the turn of events and and will miss this hunt. I can understand your disappointment also at how things ended. My thoughts are also with the poor villagers who lost their near & dear ones and those who are continuously living in fear.

Thank you ones again for this thread, really appreciate your sharing the experience.

Herb