The first time I saw him was late in October of 1983 as he leisurely strolled the shores of Rajbagh Lake. I knew a new male had arrived. He was a big guy with great ruffs of hair on his cheeks and a huge belly. He walked with a swagger as if he had not a care in the world – he seemed to know that this area of the lakes was his kingdom. It is after the monsoon that new territories are taken over and the areas re-marked as the monsoon washes off the scent of tigers. The lake area of Ranthambhore is a network of three lakes – Padam Talao, the lotus lake, and Rajbagh, the garden of kings, are separated by 20 metres and Rajbagh and Malik Talao by about 200 metres. Malik is small compared to the other two and all three are surrounded by a 10-foot-high khas grass wall that provides camouflage for both predator and prey. As the winter sets in and water starts to dry up in the hills the sambar move downwards in search of greener pastures. Their very special addiction in Ranthambhore is the succulent water plant that overruns the edges...