Continued from Kanha Memories
18th April 2007:This was the sight that awaited us on our morning ride. The early morning light shone off their skins and their noses glittered black as they stood, the two male stags, fully alert to the danger that we may pose.
Their colour gives them an excellent camouflage in the tall grass, and when we passed them and looked back, we could not spot them, so well had they merged in to the grassland.
A young stag keeping an eye on us
The herd crosses the road, all the while keeping us in their sights
That whole morning ride, was very satisfying. First the barasinghas, then the vultures, and the excitement of a possible hidden tiger in the grass. Our guide was one D P Patel, an older, paan-chewing veteran, while our driver Amandeep Singh was the opposite - a greenhorn in his first week of work!
Our jeep was the only one on this route, and I think on the entire trip we were the only ones lucky enough to have seen this magnificent herd.
These hard-hoofed swamp deer are found only in Kanha. Imagine, at one point they roamed the entire northern plains of India. Probably decimated for their majestic antlers which have 10-12 points.
The tall grass is their favourite food, and they roam the meadows of Kanha. Their numbers are nowhere near as high as that of the ubiquitous chital, and in the seventies their numbers were down to below a 100. MP Government claims around 350-400 now, but if there were so many, they were not in evidence.
The tall grass is their favourite food, and they roam the meadows of Kanha. Their numbers are nowhere near as high as that of the ubiquitous chital, and in the seventies their numbers were down to below a 100. MP Government claims around 350-400 now, but if there were so many, they were not in evidence.
Their colour gives them an excellent camouflage in the tall grass, and when we passed them and looked back, we could not spot them, so well had they merged in to the grassland.A young stag keeping an eye on us
The herd crosses the road, all the while keeping us in their sights
That whole morning ride, was very satisfying. First the barasinghas, then the vultures, and the excitement of a possible hidden tiger in the grass. Our guide was one D P Patel, an older, paan-chewing veteran, while our driver Amandeep Singh was the opposite - a greenhorn in his first week of work!
On the evening ride that day, the skies opened up, and we were all completely wet and soaked as the open jeeps provided no protection. The guides took us for temporary shelter to a forest camp. It was quite a awe-inspiring sight to see lightning streak all the way down to the horizon, lighting up a tree in a flash of light, before finishing in a murderous clap of thunder.
Once the rain slowed into a steady drizzle, we returned in the jeeps, wet, cold but in high spirits. One more pant down, wet and smelly. To add to the sambar-filled pant of the journey.
Only one left for another 3 days.... who wants to wash clothes in Kanha? I hoped it would not come to that!
Continued in Tiger Tales.
Another lovely read - and the photos are fantastic, esp. the swamp deer.
ReplyDeleteKamini.
Handsome, indeed! Great read and pictures.
ReplyDeleteHa ha!! Washing clothes!! Too good Ambika! The pic of the herd crossing the road is too good!
ReplyDeletenow am curious about how the pant story unfolds ..he he he..
ReplyDeleteWhat a handsome and magnificent herd...
ReplyDelete