The dramatic moment a tiger kills a deer was captured by a photographer who waited 660 hours during 220 safaris in India to get the perfect shot.
Stunning photos show the big cat rapidly chasing down its prey before leaping onto its back and dragging it away in Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, India.
The sequence of images was captured by British photographer Andy Rouse, who has spent years waiting to witness a tiger hunt unfold in front of him.
The dramatic moment a tiger kills a deer was captured by a photographer who waited 660 hours during 220 safaris in India to get the perfect shot.
Stunning photos show the big cat rapidly chasing down its prey before leaping onto its back and dragging it away in Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, India.
The sequence of images was captured by British photographer Andy Rouse, who has spent years waiting to witness a tiger hunt unfold in front of him.
Up to this point, the photographer had failed to capture what he calls “the Holy Grail” of photographing tigers.
He said: “I have tried repeatedly to capture a tiger hunting in open country, which is the Holy Grail of tiger photos because it is so rare. It is like winning the animal lottery of wildlife photography to get photos of a hunt in open country, in the sun where the light is perfect. It was a magnificent day.”
“It was definitely one of the highlights of my year to see a wild tiger hunting in the open field and to actually get to photograph it.”
After making a three-month trip to take photos for his first book on these majestic creatures, the tiger enthusiast has returned again and again to Ranthambore to observe the tigers.
Stalking: Up to this point, the photographer had failed to capture what he called “the Holy Grail” of photographing tigers: observing and photographing the stalking process.
Attack: The tiger stalked its prey before running after it and leaping onto its back in a tense moment during the safari.
The photographer and his six-person team came close to witnessing a hunt on several occasions, but luck was never on their side.
On the day of the hunt, Mr Rouse was following female tigress Noor T39 (all tigers in the reserve are numbered) along a stony valley when she suddenly stopped and sat down, placing her paws beneath her.
After playing with her prey for a few minutes, Noor dragged her into a cave to protect her from the scorching 45-degree Celsius heat in Rajasthan, India.
Flying for two-week periods, the safaris lasted three hours each and took place in the early morning and afternoon to avoid the harsh daytime temperatures, which could exceed 45 degrees Celsius.
The photographer and his six-person team came close to witnessing a hunt on several occasions, but luck was never on their side.
He said: “You just have to show up at the right time when the tiger is ready to hunt. A lot of things have to fall into place for everything to go perfectly.”
“I’ve had many times of seeing a tiger in what I would call a perfect hunting situation and then for some reason they didn’t do it. We were all sitting there waiting, thinking ‘why don’t you do it?’ And then when they finally do, the chance of seeing a hunt in open country is very low.”
From standing still to top speed in an instant, the tigress quickly caught up with and overtook the deer, using her strength and size to bring down her prey.
On the day of the hunt, Mr. Rouse was following a tigress along a stone valley when she suddenly stopped and sat down, placing her paws beneath her.
The gigantic tiger used all its strength to launch an attack on the deer, then dragged it down and clamped its jaws around its neck.
Surrounded by rocks and on an uneven, rocky riverbed, the sambar deer stood no chance against the tigress’s power and speed.
On the day of the hunt, Mr Rouse was following tigress Noor T39 (all tigers in the reserve are numbered) along a rocky valley when she suddenly stopped and sat down, placing her paws beneath her.
He said: “I knew from experience with felines that this was a sign she was getting ready to run.”
“She was staring at us and just as I turned to see what she was looking at, I heard some stones falling and saw a sambar deer appear from the bushes.”
From standing still to top speed in an instant, the tigress quickly caught up to and overtook the deer, before using her strength and size to bring her prey down.
Surrounded by rocks and on an uneven, rocky riverbed, the sambar deer stood no chance against the tigress’s power and speed.
As an experienced wildlife photographer, Mr Rouse had witnessed many hunts in the past, but the brutality of the tiger hunt shocked even him.
Flying for two-week stays, the safaris lasted three hours each and took place early in the morning and afternoon to avoid the harsh daytime temperatures, which could exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
In addition to hunting, Mr Rouse managed to capture the big cat feeding on its prey after dragging the animal behind rocks.
Dinner time: The stunning tiger dove into its dinner after dragging it behind rocks at Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, India.
Mr Rouse said: “I have seen many hunts, but when you see a tiger hunt, it is the sheer power and focus of the tiger that strikes you.
“The tiger was jumping from rock to rock and just grabbed the deer and brought it down. From start to finish, it was all over in 10 minutes.”
As an experienced wildlife photographer, Mr Rouse had seen many hunts in the past, but the brutality of tiger hunting shocked even him.
“I have seen many hunts, but when you see a tiger hunt, it is the sheer power and focus of the tiger that hits you. My adrenaline was pumping. Nothing prepared me for the raw savagery of the tiger charge. She was a bold and confident hunter.”