Man-Eaters - Page 1&2:Why
Cats Attack | 3&4:
The Real Facts | 5&6: Jim Corbett
| 7&8: The Sundarbans |
9&10:
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve | 11&12: Reducing
Attacks | 13&14: Tiger Attack Stories
Tanning the tiger:During
one night in 1968, a 6-man US Marine patrol
were taking turns to rest. They were well hidden from the Vietnamese in
dense bush, but were particularly uptight with visibility
down almost to nil. Over the radio the patrol leader reported the team had movement around them. He was now faced with the decision of remaining still and quiet, or taking aggressive action. The next transmission over the radio was anything but quiet and indicated the group was also anything but still. The black shape
had returned, grabbed a patrol member and the Marines had opened
fire. It was then they discovered the shape belonged to a huge
tiger. The terrain was tough.
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The tiger weighed 400 pound. The weather was so bad it was debatable if the team could successfully be extracted. Conditions at the time were monsoonal. After a great deal of effort and struggling, the increased danger involved in trying to evade enemy patrols, while carrying a 400 pound tiger, made it clear that the entire animal could not be carted out. The patrol leader made the decision to skin the cat and the team made it to their pickup point. In the weather conditions the helicopter was unable to land forcing the team to keep on the move. After two more
humid days their tiger hide was starting to deteriorate. The
next radio exchange between the patrol and base went something
like this: Bn CP: "There is a Marine here who grew up on a farm and says he knows a bit about tanning skins" Patrol Leader: "So?" Bn CP: "He said you have to pour tannic acid on the skin." Patrol Leader: "And where in the hell do I get tannic acid way out here?" Bn CP: "He said urine has tannic acid in it. Piss on the tiger!" Patrol Leader:
"Roger." Within the
next 48 hours decomposition claimed the remains of the tiger
and it smelt positively horrible. |