I'll take that! Safari couple miss opportunity to photograph beautiful tiger... because it steals their camera
By ANTHONY BOND
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Taking pictures of wild and dangerous animals is one of the reasons many people take expensive safari trips.
But for one elderly couple, they missed an opportunity to snap a beautiful tiger up close - because it walked off with their camera.
The couple had been taking a safari in the Tadoba Andhari Tiger reserve in central India when their safari vehicle had swerved abruptly after spotting the female predator.
Curious: An elderly couple had hoped to take pictures of this female tiger. But after dropping their camera bag, the tiger had other ideas
Interested: The couple dropped the camera bag onto the forest track in the Tadoba Andhari Tiger reserve in central India. Despite the bag being just a few yards away from the jeep, the tiger decided to investigate it
This resulted in the camera bag dropping onto the forest track. Despite the bag being just a few yards away from the jeep full of eager tourists, the tiger approached it to investigate.
Photographer Dipankar Mazumdar witnessed the moment and began taking these incredible pictures. He said the tiger approached the bag with caution and began sniffing it.
He said: 'The owner of the bag, an elderly foreign couple watched with anxiety, worried for the safety of the video camera and the memory cards contained in the bag.
'Knowing the nature of this tigress, we were expecting her not to give up in a hurry. She turned the bag around with her paws, gave it another smell over, and paused for a moment as if pondering her next step before using her 3 inch canines to firmly grasp the bag.
Cautious: The tiger had a good sniff of the bag to try and work out its contents, much to the delight of the tourists onboard the nearby jeep
Keen: After deciding the bag didn't pose it any harm, the tiger decided she was going to take it
'She posed with her prize for the benefit of the jeeps present on the spot before turning around and rapidly walking away into the forest.
'Deeper into the forest, we could catch glimpses of her using her teeth and paws to investigate into the contents of her prize.'
At this point, daylight was fading and the group had to head back to the park gates, with the couple resigned to losing their prized-possession to the tiger.
However, the bag was found the following morning and apart from some teeth and claw marks, its content were completely undamaged.
Mine: No doubt the elderly couple would have loved to take some pictures of this moment, however, the tiger had other ideas
Good news: The tiger turned around and rapidly walked away into the forest. But the camera bag was found the following morning completely undamaged
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