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Edward Spera / Cover of AREBELLA Magazine 2011

Edward Spera's "Calculating The Odds" Bangel Tiger has been chossen to be the cover of the Fall issue of ARABELLA magazine. Edwards artistic talent recently cought the attention of the Canadian Art, Archetecture and Design magazine and was not only featured on the cover but was also included in their feature section called "Artists to Appreciate: Artists to Collect."
ARABELLA is available in North America from all Chapters & Indigo and Barnes & Noble Bookstores and their associated network retailers. For more information go to www.arabelladesign.com







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Edwards Latest Jouneys

Africa 2008

India 09

   For the last 2 years we have travelled to India in the April time period. Our purpose has been to track down a particular Tigress and now a Tigress with cubs. Two years ago she, Jujura, was pregnant and last year we found out she had three cubs. Both years we came away with some incredible shots and last year’s family photo was amazing. So this April/May we needed to continue to follow the family and see how they have progressed. Upon arrival to Delhi we settled in, shook off the long flights and headed to Bandhavgarh Nat. Park. This beautiful park is one of the few remaining strongholds for Tigers in the wild and has provided many great photo opportunities for us. This year was no exception.

   We hired a jeep, hooked up with our favourite driver and a reliable guide and away we went. After a couple hours we came across 2 male Tigers. We had the pleasure of seeing these two quite a bit last year with their mother, but now they were on their own. They were big and they were handsome, even with porcupine quills sticking out of the chin of the one... ouch.  After a little while they slowly strolled by our jeep and disappeared. If these beautiful cats didn’t want to be seen they could easily do so at any time as these two brothers did.

    Our goal every day was to spend quality time in Jujura’s territory looking for her and the cubs. On our second morning we caught a glimpse of one of her cubs on top of a rocky hill surrounded by trees. This hill looked right down onto the watering hole where we’ve had great success in Jujura sightings in the past. This was her territory and she was around. We drove to the edge of the water and patiently waited as the heat of the morning continued to climb...38, 40, 42 degrees. At this time of year with this heat all animals need to drink on a regular basis. Within an hour the cub was on the move making her way down to the water’s edge to quench its thirst. Click,click,click... photos galore. She was gorgeous and after the refreshing drink she was intrigued by our presence and posed on rocks and moved about the trees for some great sequences. As quietly as she arrived she moved off into the forest and joined her sibling as we watched their silhouettes bump heads. Our morning was done, but the day was not over.

   With their presence by the watering hole our ranger and driver suggested we book a blind for the afternoon by the water. The blind was a crude stick and grass structure that sat on the rock hill overlooking the surrounding area. Our cub from the morning walked right past it on her way to the water. If these cats were hot they would surely come down and even lay in the water for the afternoon... this would be perfect scenario. We quickly organized hiring the blind at the main Ranger headquarters. We returned, grabbed the camera gear and our Ranger lead us up to the blind and away went our driver. No one is allowed in the park at mid day hours without special permission, drivers included. So we waited. And waited. Then there was a waiting period.  I checked the cameras and lenses... all good.  And we waited. I woke Lisa (my wife) and the ranger up.  We waited for a bit longer. Oh, a bird...  and there it goes. And we waited. By the way it was forty six degrees in the shade of the blind. Oh, did I mention there was a bird. Four hours went by and our Ranger gets up, shrugs his shoulders and climbs out of the blind. With his hands on his hips he stands a little further up the embankment on a boulder and looks down the other side of the hill. After a couple minutes he comes back in the blind and profoundly states, “No Tiger”... fantastic. Well, the jeep returns, we grab the cameras and hike back down to the water. As we drive around the hill, we look up and low and behold up pops a tiger head, and another, and another.  All three cubs were sleeping on the other side of the hill from our blind approx. 40 ft away and our ranger was standing within 30 ft as he looked down the hill. It was so silent all afternoon you could hear a pin drop, but heaven forbid we hear three tigers snoring. For the next day we passed by other rangers and drivers who always asked with a big smile, “How was the blind?”.  Our answer was always, ”The bird was spectacular”...  Good times.

   Over the next couple days we had a few sightings of a famous mature tiger named B2. At 13 years old he is the dominant male in the park and big, like Arnold big, flexing his thick build with every step. But our most unique sighting of our India journey was of a Sloth bear. Similiar in size and colouring to a Black bear, just a little fuzzier around the head, we spotted it early one morning around Jujura’s watering hole. After pictures and video a plenty, he crossed our path and disappeared up a hill into the forest. Our Ranger and driver of 25 years experience have only seen 3 other Sloth bears, so the extreme uniqueness of this potentially once in a lifetime sighting was “wow”. They are very shy and extremely nocturnal, so we sat back in the jeep and began enjoying the moment until we looked over our shoulder and noticed perched 30 ft away on the rocky hill was a tiger. It was one of Jujura’s cubs and she didn’t care about us at all, but had her attention completely focused on the Sloth bear scampering in the distance. She posed for some great shots and eventually crossed the trail behind us and pursued the bear. At one and half years old she is learning to stalk and hunt, utilizing everything Jujura has taught her.

   A few more tiger sightings and our time in Bandhavgarh was coming to an end. We still hadn’t seen Jujura yet, missing her here and there as she moved around.  Our last afternoon we spent waiting in her territory, but with no alarm calls from other animals letting us know of a predators presence it was quiet.  We slowly started back for the lodge. The sun was setting and it was time to say goodbye to Bandhavgarh for another year.  Until we heard the amazing sound of a Sambar deer barking out a great call, notifying everything around that a Tiger was on the move and our guide and driver immediately new the location. As we arrived at Jujura’s watering hole we positioned our jeep for the best camera angle and sat silently. Within minutes and with enough light to get a few shots, Jujura came walking out from the forest across the water. She didn’t hesitate in crouching down for a drink and giving us some grand finale poses. As we were leaving she walked along the water with us and turned her attention to a herd of spotted deer in the distance. Goodbye Jujura... see you next year.

   We’ll be travelling back to India next spring and completing the life cycle of this tiger family, eager to see the start of a new generation of tigers in the wild. As always, we look forward to every privileged moment watching these incredible creatures and welcome the opportunity to possibly hear them snoring...  it was a pretty bird though.

Click here for adventure story Africa 08



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