Tiger charges at safari vehicle in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, driver steps on gas

PILIBHIT: A family on a safari vehicle had a narrow escape after a tiger charged at them on the inaugural day of the ecotourism session of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Saturday afternoon. The trained safari vehicle driver sensed the gravity of the situation and immediately stepped on the gas and sped awayBusinessman Nitin Khandelwal, a resident of Puranpur tehsil in Pilibhit district, said, "During the safari, I noticed the presence of a tiger in the shrubs. The vehicle driver stopped to let my family watch the tiger and capture a video when the big cat charged at us. The trained vehicle driver immediately stepped on the gas and sped away."Range officer of Mahof forest range Sahendra Singh Yadav said, "The incident happened on the way to Chuka ecotourism spot, where there is a presence of a tigress with her cubs. The tourists have named her Chuka Female. It could be her, as mother big cats are extremely protective of their cubs." A former state head at Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), Prem Chand Pandey, said, "Tigers tend to pose a mock attack when they feel disturbed. Vehicles and tourists need to maintain a considerable distance from the tigers during safaris.Tiger sighting alone needed to be deemed a fruitful outcome of the safari without any passion for capturing videos or pictures of tigers."