The Man Who Speaks Tiger: Meet Sreenivasan, Who Sighted Tigers 2,000 Times In Kerala's Wild
For Kerala's 'Tiger Man', the forest is not merely a workplace — it is home, classroom and lifelong companion, finds ETV Bharat's Biju Gopinath.
Published : August 3, 2026 at 7:57 PM IST
|Updated : August 4, 2026 at 7:40 PM IST
Thiruvananthapuram: For most people, spotting a tiger in the wild is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For Sreenivasan, a tribal forest watcher from Kerala's Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, it has happened more than 2,000 times over the past 26 years.
His extraordinary journey began in 1999, when he was just 16 years old. While fishing on the Parambikulam-Aliyar bridge inside the sanctuary, he suddenly heard a deep growl. Expecting elephants or gaur, he climbed onto the bridge structure for safety. Moments later, a tiger calmly walked beneath him.
That unforgettable encounter changed his life forever.
From Doubt To Recognition
When Sreenivasan reported the sighting, forest officials initially dismissed his claim, although tiger pugmarks were later found at the spot. As he continued spotting tigers during his routine forest visits, many still refused to believe him.
Determined to prove what he was seeing, he borrowed a camera through his uncle and began photographing the tigers. The images convinced forest officials, who soon recognised his remarkable tracking skills.
His observations and photographic documentation later became valuable inputs in wildlife monitoring, contributing to conservation efforts that culminated in Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary being declared a Tiger Reserve in 2010. By then, Sreenivasan had already joined the Forest Department as a temporary watcher, a position he continues to hold.
A Life Shaped By The Forest
Sreenivasan belongs to the Malayar tribal community, one of the indigenous tribes living inside the Parambikulam forests. Although his father and grandfather worked as elephant mahouts, he chose a different path, taking up daily wage work before joining the Forest Department.
Initially assigned to tiger census work through pugmark tracking, he later became involved in monitoring camera traps installed across the reserve. Every three days he trekked through dense forests to inspect cameras, replace damaged equipment and clear vegetation, often walking up to 50 kilometres a day.
He also purchased his own camera through a loan to document wildlife, providing valuable photographs and field observations to the department.
Reading The Language Of Tigers
Years of close observation have given Sreenivasan an intimate understanding of tiger behaviour.
According to him, each tiger can be identified by its unique stripe pattern. A dominant male usually controls a territory of about 100 sq km, while females occupy smaller home ranges within it. Cubs remain with their mothers for nearly three years before venturing out to establish their own territories.
He says tigers succeed in hunting only once in every 10 to 20 attempts, as alarm calls from sambar deer and Nilgiri langurs frequently warn prey of their presence. Their preferred prey includes gaur, sambar deer, chital and wild boar.
Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, spread across 285 sq km, is currently estimated to support around 20 to 23 tigers.
Living Alongside Predators
Despite spending over two decades in tiger territory, Sreenivasan says he has never been attacked by a tiger.
"The secret is to respect the animal's space and never disturb it," he says.
Ironically, his most serious injury came not from a tiger but from a charging gaur during a tiger census. He suffered severe leg injuries and crawled nearly two kilometres through the forest before receiving help. Recovery took four months.
Yet his passion for the forest remains undiminished.
"Walking 30 kilometres through the forest is exhausting," Sreenivasan says. "But the moment I see a tiger, all that tiredness disappears."
For Kerala's 'Tiger Man', the forest is not merely a workplace — it is home, classroom and lifelong companion. His story stands as a remarkable example of how indigenous knowledge, patience and passion can significantly contribute to wildlife conservation.
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