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Kunzum PhotoTalkies: The Wild Elephants of India and Nepal – Download for FREE

Ajay Jain — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 02:36:24 +0000

Hello travelers! Here is something new and exciting for you. The Kunzum Travel PhotoTalkies are here! The title for the first of these was The Big Cats of India. And now the latest one is out – The Wild Elephants of India and Nepal. And they are FREE!! View the complete list of titles published so far by clicking here.

What are PhotoTalkies? Simply put, these are photo essays – only packing a bigger punch. With more images and supporting text than an essay you would see in a newspaper or a magazine. Current versions have been designed as a PDF – to be viewed on any device supporting this format. But it is best seen on an iPad.

Click here to download the The Wild Elephants of India and Nepal or view it online at Issuu.com. It is FREE! Looks like it is the season of freebies from Kunzum – following the Kunzum Travel Mag.

More coming up – stay tuned!

Open publication - Free publishing - More elephants

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Kunzum PhotoTalkies: The Big Cats of India – Download for FREE

Ajay Jain — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 17:07:41 +0000

Hello travelers! Here is something new and exciting for you. The Kunzum Travel PhotoTalkies are here! The title for the first of these is The Big Cats of India. And now the next one is out – The Wild Elephants of India and Nepal. And they are FREE!! View the complete list of titles published so far by clicking here.

Click here to download the The Big Cats of India or view it online at Issuu.com. It is FREE! Looks like it is the season of freebies from Kunzum – following the Kunzum Travel Mag.

More coming up – stay tuned!

Open publication - Free publishing - More cats

Have you subscribed to the new Kunzum Travel Mag for FREE? Click here to do so.

And do join us for a coffee at the Kunzum Travel Cafe in Hauz Khas Village in New Delhi, India.

Missing a Tigress with 4 cubs by a whisker in Bandipur, Karnataka: The Great Arabian Sea Drive Day 29

Ajay Jain — Thu, 12 May 2011 09:00:14 +0000

Face to face with an elephant at night on the road cutting through Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala

This will go down as a very disappointing day in my travelogue: I missed spotting a tigress with four cubs by just a couple of minutes. In Bandipur National Park, Karnataka.

I was staying in Wayanad in Kerala but headed out for a safari across the state border in Bandipur; although not staying at the Jungle Lodges property there, I managed to be allowed just a safari in their jeeps.

The drive took me through roads cutting across forests in Kerala and Karnataka – a reminder of how human ‘development’ is disturbing the natural habitats of the wild.

On the way, I crossed the Muthanga range of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. Just before the border, I also stopped at the aesthetically designed Sitadevi temple – with a pond created when Sita (wife of Lord Rama) is said to have wept there. Given below are signs at the entrance to the sanctuary:

The Sitadevi temple in Wayanad in Kerala

And then we stopped at a waterhole where one usually expects to see elephants – and a forest guard whose job is to ensure passers-by don’t stop lest they disturb the animals. I dodged the guards long enough to grab some shots before continuing.

Elephants in a waterhole on the road cutting through Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala

Karnataka has a peculiar problem: if you are not staying at one the designated properties around wildlife parks, you can either not go for a safari or have to take the silly open air canter (bus) full of shrieking tourists. The latter can’t even reach many parts of the parks; even these are sometimes not an option. Mostly it is a Jungle Lodges monopoly. A tad expensive for visitors.

Some signs and a picture of the souvenir shop at the entrance to the Bandipur National Park:

Two jeeps left Jungle Lodges simultaneously, each following its own trails. Saw the usual animals from the deer family, monkeys, birds and more. Did not click much of them – I was looking for the big mammals today.

And then we saw a small group of elephants. I always enjoy watching elephants going about their usual business of doing little more than ambling and eating with no ambitions greater than having a good time.

A group of elephants in the Bandipur National Park, Karnataka

One big fellow was in a mood for performances – delighting us with stretching his trunk and himself as much as he could. The photos will explain better.

An elephant in a mood to shake a leg or two? At the Bandipur National Park, Karnataka

Need a good stretchhhhh! An elephant at the Bandipur National Park, Karnataka

Reaching for higher hanging fruit! An elephant at the Bandipur National Park, Karnataka

Looking for a gift elephant in the mouth at the Bandipur National Park, Karnataka?

And then we got an alert from the other one about the tigress and her cubs – and our driver sped like mad. Hurtling away in the uncomfortable Mahindra & Mahindra jeep on an uneven dirt track, we had to hold on to the seats and balance our cameras lest we break something. Wonder how many rules the driver broke – he could easily have killed some passing wildlife?

We reached only to be told the tigress and the cubs had gone into the bushes. The others had seen them. We waited well over an hour, finally driving away just before it got dark. I still think and sigh about the missed opportunity.
On the way back, driving through the dark, I had been told to watch out for elephants on the highway. And I did see some small groups.

The most fascinating was one caught in my headlights. I stopped and watched as she got closer, crossed the front of my car and then pressed her forehead against the front passenger seat – curious what this thing was. I am told elephants have poor night vision. She stayed like that for a bit, and went on her way again. Awesome meeting! Wonder if a more aggressive specimen would have behaved differently? Unlikely.

And so what if I missed the tigers – India beat Pakistan in the semi finals of the cricket World Cup on this day!

Ajay Jain is currently on the Great Arabian Sea Drive, starting from Delhi and following the coastline all the way from Gujarat down to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Follow all updates on:
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A bit about Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar, Gujarat: The Great Arabian Sea Drive

Ajay Jain — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 05:00:03 +0000

If you are planning to go to Velavadar, here is some useful information for you.

* Distance from Ahmedabad: 200 kms (125 miles).

* Distances from other places: Bhavanagar (52 kms), Palitana (110 kms), Lothal (125 kms), Alang (107 kms). Do check these for sure, I have taken these from official brochure.

* Safaris: You have to take your own vehicle, the park does not have any. Or ask your hotel to arrange one. Guides are usually available for a nominal fee, but some of them go off for farm work during low season. The official at the entrance will help you call them on their mobiles.

* When can you visit: The park is open from sunrise to sunset. It closes from June 16 – October 15 for the rainy season.

* Where to stay:
(a) The best option is The Blackbuck Lodge, a wonderful property a mile from the park gate. Contact them at www.blackbucklodge.com / reservations@theblackbucklodge.com / +91.9228000496 / +91.9825161212 / +91.79.40020901 / +91.9824019877.

(b) Alternately, you can stay the Forest Department Guest House within the park. They have 4 rooms. Contact for booking: Assistant Conservator of Forests, Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar-Bhal, F-10, Annexe, M.S. Building, Bhavnagar; +91.278.2426425. The Range Forest Officer at the park can be contacted at +91.278.2920222. Room charges are Rs. 1,500 (US$ 75 for foreigners) for air-conditioned rooms; Rs. 500 (US$ 50) for non-AC; Dormitory per person: Rs. 50 (US$ 10); Tent (per tent): Rs. 200 (US$ 20)

The only other stay options are at towns close by.

* Entry Fee (brackets give fee for non-Indians in US$, but paid in Rupee equivalent):
Adult: Rs. 20 (US$ 5)
Children (3-12 years): Rs. 10 (US$ 5)
Students on Educational Tour: Rs. 10 (US$ 5)
Vehicle Fee (for upto 6 persons): Rs. 200 (US$ 20)
Vehicle Fee (for upto 15 persons): Rs. 500 (US$ 50)
Vehicle Fee (for capacity upto 60): Rs. 1750 (US$ 175)
Guide Fee: Rs. 50 (US$ 10) for first 4 hours; Rs. 20 (US$ 5) for every subsequent hour. But you can pay more if it pleases you.
The fee is for a full day and you can go in and out as you like.

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Also spotted in Velavadar, Gujarat – Antelopes, Wild Boars, Hyena, Jungle Cat: The Great Arabian Sea Drive Day 11

Ajay Jain — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:41:02 +0000

An Indian Antelope or Nilgai

The reserve has no predators like tigers and lions – leaving the animals largely free from danger. Romance blooms, and the population increases. Good for them!

Velavadar is also mostly off the tourist circuit. All this means animals and birds lead undisturbed lives – and visitors generally have terrific sightings. I did.

After Blackbucks, the highest population in Velavadar is of Indian Antelopes, known as Nilgai or Blue Bull. Herds roam the park, and make a graceful sight when they trot away when they sense people close by.

Like the Blackbucks, familiarity breeds contempt amongst them too – saw a few sparring head-to-head. I really wonder what animals think when they fight. Any clues? Here go some portraits of these animals:

Surprisingly I also saw many Wild Boars up close. They are to be easily found in Indian forests – but not easy to click. They really know how to disappear fast at the slightest hint of danger.

Wild Boars paint a ferocious image, so why do they run away? Maybe they know what happens to their domesticated cousins, the pigs, in the human food chain.

Another elusive species is the Jungle Cat. Camera shy, I was not just lucky to spot one, but it also stayed put. Why? It was out hunting for food. Rats specifically.

As I watched, the Jungle Cat stood still in a crouching, alert position for a long time. And then it jumped. Literally. High up in the air to grab its prey. But missed. And walked away – pride hurt, stomach empty. It did look in my direction, embarrassed with the miss.

Here goes the series of shots I took of the cat:

I was keen to see a Hyena too – and I convinced my guide to take me to their home. It was a hole in the ground – with bones of consumed animals lying around. The species found here is called Striped Hyena.

We waited – and waited. And then, out of the blue, someone darted out of the hole into the grasses. It was a Hyena cub – quite big for a kid – who was home alone. Mom was out to pick dinner.

The cub would run a few yards, stop, look back, and then be off again. Did not quite know how to react to intruders in the neighbourhood. Mom, hurry up will you!

Hyenas are not really hunters. They wait for animals to pop off, and scavenge them. There are enough animals in Velavadar for one to die naturally every few days. Hyenas even eat the remains of those hunted by others. They hunt small animals at best. Lazy guys.

As scavengers, hyenas do play an important role in sanitizing the eco-system. A bit like what vultures do. Everyone has their role chalked out by Mother Nature.

Hyenas have powerful jaws and large teeth – great for bone crushing. They chew up large bones from carcasses, thus enriching themselves calcium and phosphorus from these.

The Cub Hyena

Despite more than a fair share of sightings, I egged my guide to show me wolves, the Indian Grey Wolf to be specific. Especially since he had been boasting there are good numbers around. His professional credibility was at stake. And he delivered.

Three wolves, that’s what I saw. At a great distance. But yes, I could see them well through binoculars. And they noticed me too, without any aids. And then the chase began.

For literally miles, I drove towards them and they sprinted away from me. I through caution to the winds, kicking dust as I accelerated. And they ran faster. Eventually they won – they reached the cover of forests before I could get close enough to take any pictures.

Unlike Hyenas, wolves make a greater effort to feed themselves. They hunt in pack, blackbucks being their staple diet. For variety, they pick on rodents, hare and feral dogs.

A blurry image of the wolves I was trying to get close to

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Meeting Blackbucks, the sweetest ones, in Velavadar, Gujarat: The Great Arabian Sea Drive Day 10

Ajay Jain — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:31:45 +0000

As far as sanctuaries go, Velavadar is the sweetest one. It is home to Blackbucks, beautiful members of the deer family.

But don’t let the gentle beauty of Blackbucks fool you. They always take home the silver medal in running events clocking speeds of 80 kmph (50 miles per hour). Only the Cheetah pips them to the post.

Velavadar has the highest concentration of the endangered Blackbuck anywhere.

I happened to call upon the Blackbucks during their peak fawning period of March – April (the other being September – October). When the males are not mating, they are locking horns to get the women for themselves.

More than a pair were spotted fighting by me. Each male has its territories, but we know how politics works. But do they really need to spar? It seemed there were more than enough females going around for all. But then again, men will be men.

The male blackbucks sport horns; the younger ones have a brown coat that get blacker as they mature. No racist talks here. Females are brown. And they all like to live as large herds. Any room in the harem?

The open grasslands of Velavadar suits the blackbucks just fine. They have a life span of up to 15 years, can be 120 cm long with shoulder heights of 73-83 cm and weigh between 32-42 kilos.

I could have looked at Blackbucks for hours. Even they would not stop looking at me – curious about the Martian in their land. But a single step in their direction, and they would flee.

A male Blackbuck chasing a female. Will he get her?

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A Leopard poses for photographs in Gir National Park, Gujarat: The Great Arabian Sea Drive Day 8

Ajay Jain — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 08:30:11 +0000

I am off – for the first of the big cat safaris on this trip. Hoping to spot some of the last of the Asiatic lions on this planet – found only in Gir.

If it were not for the promise of some wildlife sightings, I would not respond to the morning alarm going off at 5:30. Early to rise is almost a norm on such journeys.

The Government provides a Gypsy, an all terrain vehicle, with a driver and guide for visitors. They are literally tin boxes though – saw a couple that had broken down.

But tourists need not worry assured the guide; if one breaks down, they call for a replacement that arrives in double quick time. No one is inconvenienced.

Drove around for over an hour with nothing to show. And then the driver screeched to a halt – and pointed to something blurry in the shadows of a trees. A leopard!

The leopard was just sitting there – on the lookout for a hunt said the guide. For a few minutes, he just sat around. Almost posing for the cameras. And then he walked off.

The guide and driver were all excited – leopards are rare to spot. And they scamper off at the slightest hint of humans. And this one waited to be clicked! They could not help showing off to all other safari vehicles passing us.

They treated the rest of the safari as a picnic; they had done their bit for the client. Lions were left for another day.

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Hotel Review: Wild Grass Lodge, Kaziranga National Park, Assam, India

Ajay Jain — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:50:03 +0000

The Kaziranga National Park is one of the best forest reserves in the world – and you have to stay at the Wild Grass Lodge for a truly satisfying and wholesome experience.

The architecture and landscaping of the property makes you feel a part of the forest even though you are in the villages surrounding the reserve. There is an old world charm about the place, rare to find nowadays. And their pricing will pleasantly surprise you. Book direct as agents tend to overcharge under the guise of a complete package.

* Service: Terrific. I asked for the best guides as I wanted to do some serious photography, and they made sure I got someone who knew his job. They even got me a vehicle to myself. For those who have been to such places in the past, there is nothing worse than being guided by someone who does not know his job. The other staff does a commendable job of keeping the place clean.
* Rooms: With their wooden décor, it is nothing short of charming and romantic. Even if it is not plush. You have comfortable beds, lounge chairs and electric points for charging appliances. Lighting is deliberately kept dim. Bathrooms have running hot and cold water. All the sheets and towels are very clean too.
* Location: Does not get better unless they allow them inside the forest – but that is out of bounds.
* Amenities: Very good guides and jeep / elephant safaris. An all day restaurant serving local and Chinese cuisines.
* Liked Best: The location, architecture, interiors and landscaping.
* Liked Least: You cannot grudge such locations.
*Food Quality: Very good. But order well in time; they need an hour to prepare meals. And still be willing to be patient.

Charges: Rs. 1,850 for a double room including taxes; no meals included. But meals are very reasonably priced. Do check rates at the time of booking. (Beware when you book through agents – they somehow charge many times over)
Contact: Tel: +91.361.2630465, wildgrasskaziranga@gmail.com

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Great Himalayan Drive Days 46-49: Back to Delhi via Nepal, Pythons say the last good-bye

Ajay Jain — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 12:18:44 +0000

Pythons in a pit in Bardia National Park in Nepal

That’s it. Time to head back to Delhi to mark the end of the first phase of The Great Himalayan Drive. I started from Thimphu, spent the following night in Siliguri in West Bengal and then another two at the Chitwan National Park. The last night was spent at Bardia National Park where I did another afternoon safari.

And on the morning I left for the final run to Delhi, my guide took me a to see pythons in Bardia. I had no idea what to expect – had never seen any. I was directed to look into some pits – and there they were. Five of them lying coiled around each other. Barely moving, except their heads once in a while. I asked my guide if it would be good idea to throw a pebble at them – I wanted them to uncoil a bit for better pictures. I got a resounding NO of an answer – if disturbed, they might suddenly dart out and have us for a meal. It would happen so fast we would not know what hit us. I am a vegetarian – but the pythons wouldn’t have minded that!

And then it was back to Delhi. Watch this space – I will be reporting from Kashmir and the rest of the Himalayas soon!

This trip was sponsored by TripAdvisor.in and Yatra.com.

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Pythons in a pit in Bardia National Park in Nepal

TopSlip in the Anaimalais, TN – A Tusker’s Paradise!

Vijay Ramanathan — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 05:00:26 +0000

Topslip is located in the Anaimalai Forest Range bordering Tamilnadu and Kerala. The erstwhile Anaimalai Wildlife Santucary is now known as IGWS – Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary. A Forest Preserve, this range houses a variety of wildlife and birdlife. Wild elephant and bison sightings are quite common. Quoting from an article in The Hindu, “The IGWS and National Park harbours over 250 species of birds of 49 families and is enormously rich in other biodiversity. According to the latest reports India is home to nearly 1,300 bird species in the diverse habitats.” The neighboring Parambikulam Sanctuary is to the West of Topslip in Kerala.

The closest big town is Coimbatore which is around 80kms away. One has to head to Pollachi (40 kms), then to Anaimalai (another 15 kms), onwards to Sethumadai (10kms), to TopSlip (15kms). A Ticket is required to pass through the Forest checkpost in Sethumadai before a 15 km journey to reach 800Ft above sea level in Topslip. Being totally non-commercial, the only means of staying overnight is in Forest Guesthouses which have to be booked well in advance.

The Drive To Topslip

Reaching the Anaimalais, greenery abounds in every direction. Shady tree lined State Highways surrounded by Coconut Plantations on either side makes the drive up to Sethumadai.

A Forest Checkpost charges tickets for travelers. If one does not stay in the Forest Guesthouses in TopSlip and are only going up for a day trip, they are required to descend the forests by 6pm.

Climbing up the short twisty ghats lined with Bamboo trees, one faces a number of hair pin bends. One cannot help but start admiring the scenic green drive.

On Reaching Topslip

One needs to be careful of Monkeys as they are looking for a quick bite always. Troops of Nilgiri Langurs can be seen traversing through tall trees – a fascinating sight of acrobatics. Forest Guesthouses beckon vistors staying overnight. Visitors on day trips can avail a Forest Guide and drive around and/or can book an Elephant Safari.

Elephant Safari

One starts breathing easier in this pristine forest environment. I presume it must be all the greenery creating a natural Greenhouse effect. Same day visitors can buy tickets for an Elephant Safari. If lucky, one can see Wildlife – Bisons, Wild Boars, Spotted Deer etc.. Really lucky ones can spot leopards! Tickets cost Rs. 400 per Elephant Ride.

The TopSlip Forest has 22 elephants for it’s forest work in the Kozhikkamuthy Elephant camp. Six to eight of these elephants are used for the elephant Safari. After loading on to an elephant – up to 3 to each side, one takes off into the dense forest for a bumpy but exciting ride.

The ride typically last for up to one hour. Lucky visitors get to see wildlife – bisons, spotted deers, boars, wild hens etc..

We rode on a 33 year old Male Tusker named Surya. Surya has been domesticated now for 8 years. Surya was different than the other tuskers in that his tusks were off center and not symmetric. Surya rested it’s trunk on it’s right tusk a lot of times – signs of old age?

The Safari takes one through fairly dense forests. Apparently there were a lot of Gaur (Indian Bison) sightings the previous day but we were not that lucky. We caught a brief glimpse of a spotted deer behind the bushes and that was it. In this Jurassic Park like atmosphere, one almost expects to see plant eating dinosaurs peek through the tall trees.

Scenic Beauty

Visitors can drive up to the Kerala border where the checkpost to the Parambikulam Sanctuary exists. The drive is both scenic and refreshing. Private vehicles are not allowed after this checkpost but one can avail Forest vehicles to head into the Parambikulam Sanctuary.

Gaja Poojai

Pongal or Sankaranti – the Harvest Festival is celebrated all over India around mid January every year. This is followed by Mattu-Pongal – a celebration of the Harvest Festival for cows as they are so critical for agriculture in India.

While everyone knows about Pongal, most are not familiar with another ritual – Gaja Pooja or Elephant-Pongal – held every year in Topslip in the Anamalai Mountain Ranges to celebrate the usefulness of elephants to the Forests. While Elephant Safaris can be had round the year, the Gaja Poojai is a special once a year affair that lucky visitors have a chance to witness usually in the third week of January.

The Forest Elephants are lined up on this day, and sandalwood paste is applied to their foreheads to decorate them. This is one chance to see elephants of all sizes lined up next to each other on this special day – the young cub drawing the most attention with the children.

While the daily feed to the elephants is only 10kg of Raagi (Finger Millet) – the rest coming from the forests, Gaja Pooja is a special day for the elephants as they are fed delicacies to satisfy Lord Ganesha! The end of the Pooja is marked by a Salute to all the visitors by the assembled elephants. A sight to behold.

Entry Fomalities for TopSlip

If you are visiting the park for the day you can go directly to Top Slip (Entry INR 50). The Sethumadai checkpost is the entry point to TopSlip.

In case you plan to stay at Top Slip, accommodation must be booked in advance at the:

Wildlife Warden Office, 178 Meenkarai Rd, in Pollachi.

Open Monday to Friday between 9 am to 5 pm. Tel: 04259 238360.

Park entry time is between 6.30 am and 6 pm.

Summary

TopSlip is a fabulous getaway – serene, calm, unpolluted and totally uncommercial. Wildlife, birdlife are available in plenty and it also offers trekkers great options. Gaja Pooja offers a great opportunity to see tens of elephants at the same time if one can time their visit on that day. While the guesthouse accommodations can be rather basic, TopSlip offers a fabulous gateway into the wilderness – a true nature lover’s paradise!

[This article was contributed by Vijay Ramanathan - a Technology/Gadget enthusiast and Blogger. You can follow his tweets at http://twitter.com/tekdude & his blog at http://tekdude.wordpress.com/ ]

Don’t mess around with the jumbos…

Kahini Ghosh Mehta / Shivang Mehta — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:41:29 +0000

Tusker Taking A Mud Bath in Corbett

Many a times, people wonder and debate on the most feared animal in the forests of India. We have been asked this question on multiple occasions and the answer is difficult because when in the mild in addition to the big predators there are zillions of life threatening living bodies that one should fear. A lot of people believe that a confrontation with a big cat like a tiger or a leopard can be a nerve-chilling experience. That’s definitely true to a certain extent but the king of the Indian forests – the tiger – is not a wanton killer. It attacks in its defense only when it is provoked and in a lot of cases we have seen that a tiger can be the most harmless predator and gives a damn about your presence. When given his space, he can offer you some of the most wonderful moments of your life giving you the opportunity to get upclose with him and witness his glory.

Looks can be deceptive. Moving away from the big cats, there are other animals that look quite harmless but our experience in the wild has led us to believe that they are the unsung rulers of the Indian forests. As you traverse into the heavily wooded forests – especially in belts like Uttrakhand, Kerala, Mysore and Assam – you would invariably bump into huge and massive herds of slow and lethargic mammals who graze from morning to night in the grasslands, bathe in rivers, ponds and lakes and cover themselves with loads of mud to keep the summer heat away. For centuries, elephants have been used by man for multiple purposes making him one of our best friends in the animal kingdom. However, the scenario changes when you come across the wild cousins of these mighty mammals. Elephants have the ability to surprise you in the wild with their extraordinary speed, agility, unpredictability, intelligence and raw power. Their amazing ability to diligently communicate with their fellows within the group can leave you stranded at their mercy in the middle of their forest.

We take this opportunity to narrate one of our most thrilling encounters with the most dreaded mammals of the Indian jungles. In the warm summer month of June 2007, we set off for an early morning safari in Corbett National Park and came across this huge herd of elephants. These wonderful creatures are a wonderful subject for wildlife photography and for the first time in so many years we bumped into a herd of around 80-90 elephants grazing merrily in the open grassland of Dhikala in the early morning light – a very tempting sight for any wildlife photographer.

As Kahini sighted the herd from a distance, we inched closer. It’s fascinating to study the behavioral traits of an elephant family and before shooting a herd as big as this it is always advisable to read the mind of the animal. As per our understanding the herd wanted to cross the road as they wanted to climb uphill and as we were trying to analyze the situation we spotted a tiny 4 months old calf clinging underneath his mother’s massive legs. Elephants are highly over-protective with babies and the herd shields the youngsters by keeping them in the middle of the group. “This was our opportunity to shoot a young elephant calf,” was the common thought in our brains. However we had to take the risk of going near to the group as the calf was being well protected and the only way we could get the shot was to play the waiting game and make use of the first opportunity offered by the herd.
Inch by inch, we moved our 4×4 closer to the group. It was obvious that the group was wary of our presence as low trumpets made by the elders of the group meant that the communication has started. As we moved closer to our target – the little calf – the mother and the elders were keeping a close watch on our movement. Every movement, every noise was being closely observed. The alarm signals were being given – the mother flapped her ears, filled her majestic trunk with mud and puffed it in the air in anger and discomfort. The mother then gave us a mock charge and warned us to maintain distance. We stood our ground and made our best possible attempt to put the herd at comfort.

Within minutes the herd that was on one side of the road had surrounded us blocking all our escape routes. Being surrounded by a massive herd of 80 giant elephants was a magical experience. A slightest error could have agitated the group leaving us in a big soup and we realized that the only escape for us was to hold our ground and stand still and let the group feel that we did not mean to harm them in any way. The next 25 minutes were something we had waited for all our life as the group had to get the youngster to cross the road and that was our chance to get a shot at the kid. Luck favored us and the young elephant calf finally started crossing the road. It could barely walk and tumbled right on the middle of the road. The group realized that the calf was exposed and we got to hear some of the loudest nerve-chilling trumpets. Even the young males were trying to shoo us away! Finally, the road was clear as one by one the elephants disappeared in the thick forest leaving behind some sweet memories that Kahini and I cherished for ever

(Kahini Ghosh Mehta and Shivang Mehta are photographers and naturalists from Corbett National Park and also run a wildlife camp in Corbett. Visit www.naturewanderers.com to know more about them and stay tuned to Kunzum for exciting jungle stories from this husband-wife duo)