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By Suman Raju, Cinematographer

Bhopal, a bustling city in central India, is not just known for its lakes and rich history but also for something far more extraordinary: its resident tigers. Unlike many other urban areas, Bhopal has embraced the presence of these magnificent predators, creating a unique environment where tigers and humans coexist. This unusual relationship is a testament to both the adaptability of the tigers and the progressive attitude of the city’s residents.

These tigers are not recent arrivals; they have been in Bhopal for decades, learning the art of living alongside humans. They have adapted to the city’s rhythm, becoming nocturnal to avoid direct interactions with people. During the day, they retreat to hidden caves and secluded spots, emerging only at night to move through the city. This behaviour has allowed them to thrive without causing any significant negative interactions with humans, a rare achievement in the modern world.

Bhopal’s residents have played a crucial role in this delicate balance. The city boasts the highest acceptance level for tigers of any urban area in India. Rather than fearing these big cats, the people of Bhopal take pride in sharing their city with such powerful and awe-inspiring creatures. This mutual respect has been instrumental in allowing the tigers to make Bhopal their home.

Tracking these elusive animals in a cityscape is no easy task. For many months, my team and I struggled to find any concrete evidence of their presence. But we were determined not to give up. We divided the city periphery into grids of five square kilometres, starting from the outskirts and moving inward. Each grid was thoroughly scouted for signs such as pug marks (footprints) or scats. When we found such evidence, we set up camera traps to monitor the tigers’ movements.

This painstaking process took over two and a half years, during which we learned just how adept these tigers had become at avoiding human detection. They moved with remarkable stealth, navigating through the city without drawing attention to themselves. It became clear that these tigers were not just surviving in Bhopal; they had truly mastered the urban environment.

We set up ten remote cameras paired with motion detection sensors to track and capture tiger family footage with Bhopal city as a backdrop. One evening while we were changing the battery for a camera trap, we heard noises coming from nearby bushes. We guessed it might be a tiger, but we hadn’t seen any footprints while walking in the area. We quickly changed the battery and went home, but the anticipation kept us awake all night.

The next morning, driven by curiosity, we returned to check the camera. To our surprise and excitement, it had captured footage of a tiger within just five minutes of our departure. This was one of the most impactful and unforgettable experiences I have had. Even today, thinking about it gives me goosebumps.

The footage we gathered provided unprecedented insights into how tigers adapt to living close to humans. We discovered that these big cats use the same spaces that humans occupy (such as gated communities and universities), but only venture close to these at night. In other areas of India, tigers are much more frequently seen during the day. This remarkable adaptation had never been documented before and was a revelation to us.

Our work was not without its challenges. One of the more amusing obstacles we faced was the curiosity of tiger cubs. These young tigers often played with the motion trigger sensors of our camera traps, biting through the wires and rendering the cameras non-functional. To solve this problem, we ran the cables through PVC pipes and buried them in the ground. This simple but effective solution kept the wires safe from the playful cubs, allowing us to continue our research.

Another challenge was dealing with the severe winds that often blew across the hilltops where we had placed lights to capture night-time footage of tigers. The winds frequently knocked over the lights, causing damage. To counter this, we created protective ‘helmets’ using foam sheets. These shielded the lights from the elements, ensuring that we could capture the footage we needed.

One last problem was caused by curious langurs. These monkeys often knocked down the lights and camera trap boxes, treating them as playthings as they leapt around the area. The langurs frequented the same waterholes as the local tiger family, making their presence felt. To ensure that the camera traps remained in place and functioned properly, it was necessary to check and secure them daily, especially before sunset, so that we didn’t miss capturing the tigers’ nocturnal activities.

The success of Bhopal’s tigers serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of coexistence. These tigers have learned to live in harmony with the city, avoiding conflicts and thriving in a challenging environment.