I have just returned from a brilliant weeks walking on Madeira where I had one of my lifes ambitions realised - I saw the Madeira Tiger (Panthera tigris ssp madeirensis). Little is known about this almost mythical creature that is believed to habit the high wooded mountain slopes of the island, there have been very few sightings but talk to the locals and they will tell you stories about the prowess of this magnificent beast.
I had been joking with the group about the Madeira tiger and of course no one believed me that the creature existed but a walk last Sunday changed all that! I decided at the last minute to walk a different levada to the one planned due to cloud cover and rain. The walk begins through the forests above the levada, it was wet, not cold and we were all in high spirits when out of no where this beast was spotted - for once in my life I was speechless - but one of the group manged to take a photo. It was one of those moments that was very, very special and I just want to take this opportunity to thank Volker, Malcom, Gwyn, Chantal, Sabina, Tracy, Rachel and Margarete (the 'A' team) who shared this adventure with me.
