tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-157043432024-03-18T20:07:56.398-07:00wildlife conservationA simple blog containing pictures and travel logs of a wildlife lover in India.
All photographs in this blog are copyrighted. Unauthorized use of any of these photographs is prohibitedKarthik Ramachandranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06985894782133647066noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15704343.post-55079358968869399822009-03-10T18:06:00.000-07:002009-03-10T18:34:46.220-07:00Purple Swamphen<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzlv_qACThLxpkv2IHLxUCzYVel4ER2i0vB-8-g9TLXpJA8-jq7NvPbHVrEJwuvoBZKlE5GJl6xEc1O7W1d3SZh-8zqB9Ck4lEhBceL2Yg7ybG8K-J3xdAAkL3qpMPi-FqUxkIg/s1600-h/Purple+Swamphen-flock.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzlv_qACThLxpkv2IHLxUCzYVel4ER2i0vB-8-g9TLXpJA8-jq7NvPbHVrEJwuvoBZKlE5GJl6xEc1O7W1d3SZh-8zqB9Ck4lEhBceL2Yg7ybG8K-J3xdAAkL3qpMPi-FqUxkIg/s200/Purple+Swamphen-flock.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311735944773415330" border="0" /></a>The Purple Swamphen also known as the Purple coot or Purple Moorhen is a large bird of the family, Rallidae. South Asian species of this bird have a green back and are overall blue in color. The bird is about chicken sized, with bright plumage and red bill, making it unmistakable to recognize. The birds have elaborate courtship behaviour, with the male holding water reeds in its bill and bowing to the females with quite loud chuckles. The nests are interwoven reeds on floating debris above water levels. An interesting fact to note - multiple females use the nest for laying eggs and they share the incubation duties ( communal nesting).<br /><br />Purple Swamphens normally live in pairs and larger communities. They eat tender roots and vegetable matter. They also feed on small vertebrae like snails and can also prey on other eggs and small ducklings. The birds are extremely good swimmers, specially since they are birds without webbed feet. The birds are clumsy in flight but this does not inhibit them from flying long distances.<br /><br />I sighted the Purple Swamphen at a two different suburbs of Coimbatore. A friend of mine had<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUBCjDHeSzjH0yhTuTrIz2YYEJyu89kkMAb-e8L2Cm5uHlEJafcyAoGAlDxfPOP-AL_B19B3VZLnKHtsOOBLy6VmGo3G7q9avUABrJnnFhyphenhyphenGAKwfDIq4Fuo5fC1L1qmlf_LGJ5Q/s1600-h/Purple+Swamphen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUBCjDHeSzjH0yhTuTrIz2YYEJyu89kkMAb-e8L2Cm5uHlEJafcyAoGAlDxfPOP-AL_B19B3VZLnKHtsOOBLy6VmGo3G7q9avUABrJnnFhyphenhyphenGAKwfDIq4Fuo5fC1L1qmlf_LGJ5Q/s200/Purple+Swamphen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311736618441449154" border="0" /></a> accompanied me in trying to gauge the number of ponds/lakes around coimbatore and the amount of diversity they supported. We almost missed these birds if not for the attractive plumage the birds had. What caught our eye was the brilliant purple green feathers and the brilliant red beak. Many of such of these ponds have been destroyed by man's greediness and selfishness. These ponds and water bodies perform a very important task. During rainy season they become the natural store house for all the excess water and rejuvenate the ground water table.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Click on the pictures for larger versions</span><br /></div>Karthik Ramachandranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06985894782133647066noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15704343.post-68974944292297886632008-12-08T06:11:00.000-08:002009-06-15T18:26:00.295-07:00Slender Loris<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtX9vRWiunT08eGRN3i2avBO_7O6MSolVVOq4qSR2Tjum9-dBTE0C4wNPbTkP5Jqn0tSZjE0SA5S8xle1ApjaFGBTCpb4aiDYQGwD45FkjoNkDCFnhE2ou2BrrE2TvCMWwSirjA/s1600-h/slender+loris-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277425507457299314" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 200px; height: 133px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtX9vRWiunT08eGRN3i2avBO_7O6MSolVVOq4qSR2Tjum9-dBTE0C4wNPbTkP5Jqn0tSZjE0SA5S8xle1ApjaFGBTCpb4aiDYQGwD45FkjoNkDCFnhE2ou2BrrE2TvCMWwSirjA/s200/slender+loris-1.jpg" border="0" /></a> The quest for wildlife takes us to quite a few surprising areas. This year in April I was in Madurai district and vaguely remembered having read about the slender loris somewhere close by. Our quest lead us to a quaint little village on the outskirts of Dindigul. We reached the reserve forest in the late afternoon. Since the loris is a nocturnal animal, we waited for nightfall to start our trek. Nature is so abundant that even our wait proved eventful. Got a coppersmith feeding its chicks and also a couple of kingfishers. Finally after an impatient wait for 4 hours we started our trek inside of the forest. Our guide affectionately called Thatha (grandpa) was able to spot out the loris in the first 5 minutes of the trek. We went on to sight a total of 9 individuals in the two hours of trek we did.<br /><div><div></div><br /><p>It was a dark cloudy night. We had two pencil torches amongst the three of us (inclusive of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiXwAF2fqQjHZcwBMe1fUfXkedKRWIZZyZec1XByzMBsIDCINvAtdP6kkf90Ptt9_jxeTmIjfti-r8DN7o3236UE5YKCGmjSG5a7s4kSSpS2uMqZm3BqFa4K3FQLr2cGTifExpg/s1600-h/s.loris-2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277428435917445890" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right; width: 200px; height: 133px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiXwAF2fqQjHZcwBMe1fUfXkedKRWIZZyZec1XByzMBsIDCINvAtdP6kkf90Ptt9_jxeTmIjfti-r8DN7o3236UE5YKCGmjSG5a7s4kSSpS2uMqZm3BqFa4K3FQLr2cGTifExpg/s200/s.loris-2.jpg" border="0" /></a>Thatha) and my built in flash of the camera for lighting. Due to this, though good photographs were out of the question, spotting the loris was not. There was one more obstacle on our paths literally. The forest is a thorny scrub jungle and the area was littered with thorns. Long, pointed, almost 3 cms in length, it was painful enough to keep us out of range with the loris. The loris was at a clear advantage over us in this regard. The ease with which it moved over the thorny branches showed its adaption to the vegetation.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4sCPYnt6Ckk7aFzmjtqMi-BHB-bIa42EM5b8NqYA0e5NRkPHPvcFXIWTclkIvVeYAckZvw87EHsx8u20vTM9gFShADrBY7xI1QbFtFEqAi0rgQzI4sVEv43Dd4mqwsP47On7iw/s1600-h/s.loris-3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277429052523782994" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 200px; height: 133px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4sCPYnt6Ckk7aFzmjtqMi-BHB-bIa42EM5b8NqYA0e5NRkPHPvcFXIWTclkIvVeYAckZvw87EHsx8u20vTM9gFShADrBY7xI1QbFtFEqAi0rgQzI4sVEv43Dd4mqwsP47On7iw/s200/s.loris-3.jpg" border="0" /></a>Now to other facts of the loris. Body size about 20 -25 cm in length. Weight about 125-350 gms. Sexes look alike. A lanky animal, has less fur. Color of grey brown. During the day the loris lives hiding in leaf cover or in tree hollows and ventures out only after nightfall. Has large ears , lanky legs and a white muzzle.</p><p><strong><em>Click on the pictures for larger versions</em></strong><br /><br /></p><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div></div>Karthik Ramachandranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06985894782133647066noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15704343.post-68777203284269717102008-11-14T23:10:00.001-08:002008-11-14T23:51:40.399-08:00Large Cuckoo Shrike - A rescue<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9fi4ZnG6EtXGh54sWq9hGO6rlvxvxIvZIuVp2RT4pjD1LCEiok7ACDy1G7QNfYF9UUZCjzka10c-FABqDApjoqtcK7y_Q2e73z6K0cH60GTmgITV-pid_p_5x0onDX2bSp2nhQ/s1600-h/Large+Cuckoo+Shrike.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268787322753539298" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9fi4ZnG6EtXGh54sWq9hGO6rlvxvxIvZIuVp2RT4pjD1LCEiok7ACDy1G7QNfYF9UUZCjzka10c-FABqDApjoqtcK7y_Q2e73z6K0cH60GTmgITV-pid_p_5x0onDX2bSp2nhQ/s200/Large+Cuckoo+Shrike.JPG" border="0" /></a>This was the first bird rescue I did by myself other than my mammal rescues. This happened at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bandipur</span> about a couple of months back. After a good sighting of elephants and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">sambar</span> in the safari trails, I was journeying onwards towards a core area, where I work, when I saw this beautiful bird pitifully lying right in the middle of the road. Time was around 5.30pm. There were enough traffic on the roads and it was a wonder that the bird avoided being run over, by lorries and cars zipping by. A couple of bikers were also travelling on the road, more interested in sighting the elusive cats or the pachyderms. My initial thought upon seeing the bird was that it was dead, being hit while foraging by a speeding <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">vechile</span>. Hopping out of the jeep, my initial plan was to lay the bird's body near the fringes of the forest, thus allowing nature to take its own course.<br /><div></div><br /><div>To my shock , when I neared the bird, it fluttered and tried to stand on its feet. To my horror there were at least a couple of tourist groups in their <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">SUV's</span> coming on the road at more than the permissible speed. Parking my jeep in front of the bird, giving it some cover I diverted the other <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">vechiles</span> away from the vicinity of the bird. Then slowly crouching down I gently picked the bird up to be rewarded with three sharp pecks on my wrist. Then I placed the bird gently on the grass by the edges of the road. The bird wings were <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">ok</span>, since it beat its wings as soon as I released it. Since I was not sure, I called up another bird rescuer whom I respect a lot (thanks <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Sunetro</span>) and took his advice. Acting upon it , I tried giving it water by placing water near it. But luckily the bird was only suffering from shock. In a few moments it was able to stand on its two feet and was able to flutter away. The bird to my greatest delight was able to lift itself and fly off in about 15 minutes.</div><div></div><br /><div>The reason for writing this, is the way we behave when encountering such events. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">At least</span> about half a dozen cars and a couple of bikes had passed in front of me and NONE took any initiative. I do understand that it is not logical to expect everybody to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">rescue</span> , but I believe it is only fair that we could expect one among the lot to stop and give protection to the bird or to return and inform the authorities. The event had happened just about 3-4 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">kms</span> away from the reception area. It is disgusting to note that these are the people who would talk about environment, wildlife, global warming etc. </div>Karthik Ramachandranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06985894782133647066noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15704343.post-17963571672581342432008-11-10T19:32:00.000-08:002008-11-10T19:51:08.716-08:00Common Spoonbills<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAIjbgd_DLUDbB-MiX6xQo4sfn-tAK2TM0EFHQ7w4pyem7FPJzPBSapHZJFC9MZV1sAi3Nk12vggyAE_IZ1wUVJrJCIN6b8ykmySxWA3IsYdU6XlaM6qBUFTp4MByx4zCd2fDUQ/s1600-h/eurasian+spoonbill.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267242370752433858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAIjbgd_DLUDbB-MiX6xQo4sfn-tAK2TM0EFHQ7w4pyem7FPJzPBSapHZJFC9MZV1sAi3Nk12vggyAE_IZ1wUVJrJCIN6b8ykmySxWA3IsYdU6XlaM6qBUFTp4MByx4zCd2fDUQ/s200/eurasian+spoonbill.JPG" border="0" /></a> This is a wading bird of the Ibis and Spoonbill family. The bird is quite easy to identify in all the areas where it is found. The breeding bird is completely in white with black legs and dark bill with a yellow tip. Also has a yellow breast patch. It has a crest during the breeding season. Non breeders lack the crest and breast patch. Immature birds have a pale bill and black tips to the primary feathers. The spoonbill feeds on frogs, fish and other water creatures. The spoonbill occurs on marshy wetlands and in open shallow water. It nest in colonies in trees or on reeds.<br /><div></div><br /><div>I saw the above birds at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ranthambore</span> national park, aloof from a crowd of other birds. These birds had moved to the edge of the pond not visited by other birds and were intent on getting their prey. Though we were really far from the pond, the intent stare of the spoonbills and their reflection on the water were too captivating for me to let go. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong><em>Click on the pictures for larger versions</em></strong></div>Karthik Ramachandranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06985894782133647066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15704343.post-80674465592201813962007-04-29T01:51:00.000-07:002007-04-29T03:04:15.087-07:00A step forward<div style="text-align: justify;">From the day I started trekking inside the jungles, it has always been a bother to me, that the people who protect our forests, the lower staff, the tribals and the daily wage earners do their duty under most excruciating circumstances. While most of the circumstances are due to the nature of the job, some can be relieved with the co-operation of concerned individuals. It was at Bandipur last September (2006) that I made a promise to the staff of one particular range that I would help them. The range faces torrential rain during monsoon and is biting cold during winter. My promise to the staff was to provide them with protection from rain and cold = wind cheaters.<br /><br />My efforts to collect money/sponsors in this regard has been the biggest failure of my life. I approached corporate companies, my friends, relatives etc. Things were promised. But then I guess, these promises were never meant to be honoured. My reasoning for the broken promises - environment and nature are not a major concern for many. Well if this is the case then it is a wrong notion. If we cannot show a little more concern towards nature and the environment we live in, we are heading towards disaster. I do not think it is necessary in this post to enlighten people about the effects of global warming, deforestation and the extinction of wildlife. All the above have a direct impact on our daily lives. It only takes a little open mind to perceive the reality.<br /><br />I was brought out of my dream (about sponsorships) when a guard from the same range called and talked to me. These people had so much of faith in me and my words. They were sure that I would meet them with the wind cheaters and were looking forward to seeing me. The sheer affection and hope these people had in me, shook me to my roots. With help from one single individual, I just went and bought the wind cheaters and distributed it.<br /><br />The distribution was under the graced by the DCF - Bandipura - Mr.Renga Gowda ,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLe-SUK8yZkDWJ0ViB9AG5RkTMEImp7ucjnwLE3XGkW9l8M-PLvLB5WmvVvrFaUJrOzxtfIC1zdGs9OZnOQ0xp9loPbyxJykkB2G5wBzRcTXAIE6xzlB-Vq-uMyq6TrlFucBY3w/s1600-h/distribution.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLe-SUK8yZkDWJ0ViB9AG5RkTMEImp7ucjnwLE3XGkW9l8M-PLvLB5WmvVvrFaUJrOzxtfIC1zdGs9OZnOQ0xp9loPbyxJykkB2G5wBzRcTXAIE6xzlB-Vq-uMyq6TrlFucBY3w/s200/distribution.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5058777907318849490" border="0" /></a> accompanied by the ACF - Mr.Devaraj and the DFO - Mr.Basavaraju. A fitting place - the distribution was flagged off right in the midst of the forest - in an intersection.<br />Standing left to right - Mr. Basavaraj DFO, Prakash, Mr.Renga Gowda DCF, Joy, Puttanna, Puttuswamy ( the guard receiving) and Mr. Devaraj ACF.<br /><br />To sum it up - all of us were happy. To see the pleasure and tears in the eyes of these grown men, men who take on poachers, who risk their lives on a day to day basis and protect our national wealth has been a very very humbling experience.<br /><br />I have the task of now, giving them as much as support as I can, irrespective of whether I can garner support for it or not.<br /><br />Cant finish this post without thanking those few brave men who stood by me in my efforts.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kannan</span> - for mentoring me and introducing me to the world of nature. My whole world has changed after Kannan's entry into my life. Prior to his contact, my knowledge of the animal kingdom was only through books and satellite television. Today, the little knowledge I possess, is due to his tutoring.<br /><br />Armstrong - for the number of times he came along to see samples and in physically carrying the wind cheaters.<br /><br />Sajjan - for giving me the impetus to translate my thought into action.<br />Prakash - for the co-ordination between the DCF, AC, DFO etc.<br />The brothers duo Subash & Santosh - for their touching hospitality.<br /><br />Vaitheeswaran - who did his best in getting me the wind cheaters.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">And the most important - S.Sriram - </span>Sir, Thanks for standing by and listening to my rantings and ravings. Thanks from all the staff of Bandipur - your wind cheaters are the talk of Bandipura.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aMz52Z47m2ImIM1RpLW_JY6I8ndy8V1JJ_wzb0B3ZdnhCTafXMowBprQgpJqTtVey4dBYeecKDP8hn2oRqv8wlqNBWQAzaOtARmcU3E-t-wtvBL3ksXhIk5evH8NmUhh7XZlLg/s1600-h/gundera-wind.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aMz52Z47m2ImIM1RpLW_JY6I8ndy8V1JJ_wzb0B3ZdnhCTafXMowBprQgpJqTtVey4dBYeecKDP8hn2oRqv8wlqNBWQAzaOtARmcU3E-t-wtvBL3ksXhIk5evH8NmUhh7XZlLg/s200/gundera-wind.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5058785616785145826" border="0" /></a>Oh, just before my detractors start defaming me, the left picture shows a handful of staff who were present in the range on that particular day, wearing the wind cheaters. Guys, all it required is in all probability lesser than what you spend on night out or lesser than a meal in your favourite restaurant.<br /></div>Karthik Ramachandranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06985894782133647066noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15704343.post-23690425965675312352007-01-02T19:22:00.000-08:002007-01-02T19:53:01.995-08:00Elephants at Elephant Meadow<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijd8WEJj0Ko9h-VeKjy3aDLlmStg86C9bn3z9NT1-fYx5p2qmuJhO56vyVALsfBvToBmuL2Un0xcgGV3TZsuPAzC4zA8KQ5LV35Bxa-q8Jv82hhSSbQPDsDP6jLh0hjD0puJ4gsw/s1600-h/IMG_0085_edited.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijd8WEJj0Ko9h-VeKjy3aDLlmStg86C9bn3z9NT1-fYx5p2qmuJhO56vyVALsfBvToBmuL2Un0xcgGV3TZsuPAzC4zA8KQ5LV35Bxa-q8Jv82hhSSbQPDsDP6jLh0hjD0puJ4gsw/s200/IMG_0085_edited.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015641207965763698" border="0" /></a>At <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Parambikulam</span> , a huge boulder rests on the fringe of a meadow. This boulder is so big that according to <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">tribals</span>, even elephants run their bodies and feet on the boulder to remove dirt or pests. Due to this boulder, the meadow earned its name <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Annakalvayal</span> meaning Elephant meadow. <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Annakalvayal</span> is a sure shot place for the public to see wild elephants. We came upon this group of elephants at <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">annakalvayal</span>. There were 4 adult females, 4 young ones and one sub adult in this herd. As soon as the elephants sighted us, they herded the young ones under their feet and formed a circle,<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZNMwaAfvi0r18qwll_LbgDJRaY6anlcM4BBglGWv7lv6alwFN3I88GAVuowsV_sRNOC9wRKvrj8bQdwp98bBkipExOE3a4qiB0yC7n1Ge-G08epmmst_dsvE86FyRNJf4FWa7Q/s1600-h/IMG_0082.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZNMwaAfvi0r18qwll_LbgDJRaY6anlcM4BBglGWv7lv6alwFN3I88GAVuowsV_sRNOC9wRKvrj8bQdwp98bBkipExOE3a4qiB0yC7n1Ge-G08epmmst_dsvE86FyRNJf4FWa7Q/s200/IMG_0082.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015643248075229330" border="0" /></a>protecting their young ones from us. After their <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">instinctive</span> reaction, they slowly relaxed and continued their grazing while now and then trumpeting at us. Seeing us approaching a little too close to its young, the female on the right extreme started trumpeting loudly and slowly started approaching us. Sensing its mother leaving its side, the kid gently restrained its mother by holding on to her foot by its trunk. Such a beautiful and tender sight. I was closest to the mother and was snapping at her while I saw the kid restraining. I had to back off and still shoot and hence due to the movement this shot became a little blurred. Still it <span onclick="BLOG_clickHandler(this)" class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">portrays</span> a very tender sight and one worth posting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79fvanfd4iq6V2guWWm-rWf0eWPzT_uFnrgkHxi0leC845_fE0w-33XCoXJO1CCxKIrIW4YaxpgxVtFM3eUeGuVZCx8QDF7v64bZypWQ-TBnGvIjkYLbGWXuXQl-Td_GXeI8HTQ/s1600-h/IMG_0087.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79fvanfd4iq6V2guWWm-rWf0eWPzT_uFnrgkHxi0leC845_fE0w-33XCoXJO1CCxKIrIW4YaxpgxVtFM3eUeGuVZCx8QDF7v64bZypWQ-TBnGvIjkYLbGWXuXQl-Td_GXeI8HTQ/s200/IMG_0087.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015644450666072226" border="0" /></a>Finding us not moving, the herd broke up and the youngest ones with two females left the meadow and moved to the thickets surrounding the meadow. There they stayed for another 10 minutes, before we were herded away by our guide. His reasoning being that the adult elephants were getting irritated and it might not be too pleasant for us to stay there any longer. These people somehow have a knack for sensing the mood and are seldom wrong. But in this instance I believe that all of us felt the same and were quite satisfied with having spent a few quiet moments with these giants.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Click on the pictures for larger versions.</span>Karthik Ramachandranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06985894782133647066noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15704343.post-38989812848731778882006-12-28T21:23:00.000-08:002007-03-04T04:14:55.104-08:00Spotted Deer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFA0vsVFhNHq2Ua568J1HgmJ5SGgzvTXsO5hHXHkhhsHUKoeAmgq9e0swa4vxcyNdg5ov_JLSivmbG8iKhnYoW09nEM925g8s_zLxjFaG9BNgNr0QHKmVqDxd_VungaTzuMH-2Q/s1600-h/IMG_0046.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFA0vsVFhNHq2Ua568J1HgmJ5SGgzvTXsO5hHXHkhhsHUKoeAmgq9e0swa4vxcyNdg5ov_JLSivmbG8iKhnYoW09nEM925g8s_zLxjFaG9BNgNr0QHKmVqDxd_VungaTzuMH-2Q/s200/IMG_0046.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5013824392765069442" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSrmqJqeGChN8F-daCZeU32YH-1iPLFjNLcYDYOMebNmcySy_B-VNztPMxs28VhTiyi6aC5U1tnUOzr19ppTb061f4AFr8MZ3JXGzrM20LmUg-sNHAcz_FBnEgghAmeZljU2XIw/s1600-h/IMG_0045.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSrmqJqeGChN8F-daCZeU32YH-1iPLFjNLcYDYOMebNmcySy_B-VNztPMxs28VhTiyi6aC5U1tnUOzr19ppTb061f4AFr8MZ3JXGzrM20LmUg-sNHAcz_FBnEgghAmeZljU2XIw/s200/IMG_0045.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5013816988241451074" border="0" /></a>Spotted Deer or Cheetal as they are more popularly known are found in almost all of the meadows in Parambikulam. These beautiful creatures are found in varying group sizes. Generally very flighty,<br /><br />the deer here are not as bold as their kinsmen of Bandipur and Nagarhole or Mudumalai. The deer here bolt at the sight of any vehicular traffic coming to a halt near them making it very difficult to get decent close ups. I was lucky that one female of the herd on the left broke away from the herd and moved further up the clearing. The top right picture shows her breaking away.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvdx6vxYpGVaixhnq5NujusxaWMJIUXOH62YCRRHJLXMdRQ2t5AsZMMCssWlETLxARCbS-oBqIvQHFTmqOrA6BD6xHWXANlhj_sXQvj5SDGAyom73CXLOFmazdli_a-lhfE-nyw/s1600-h/IMG_0047.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvdx6vxYpGVaixhnq5NujusxaWMJIUXOH62YCRRHJLXMdRQ2t5AsZMMCssWlETLxARCbS-oBqIvQHFTmqOrA6BD6xHWXANlhj_sXQvj5SDGAyom73CXLOFmazdli_a-lhfE-nyw/s200/IMG_0047.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5013825818694211730" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6I16Sr4I_0awZrjGgMrzrEzZxWNbVFX7082_wQQypQVz8r1UP9NjUcJknB5GzsETFgp4RgLvqALBRIZJmRvC4GoIFrgfQgu-Fb_KDE9eERQdrOjEMcZfXQwCfLJq66H1Nf7MAg/s1600-h/IMG_0048.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6I16Sr4I_0awZrjGgMrzrEzZxWNbVFX7082_wQQypQVz8r1UP9NjUcJknB5GzsETFgp4RgLvqALBRIZJmRvC4GoIFrgfQgu-Fb_KDE9eERQdrOjEMcZfXQwCfLJq66H1Nf7MAg/s200/IMG_0048.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5013826398514796706" border="0" /></a>Her movement brought her quite close to the road. I was lucky to catch a couple of snaps of her from a close point of view. The right down picture shows her chewing with the tounge emerging out.<br /><br /><br />Beautiful animals these are a favourite with predators.Karthik Ramachandranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06985894782133647066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15704343.post-1162899207106538092006-11-07T03:21:00.000-08:002006-12-26T23:55:55.582-08:00Nothing Artificial about it.<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/Chinese-Oak-Silkworm-Moth.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/Chinese-Oak-Silkworm-Moth.jpg" border="0" /></a> This beauty was first spotted by me at our old office. For the better part of an hour I refused to believe that it was real. Working for a film company, I have had a fair share of pranks played on me. This I thought was a decorative piece attached to the wall and that my colleagues had put it up to test my knowledge on nature. Till they swore that they had nothing to do with this and after I checked the internet and came across a picture of the same did I believe this beauty was for real. The most striking part of this was the transparent circles in its wings. If observed well, the colour of the wall and the window pane on which it is perched can be seen. Another thing about this was that it was still like a statue and there was no movement visible to our eyes. As usual my camera was not handy.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/Ready-for-take-off.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/Ready-for-take-off.0.jpg" border="0" /></a>I went out after putting two of my colleagues to watch over it and got a digital camera from a nearby studio. It took all of 20 minutes for me to return with the digital camera. By that time the moth had flown on to the parapet of our office verandah. The sheer contrast of the parapet green along with the striking gold of the moth were a visible treat. I could see the legs of the moth and the small quivering antennae. Again there was no movement, and I had to be assured by my colleagues that it was alive and had flown the distance by itself. I clicked quite a few shots with the moth like this and went to the internet and read more about the moth.<br /><br />This beauty is called as <strong><em>The Chinese Oak Silkworm Moth</em></strong> is found in China and neighbouring <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/bellyfull.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/bellyfull.jpg" border="0" /></a>countries. This one is a female and for a few hours was motionless , making us believe that it is a unreal one. Later on , we found to our surprise that this female was about to lay eggs. During this period the moths becomes motionless and clings to a rough surface to lay eggs. The insect measured 9 inches from tip tip of wingspan. That it was about to lay eggs is seen from the beside picture showing its belly bloated. This was confirmed in a couple of days with the whole of our office steps strewn with its eggs. The whole of the afternoon was spent in following the moth till it finally rested under our staircase in a small ledge. The striking thing for me in this photograph is that the moth looks like a small powered glider readying for take-off. <strong><em>Nothing artificial about it</em></strong> though.Karthik Ramachandranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06985894782133647066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15704343.post-1158837730766395032006-09-21T03:41:00.000-07:002006-12-26T20:16:56.580-08:00Spots Galore<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/scan%208.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/scan%208.jpg" border="0" /></a> Spotted Deer or Cheetal as they are more commonly called can be found in such large numbers at Wayanad , Mudmalai , Bandipur and Nagarhole Sanctuaries. Of all my trips , this has been the most memorable one for quite a few reasons. One among them is the spotted deer. I have had such a great sight of these animals. While at Bandipur , around 7.30pm we got onto a meadow, which must have been around 25-30 acres in size. Around the pheripherry of the meadow were shrubs and trees. Normally deer and other such herbivores come onto the meadows in the forest during night , for fear of predators. So it is not unusual to go such a place and sight bisons , deer or elephants. But boy, was i unprepared for this !! After walking a few metres into the meadows , we came to a halt and switched on our hand held torches. All of us switched on our torches and pointed them at <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/chital1.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/chital1.0.jpg" border="0" /></a>the same direction. The forest right in front of us lit up like magic. There were hundreds and hundreds of double lights , in a 180 degree arc around us. It was a scene straight from the celluloid world. It was like watching Bombay's Marine Drive/ Queen's necklace from the air. I am at a loss of words to describe any better. The double lit lights which i talked about were the eyes of the Cheetal. The meadow had become a congregation of sorts for a huge population of Cheetal of various herds. Nudged on by the Forester who accompanied us , we swayed our torches across the meadow, creating confusion among the various herds. Wow! The animals were running away from the light, but at the same time were reluctant to leave the meadow. Their run across the meadow looked like a huge plane / jumbo jumbo jet taxiing down the runway. Unfortunately i was not equipped to take night shots. <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/scan%2012.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/scan%2012.0.jpg" border="0" /></a> It would have better yet if we were carrying LED torches along with us. We started counting the eye pairs and abandoned counting at 512 odd.<br /><br />The Cheetal is the most prominent deer in India. The males grow antlers on an annual basis. The males shed their antlers and within a month or two , they grow new ones. The new growth is normally soft and looks like velvet. The antlers are hard and solid. The antlers are primarily used for combat during mating season. Nothing lethal about it. I have had the pleasure of holding a full grown , shed antler. Let me tell you it weighs quite heavy. Wonder how these fellows carry them as head gear.<br /><br /><strong><em>Scientific Info</em></strong><br />Height : Around 3 feet at shoulder<br />Weight : About 75 - 80 kgs.<br />Colour : Dark Brown to Reddish Brown with white spotsKarthik Ramachandranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06985894782133647066noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15704343.post-1158835187557637422006-09-21T02:58:00.000-07:002006-12-26T20:23:15.906-08:00Wild Dogs<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/scan%209.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/scan%209.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong><em>Wild Dogs on the Prowl.</em></strong><br /><br />Sighting and studying these animals were the reason for my last trip into the jungle. I was in luck. I saw these dogs at three of the four sanctuaries i visited, Wayanad , Bandipur and Nagarhole. I missed them at Mudumalai. At each of the three i saw and recorded different aspects of the dogs nature. The first was at Muthanga range in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. We were on the jeep trying to spot something other than the spotted deer and the occassional peacock. we suddenly saw a short reddish brown ball bounding across the jeep path about 400-450 mts in front of us. We were elated. We realised that they were wild dogs. We took a chance and charged our jeep to the spot. As we reached the spot, we saw that the pack ( there were 6 of them ) , had split and 2 of the dogs were on either side of our jeep. Two others had rushed into the meadow near to the left of our jeep. The two on the right side of our jeep were half hidden in the shrubs and were very agitated by our presence. Their movements confirmed to us , that they wanted to join the rest of the pack. We took our vechile a little further away from them and these two bounded across and joined the pack. Climbing on top of the jeep , i was able to make out something looking like a stag scurrying through the meadow. I think the dogs were in pursuit of the stag. Good Hunting friends !!<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/scan%2011.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/scan%2011.jpg" border="0" /></a>The pictures of the dogs in this post are from Nagarhole National Park. My shots of the dogs from Muthanga are not that good. At Nagarhole I lucked out. After that beautiful sighting of the bisons i saw the dogs. My first sighting of the dogs here , is the above picture. No images or words can potray what my eyes saw. I have heard stories of how the wolf/dogs and others of the dog family behave. I was witness to another of nature's wonders. The dogs were on a single line formation , and were scenting the ground as they ran. They were out for their breakfast i guess. The dogs had split themselves into pairs lead by a lead runner, who my guess should be the alpa male of the group. The pairs maintained<br />an equii -distance from the others and were looking to their sides as they ran, trying to spot a prey. They communicated with each other in what almost sounded like a whistle - whine. I am<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/dogbest.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/dogbest.jpg" border="0" /></a>unable to place the sound. The picture on to your left is of the leader of the pack. Look at the way the body flows with his stride. Symmetry in motion. We ran along with the dogs on the other side of the road for about 2-3 minutes , though we learnt later on that it was dangerous to say the least.<br /><br /><strong>Scientific Info : Wild Dogs or Dholes.</strong><br />Color: Reddish Brown<br />Weight : 12 - 18 kgs<br />Hunting Mechanism : The dogs are found in packs of 7-12 nos and attack their prey on legs , crippling their prey. As the prey falls exhausted and crippled to the ground the dogs start tearing its flesh and eating even before the prey dies. Within a few hours the kill is cleaned to the bones.Karthik Ramachandranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06985894782133647066noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15704343.post-1158821632273612002006-09-20T23:06:00.000-07:002007-01-06T08:59:51.917-08:00We Bulls faced each other<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/scan%202.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/scan%202.jpg" border="0" /></a> As we were driving through Karapura ( Nagarhole National Park ) , i found this giant standing by the road side. We went past it , parked our vechile and got down. The bull was clearly sizing us up as we approached it. At about 10 feet from him, he lifted his massive head and started glowering at us. I had to use the flash on my camera as there was not enough sunlight to catch him in full glory. Time was roughly 6.30am.<br />He let us watch him and admire his contours. I could see the massive dorsal ridge , his ashy forehead and massive pointed horns. His mate was hiding behind him. The tail was twitching which to us was a good indication that he did not mind our intrusion. After a couple of shots , at the same angle i walked parallel to the bisons. As i walked opposite to him , he turned <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/scan%204.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/scan%204.0.jpg" border="0" /></a>his massive head to see where i going. It sent a chill down my spine as i realised his might. Years of watching and seeing these magnificient beasts in the wild, i have realised that they are one of the most gentle of all wild animals. Rarely does a bison attack. And most of them will allow you to get quite close to them. I have also realised that all wild animals have an uncanny sense of danger. It is only when we feel afraid and panicked, the feeling somehow permeates to the animals and in return they panic. This said it still instills a kind of fear, a feeling of how insignificant we are in front of nature.<br /><br />This was one of the best moments of my life. The adrenalin was overflowing. I had thought that these shots would be my masterpiece. <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/scan%206.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/scan%206.1.jpg" border="0" /></a> In the excitement, i forgot that i had the camera on auto focus. I had manually zoomed in more and had cropped the road. My composition had only the bull as he crossed the road to my right. Whatever more of manual zoom that i had done was of no effect. I realised my mistake as the prints came to my hand.<br /><br />A little more on bisons. The largest bovine in the world , it weighs anywhere between 1000kgs - 1200kgs. It stands at an easy 6 feet in height. Adult males are glossy black in colour while the females and young ones are dark brown.Karthik Ramachandranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06985894782133647066noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15704343.post-1156228976033813772006-08-21T22:50:00.000-07:002007-02-20T01:31:21.253-08:00Green KeelbackIts been quite a long time since i ventured into the wilderness. A break for me came in the guise of <a href="http://www.sterlingresorts.org/">www.sterlingresorts.org</a> . Sterling had organised a trek for a group of visual communication students at Kodaikanal and had asked me to accompany them. The trip had been organised by Ms.Priya Dixit of International Marketing and her colleague Suresh , of Sterling.<br /><div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/29.4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/29.4.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br />Around 11.30 am we were strolling at valley view ( one of Sterling's resorts at Kodaikanal ) , this beauty was spotted by Suresh . Suresh loves snakes and has a finely tuned instinct for them. This one had a lump in the middle of its body and was crawling very slowly. Leaving Suresh watching over it closely , i rushed back to my room to grab my camera. Crouching besides the snake , i put my camera on the macro mode and snapped a few images. The green keelback is virtually harmless. Armed with that knowledge i sat right in front of it and observed its beautiful contours. As we were admiring its body movements , the lump in the middle of the snake started moving to its head. We had no clue as to what was to happen in the next few seconds. <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/1600/30.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3144/1462/320/30.0.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As we watched , the snake reared up its head. Suresh and me were held spell bound as we could see its small, but well developed fangs. Just as we sensed something momentous to happen , the snake just spat out a frog. Oh what a sight. The scene would remain engraved in our mind. We saw the remains of the frog , as it emerged from the mouth , like a ball shooting out from a canon. It was then we realised that the lump in the middle of the snake had been a frog and the snake had made its kill. It spat out its kill , because it sensed us close by and was afraid for its safety , though we made sure that we did not disturb it. With the frog out of its body, the snake just zipped past us<br /><br />P.S - Thanks to dear friend - Bikram (Bikramadditya Guha Roy) who took the efforts of sending the snap to Gerry Martin - http://www.striderexpeditions.com to identify the snake correctly. Thanks Bikram and thanks Gerry.<br /><br />Note : - The green keelback, if roused it bluffs by spreading out its neck like a cobra and flees with the first opportunity. Exactly how the lovely reacted to us.Karthik Ramachandranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06985894782133647066noreply@blogger.com0