Creatures that visit your garden?

[Mopi Licinius Crassus]

Yes , they can often be seen roaming the streets especially at night . Just few days back - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/.../106884998.cms

We can't kill them back (else face prosecution under Wildlife Protection Act) ; only report to police or forest department .

Btw what if I told there aren't any less tigers in the region as well ! Just around new year's eve - https://www.etvbharat.com/english/st...35355261261595

Actually , there is a big tiger reserve forest 'Rajaji National Park' on outskirts of our city . This is it (enclosing the highway) :




And this ain't the only tiger forest , there are others too in nearby districts like Jim Corbett tiger reserve , Pilibhit tiger reserve etc. .

The one in your sign btw....do his 23&me & he might very well be my homie

how can people live with big cats so close by ?
Imagine seeing a tiger in your backyard ! Jesus

[Kazimiera]

how can people live with big cats so close by ?
Imagine seeing a tiger in your backyard ! Jesus

There are mountain leopards in my area too. I can't speak for tigers, but mountain leopards are very shy. They are only aggressive when confronted, and even then would rather run away than fight. There are also active mainly at night, so it's possible that many people have had one in the yard and not known about it.



A problem in my area is baboons. Fortunately I haven't had any, but they invade people's houses, open the fridges, eat everything, make a mess and then still have the audacity to attack you in your own house if you try to thwart them. They are clever. They know exactly how to open locks, doors and windows. Even dogs don't help because they come armed with branches and belt the dogs into submission.

There is one solitary male in particular who is an ongoing nightmare. His name is Eric and he wreaks havoc in people's homes. They've caught him and tried to relocate him and integrate him into other troops but it is only a matter of weeks before he's back. They took him away over 100km and in a space of two months he was there again. I'd rather come face-to-face with a mountain leopard in my back yard than a baboon in my house.

[Mopi Licinius Crassus]

There are mountain leopards in my area too. I can't speak for tigers, but mountain leopards are very shy. They are only aggressive when confronted, and even then would rather run away than fight. There are also active mainly at night, so it's possible that many people have had one in the yard and not known about it.



A problem in my area is baboons. Fortunately I haven't had any, but they invade people's houses, open the fridges, eat everything, make a mess and then still have the audacity to attack you in your own house if you try to thwart them. They are clever. They know exactly how to open locks, doors and windows. Even dogs don't help because they come armed with branches and belt the dogs into submission.

There is one solitary male in particular who is an ongoing nightmare. His name is Eric and he wreaks havoc in people's homes. They've caught him and tried to relocate him and integrate him into other troops but it is only a matter of weeks before he's back. They took him away over 100km and in a space of two months he was there again. I'd rather come face-to-face with a mountain leopard in my back yard than a baboon in my house.

male baboons are huge with enormous canines ...i would shit myself if one of them came in the house

[Kazimiera]

male baboons are huge with enormous canines ...i would shit myself if one of them came in the house

Sometimes they even steal babies, if they are left unattended. There was a case a few years ago where a female baboon took a baby out of its crib whilst mom went into the house to get something. The baboon took the baby high into a tree and started cradling and breastfeeding it. They think that maybe the baboon lost her own baby or babies and was taking her maternal instincts out on a human baby. She was very gentle with the infant, even protecting it when other baboons wanted to take a closer look. She had the baby in the tree for hours. Of course the mom was frantic and there was no way she could get to her baby. The last thing you want in that case is to spook the baboon into either dropping the baby, or taking it away with her to the troop. Things turned out well in the end because the baboon returned the baby to its mother by putting it back in the cradle and then ran off with the others.

The best baboon deterrent is to make them feel unwelcome in the neighbourhood. Everyone needs to work together to make their stay as unpleasant as possible by banging pots and pans together and spraying them with water and pelting them with small stones. There are baboon-proof rubbish bins which prevent them access into the garbage. People are also encouraged to install netting over the windows to prevent them access into the home.

If you have one in your house the best thing is to make as much noise as possible, whilst allowing them an exit route. You do NOT want to corner a baboon because you WILL lose the fight.