जंगल डायरी Forest Diary

गावातून टोंगे वनरक्षक व वनमजूर येत होते. लेखकाने डावीकडचा झरीचा रस्ता धरला. नुकत्याच गेलेल्या बिबळ्याच्या ताज्या पावलांची चिन्हे दिसली.

Forester Tongue and a forest worker were coming from the village. The writer took the stream path to the left. Fresh pugmarks of a large leopard that had just passed made the worker stop.

जंगलाच्या कोपऱ्यात हालचाल जाणवली. दुर्बीण लावल्यावर तेंदूच्या झाडाखाली बांबूमध्ये बिबळा दिसला. काटकीवर पडलेल्या आवाजाने तो अदृश्य झाला.

Movement was noticed in a forest corner. Through binoculars a leopard sat in bamboo under a tendu tree, camouflaged. When a dry twig cracked under the forester's foot, the leopard vanished in one leap.

ओलसर चिखलात मांजरापेक्षा मोठ्या पावलांची चिन्हे दिसली. लेखक वाघिणीच्या पिल्लांना पाहण्यास अधीर होता.

In wet mud, pugmarks larger than a cat's were seen. The search for a tigress with cubs began. Near a waterhole the writer's heart pounded.

वाघिणीने पिल्लांना झुडपात लपवून शिकार केला. परत येऊन पिल्लांना पाण्यात खेळू दिले. थकूनही त्यांना शिकार खाऊ घातला.

The tigress hid cubs in dense bushes and hunted all night. On return the cubs played in water; when one slipped from her back she only purred disapproval. Though exhausted she fed them the kill.

लेखकाला वाघिणीत आईची झलक दिसली. प्राण्यांतही प्रेम, काळजी आणि जबाबदारी असते.

Care, protection and feeding - the tigress did a mother's duty. The writer felt a 'motherly glimpse' in her. The lesson says animals too have feelings and responsibility.