Snippets From My Wildlife Experiences!

 Birds are indicators of the environment, if they are in trouble, we know we'll soon be in trouble! The Great Indian Bustard, a species of bird in India is on a brink of extinction, with only 150 individuals remaining. Found mostly in Rajasthan, it is one of the heaviest flying birds in the word. After been poached for several years, many acts and projects are in place today, protecting and conserving the lives of the few remaining  birds that may soon cease to exist.  The Great Indian Bustard was initially considered to be chosen as the national bird of the country. However, on account of the chance of it being misspelt or confused for a foul word, it was taken out of the running and replaced by the peacock.  During our recent trip to Desert National Park, in the midst of the exhaustive area a flock of 7-8 graceful birds scurred along at a distance. We saw them at two different times of the day. In those two sightings slightly less than 10% of the entire world popul...

Chorbahuli - Pench - Maharasthra. We often visit the forests and the gates where there are maximum tiger sigthings. But there are lesser known places where the biodiversity is just wonderful! Visiting Chorbahuli Gate which a part of Pench – Maharashtra was one such great experience! Being the only gypsy there, I felt like the entire forest was to myself and it brought me close to the raw, unspoiled beauty of the forest. Chorbahuli is one of the three forest ranges of Mansinghdeo Wildlife sanctuary, which provides strategic entry to Tiger Land on National Highway. It is Chorbahuli range from where the actual forest starts and is contiguous to Pench tiger reserves on Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh sides till Rukhad in Madhya Pradesh. The wildlife range is spread in 75 sq km with a road length of 93km. However, for tourism only 40km routes are available with a restriction of 10 vehicles per trip. Even if tiger sightings are rare though a tiger was spotted very recently, the forest is itse...

  The Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher is a stunning bird to have on your bucket list! Its vibrant colours and petite size make it a real gem for birdswatchers.  ODKF or Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher is one of the smallest kingfishers. It is only slightly larger than a medium sized humming bird and measures 12.5cam to 14cm in length, that includes the bill and tail. This tropical kingfisher is a partial migrant and is found in the western ghats and Konkan Region, especially during the monsoons, when its their breeding season.  It is a very colourful and attractive bird, with a coral-red bill, orange head, blue-black forehead and blue and white patches on the side of the neck. It has a dark blue back and wings, a white chin and throat and yellow orange underparts. There is no sexual dimorphism, with both male and female looking alike.  The parents forage for food, bringing various food items, turn by turn. The babies are served with several-course gourmet meal of spiders, dragon...

 Imagine living in a crowded city of 4.3 million people and learning that amidst all of this human world, huge buildings and maddening crowd, lies a small, happy, peaceful forest where wild leopards rule. Urban dwellers who may have heard about leopards but rarely come across one would find this hard to believe.  There does exist a place such as this, right within Jaipur, the capital city of the state of Rajasthan in Western India. Extending over 7.7 square miles, the Jhalana Leopard Reserve is Home to flora and fauna of great variety. However its most famous denizens are its leopards. Over the years, the forest and the leopards and other biodiversity withstood the pressure of rapid urbanization and population growth, yet have been able to flourish here. To have a forest like that in one of the more populous cities is truly marvelous and a great story about conservation.  The revival of Jhalana's ecosystem health has also been a blessing for the resident and migratory bir...

 What are Alarm Calls? It requires years of experience to track a predator in Indian National Parks. Veterans amongst drivers and guides know their national park very well but that too is not enough at times! Its the understanding of alarm calls that decides your chances of a Tiger sighting during the safari. Even if tiger walks silently through the jungle there are always other prey animals keeping a watch. As the jungle is dense, most of the time you spot the animals by hearing them. Alarm Calls are the warning calls provided by the prey animal to its herd regarding the predator movement. This call is very high pitched, short and intense in nature. It is said that the sambar deer's call is the most accurate when it comes to tracking of tigers. Monkey give alarm calls from tree tops. They can spot a tiger or a leopard from a considerable distance. They are like watchman who keep an eye on the surroundings. Interestingly a monkey's call is different when it sights a tiger and ...

 Recently I witnessed a fascinating and dramatic scene in the wild. A drama unfolded in the heart of Kolsa - Tadoba, amidst the serene meadows and winding roads. It began with the majestic Kuwani - the reigning tigress of Kolsa sitting by the roadside in the early hours of our morning safari. We had just entered the park and within minutes we found her lounging in the tranquil grasslands, her eyes scanning the surroundings with vigilance.  Soon Kuwani rose from her resting spot and walked into the meadows. Her cub, which was a little inside in the grass ventured cautiously on the road. He was oblivious to the dangers that lurked around. Suddenly, a new figure emerged from the periphery - Hirdinala tigress - the matriarch of this lineage and Kuwani's own mother. her arrival was a mere coincidence, she had accidentally walked into the territory of Kuwani. Spotting her daughter's cub on the road, Hirdinala's instincts surged into action. With an unpleasant growl, Hirdinala cha...