A tiger's footprint is known as a pug mark. Like the spot pattern above a tiger's whiskers, a pug mark is unique to each tiger. Jim Corbett, who lived from 1875 to 1955 and wrote extensively about hunting, and later conserving, tigers, was an expert when it came to tracking pug marks. He could tell all kinds of things by looking at one, the most fundamental information being the gender of the tiger and what direction it was traveling in, and when it passed through an area and at what speed.

Pug marks are of interest not only to big game hunters, but also scientists. For 30 years pug marks have been used as a means to monitor and census wild tiger populations in India. However, a paper published earlier this year in the journal Animal Conservation criticizes the pug-mark method as being unreliable.

"This failure (of the pug-mark census method) has, inevitably, led to poor conservation practices," write the authors who include John Seidensticker, chairman of the Save the Tiger Fund. They say: "Field managers initially reported an increase in tiger population in 1994 despite mounting evidence of deteriorating reserve protection and increasing poaching pressure. Although the situation has not improved greatly ... recent pug-mark censuses are once again reporting increasing tiger numbers."

Seidensticker says point-blank that nobody knows how many tigers are in India. In short, the numbers that many folks casually reel off about tigers remaining in the wild may be wildly off.

Much scarier than the size of Julie's dew claws and canines is the fact that the tiger, already endangered, may be in more trouble than we even realize.

Julie hops off our vehicle to greet her brother, Ron. She rolls submissively on her back and puts a paw to his fuzzy face. All appears cuddly and playful when suddenly there is growling. The siblings square off, rear up to standing on their hind legs, and commence boxing. I see claws extended and teeth bared. The action moves from the ground into a nearby pepper tree, and back down again.

Varty is champing at the bit to film this action up close and personal. But it's too risky, he admits. We content ourselves with watching this uncharacteristic display of aggression from behind a scratched and dirty windshield. "Roll up your window," Varty instructs.