Stripes of Wild India

[TonyQ]

Fabulous sightings and photos of the gibbons - that sanctuary sounds an exciting place to visit! The sound of them on the video is very special.

[madaboutcheetah]

 

@@LynneB

 

Talk about missed ST-GTG opportunities.

 

You and your very intrepid group certainly seem to have enjoyed yourselves, had a good time? Which other parks did you visit this time? And hey, you could share trip report duties with us when we´re getting to Tadoba!

 

@@Bush dog

 

Thanks, have you just returned from a safari?

 

We had a great time - we visited Pench and Satpura after Tadoba. I'm going to have to trawl through my photos now and see if I can spot any of you in the background!

 

 

Hi @@LynneB - would love to hear feedback about Satpura, please? I don't want to hog this TR - so seperate thread when time permits? Thanks so much

[Alexander33]

@ michael-ibk

 

Thank you for the details on the history, successes and new challenges facing Kaziranga. That really helps paint a true-to-life image of the park, its wildlife and the preciousness of your experience.

 

Speaking of images, I love the shots of the elephant and rhino in the same frame. The landscape background helps depict how truly enormous these beasts are. And, wow, that shot of the Stork-billed Kingfisher is impressive. A great sighting, and the composition of the photo is fantastic. A double coup.

[graceland]

Great shots, esp. the rhino and elephant together...Could be a poster for anti-poaching worldwide.

 

The more you look at it, the more your heart flutters... it needs a home somewhere where all can see the elephant and rhino side by side in the wild...where they should be,

 

Thanks @Michael-ibk; you and Lynn are weaving a great story of India; one I did not know.

[Atravelynn]

@@madaboutcheetah

 

It´s a deal! Be careful what you wish for Hari, we have already been discussing the possibility of teaming-up again for South and Central India in 2017.

 

Give our best regards to your cousin.

We are likely to take you up on that offer. As mentioned, there have been some discussions. As the time draws near, your cousin can check her schedule and join us again for a safari-launch dinner. Or who knows, she may develop an interest in things wild, and join the whole trip!

 

 

 

After all the gibbon fun we returned to Kaziranga NP for the afternoon and ventured out to Eastern Zone again. The sky was overcast, and we were half-expecting rain to fall any minute but would remain dry.

You are forgetting the two raindrops we felt, one by you and one by me.

 

You continue to be a font of knowledge about Kaziranga and its prospects for the future.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Atravelynn

[Atravelynn]

Well.all I can say is 'wow" this is an amazing photo journal of a place may never visit (too many others in place) but if it happened, would be fabulous. I love all the chimp photos, a LYNN sighting, and the gang together. what an amazing ride you three took together. India sure has its mixes and you showed us well.

 

The gibbon jumping looked like pure joy....sorry i am in iPad and can't complete half my sentences; non the less it was fabulos!! I have toyed with the idea of India for years and never quite figured it out; your report superbly helpful

 

 

1

Stop the toying and start the booking! Or at least the researching. I would have written start packing, but we all know your bags remain packed and ready. I recall you have mentioned the costs of this kind of travel we all like in some of you comments. India is kinder to your pocketbook than some other places, another plus.

[Zim Girl]

Loved all the gibbon pictures - a favourite of mine.

[madaboutcheetah]

 

@@madaboutcheetah

 

It´s a deal! Be careful what you wish for Hari, we have already been discussing the possibility of teaming-up again for South and Central India in 2017.

 

Give our best regards to your cousin.

We are likely to take you up on that offer. As mentioned, there have been some discussions. As the time draws near, your cousin can check her schedule and join us again for a safari-launch dinner. Or who knows, she may develop an interest in things wild, and join the whole trip!

 

 

 

After all the gibbon fun we returned to Kaziranga NP for the afternoon and ventured out to Eastern Zone again. The sky was overcast, and we were half-expecting rain to fall any minute but would remain dry.

You are forgetting the two raindrops we felt, one by you and one by me.

 

You continue to be a font of knowledge about Kaziranga and its prospects for the future.

 

 

Lynn, she will never get drawn to safaris ...... Went to Ranthambore with her in 2001 - she actually looked away from the Tiger next to the jeep to look at the Fort ruins far far away from the road. Imagine that??? not making this up!

[Atravelynn]

It takes all kinds, doesn't it, @@madaboutcheetah?! That's funny. Then we will not subject her to any jostling around in the Gypsy.

[Atravelynn]

Day 5 at Kaziranga:

 

Because we had not enjoyed the Central Zone in the morning, except for passing through for the elephant safari, we wanted an a.m. visit. So did lots of other people. It was the first time we had experienced crowds entering the park at the starting time of 7:30 am. Fortunately Driver Bohkul took a turn and pointed us in a less busy direction.

 

The Central Zone road that took us far from the madding crowd

Asian pied Starling Grey-backed Shrike

 

Black-headed Oriole

Red-breasted Parakeet Blossom-headed Parakeet

 

In losing the crowds, we found lush and wet habitat.

 

First the lush. There are no pumped up green hues in these photos. It was this vibrant.

Hog deer in Central Zone

Same vibrancy, different photographer and different camera. Same hog deer.

 

Now the wet.

 

I think this photo qualifies for "stripes of wild India," with the rhino as a bonus

Spotted Pelican

 

 

We witnessed this crossing.

It appears the water buffalo are snorkeling.

The above are wild water buffalo, but in the agricultural buffer zone we saw herds of domestic buffalo. We mentioned to Tarun that they looked nearly identical and asked if there were differences. Tarun replied that he could tell them apart because the wild ones looked healthier and heavier. The areas for grazing the domestic water buffalo were restricted in size, meaning less volume and variety of nutrients.

 

For contrast, these are domestic water buffalo, in the buffer zone.

Domestic buffalo grazing in the buffer zones of Kaziranga

We found ourselves along the Diffloo River.

Diffloo River, Central Zone, Kaziranga

 

This morning it seemed as if our every wish was Tarun’s command.

 

Michael stated that he’d like to photograph a Pied Kingfisher in flight. A few minutes later there was the Pied Kingfisher.

Pied Kingfisher

 

Then it was flying and hovering.

 

And here is his shot.

Pied Kingfisher hovering over Diffloo River, Central Zone, Kaziranga

Then it was my turn. “I’d like to see some turtles.” Wish granted in a multi-species manner.

 

Assam Tent Turtles (smaller) Indian Roofed Turtle (larger)

 

Assam Tent Turtles in Diffloo River

Assam Tent Turtles on Board. Indian Roofed Turtle in Process of Boarding.

 

Assam Tent Turtles (smaller) Indian Roofed Turtle (larger)

Indian Flapshell Turtle

 

Indian Flapshell Turtle

 

Back on land, an approaching elephant walked through the tall grass.

 

 

Central produced some of the largest controlled burns we saw in the park. The climbing flames, constant crackle, intense heat even at a distance, and heavy smell of smoke were reminders of the fire’s force. It almost seemed alive. Burning is generally January until the first rain which can begin in mid-March or later.

Controlled fires in Central Zone, Kaziranga

 

We were getting more particular about which rhinos qualified for photos. While few rhinos made the photo grade this morning, we were privileged to see 15.

Edited May 7, 2015 by Atravelynn

[michael-ibk]

Those fires really were quite scary - and loud!

 

 

 

Sambar Deer. A quite common sight in other parks, but here in Kaziranga they are scarce, mostly avoiding the open areas. I don´t think we saw more than 10 (including these three.)

 

 

Another Red Junglefowl

 

 

Grey-Capped Pygmy Woodpecker with "a kill".

 

 

There´s an odd chance of even seeing Ganges River Dolphins in the Diffloo River. Later, in the year during Monsoon, they are quite common here. (Of course the park is closed then.) Gharials used to hunt fish here too, but they are long gone unfortunately.

[Zim Girl]

The turtles with little tents on their backs are just brilliant, I love the one waving!!

[Kitsafari]

wow you guys got clear pictures of the Gibbons! when i was in sabah I wasn't able to get any picture as the foliage was too thick but their singing woke me up every morning and I grew to love their calls.

 

That was a fantastic series of the gibbon flying from a tree to the next @@Atravelynn! and I love love the first picture of the road lined by rows of thick ancient gnarled looking trees in post 135. Can i download it for a PC shotscreen pretty please?

 

@@michael-ibk thank you for a wealth of information on the park - sad to see the park shrinking becuase of population pressure. But at least here there is a glimmer of hope since the government is at least making more areas to expand the corridor. hope it will take place, even if it does slowly.

 

as usual, Kaziranga landscapes look beautiful

[Kitsafari]

and back for more ---- forgot to add - great shot of the ele and rhino - both herbivores at the edge of extinction.

 

and those pictures of the turtles made me laugh - u sure you guys didn't line them up on the branch for the photo - cos it sure looks like it??!!

[Galago]

@Michael-IBK It turns out that we were at Tadoba at the same time! I was with a small Naturetrek group and we arrived one day later than you at Svasara. It's pretty strange seeing photos almost identical to mine! The shot of Maya walking in from of the herd of Chital - and what a sighting that was!

 

Were you there when we saw the Honey Badger ( it was the morning of 28th) so you probably left after lunch that day and would have heard some of the guides jumping up and down and yelling about the sighting!

[michael-ibk]

@@Galago

 

Hello, just took a closer look at your profile pic and of course, I do remember you. It seems everybody we met in India is here on Safaritalk - really cool!

 

About the honey badger - not that morning, but let´s just say there would be a lot of jumping up and down and yelling and "I CAN´T BELIEVE THAT"s in a certain car with three Safaritalkers that very day.

 

Hint: I took the liberty of modifying Svasara´s board that evening:

 

Edited May 7, 2015 by michael-ibk

[Galago]

@Michael-ibk I remember the board listing! We couldn't believe that people had been out in the afternoon and found it still there. I got some pics, not great but with all that bamboo in the way........

[michael-ibk]

Yeah, must be the same one we saw. Fantastic sighting for you, it was a first even for our guide and driver! Actually, Rajan (our guide) didn´t even quite believe that Honey Badgers even existed in Tadoba.!

[michael-ibk]

And to get a little nonlinear in the narration of this report - since our little unexpected friend has been brought out into the spotlight already here is our catch of it - late afternoon in Tadoba. Big, big trip highlight!

 

Edited May 7, 2015 by michael-ibk

[xnegvx]

I have been thoroughly enjoying this post. :-).. you got to see some amazing wildlife there..

 

Kazi had been very high on my list .. but after trying some assaamese food I think I will have to go there asap.. I have always heard great things about Wild Grass and you photos complete the picture in my head. Now, just need to scam missus into taking a family trip there...

 

Cheers

[Atravelynn]

@Michael-IBK It turns out that we were at Tadoba at the same time! I was with a small Naturetrek group and we arrived one day later than you at Svasara. It's pretty strange seeing photos almost identical to mine! The shot of Maya walking in from of the herd of Chital - and what a sighting that was!

 

Were you there when we saw the Honey Badger ( it was the morning of 28th) so you probably left after lunch that day and would have heard some of the guides jumping up and down and yelling about the sighting!

Our honey badger colleague! We could have had a Svasara reunion. Looks like we'll have one on the report.

[madaboutcheetah]

Wow - simply brilliant!!! So, Michael would you say a Honey Badger in Tadoba is as rare as an Aardvark or Pangolin in Africa?

[Kitsafari]

What a cool and gorgeous looking dude that badger is.

 

@@michael-ibk are you saying that badgers are not known to exist in that park ? He looks rather healthy with that thick coat so the chances for the species seem quite good?

[michael-ibk]

@@madaboutcheetah @@Kitsafari

I think this is indeed Aardvark/Pangolin-like. Rajan, who has been guiding for almost 20 years, has never seen one (he saw Pangolin twice in India). Same for Vikram, boss of WWI - never seen one. Several guides at Svasara were very excited about the honey badger, as only few of them had ever seen one. I posted this pic on the FB Tadoba Wild Images group with lots of people commenting on the rarity of such a sighting. Only very few there (many avid wildlife watchers) have ever seen one, and the few who have only at night, never in daylight.

 

It is known to exist in Tadoba, Kit (as in most of India except the East and very North and South), but I think especially since Indian National Parks don´t allow night drives it´s almost never spotted. "Mammals of India" states that Melghat National Park (a tiger reserve in Maharashtra) would be the best place to find them. Apparently they are strictly nocturnal in India (much more so than their African fellow it seems) and therefore very hard to spot. Their relatively small size, frequently solitary and nocturnal behaviour make them difficult to record even in areas where they are well represented. Not too much is known on their population in India (where they have an eerie reputation of digging up graves), but they could be more numerous than one would think given how rarely they are seen:

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Honey-Badgers-not-so-rare-Study/articleshow/45330403.cms

[Galago]

@@Atravelynn Yes, what a small world! We went on to Pench, Satpura and Kanha after Tadoba.

 

@@michael-ibk Our guide, Chirag, had seen one once before, the park guide had only seen it in a book and the driver had never heard of honey badger. As you say, the lack of night drives and associated research means that very little is known about the population there. I didn't know about the grave digging reputation but certainly the African cousin is just the scariest of creatures because it knows no fear. One chased a pal of mine right across the bush camp in the Luangwa Valley!

Looking forward to reading about the rest of your trip.