Journey of a thousand miles....: OF WINGED TIGERS AND OTHER CREATURES!

“Look Shivam! Tiger!” screamed Sangeeta in excitement. Shivam jumped impatiently at the prospect of seeing the Royal Bengal Tiger. After all this was the first time in his life that he would see the magnificent animal in the wild. Soon a beautiful Plain Tiger butterfly floated gracefully past fluttering its vibrant orange wings! Shivam’s vexed expression threw us all into splits!

This is the kind of fun, camaraderie and excitement we experience on most trips with Nature India. And this one was no less.

When I decided to join the trip to Panna Tiger Reserve which included a two hour visit to Khajuraho, it was obvious that I wouldn’t be able to do justice to such exquisite monuments in such a short span of time. So, I took off two days prior and spent two full days at the monuments. My soul couldn’t have been more at peace!

As the great Scottish naturalist John Muir once said, “Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in a while, climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”

I was listening….

I will limit this blog to Panna and share the enchanting Khajuraho experience in another blog.

I was already in Khajuraho when Farhanah, Sangeeta, Rama and Ashutosh arrived at Jhansi and were received by Mandar. Shivam and Kalpesh, like me, had arrived two days prior and chosen to spend time in Jhansi. A delicious breakfast of Aloo Parathas and Dahi awaited us at hotel Nirvana. After devouring one wholesome paratha, Sangeeta innocently asked Farhanah if she would share half a paratha with her. Farhanah’s spontaneous and cheeky reply was, “Why half?! I’ll have the full one!” The fun had just begun.

We were soon on our way to the magnificent Raneh Waterfalls fed by the river Karnavati (anglicised as Ken). Formed by a series of volcanic eruptions a million years ago, the gorge is about 5 kms in length and about a 100-150 ft deep. This rock formation is a rare case where one gets to see so many varieties of igneous rocks all at one site. I was mesmerised by the vivid colour combinations of the rocks which only added to their beauty – the pink coloured granite, the black basalt, the red jasper, off-white quartz and the yellow dolomite. While admiring its splendour even in this dry time of the year, I wondered how stunning it must be during the monsoons!

An hour’s drive south of Raneh is Greetoe Camp Panna. Nestled amongst trees on the banks of the river Karnavati, this was to be our home for the next two days. As we cruised slowly towards the Camp, Shivam pointed out to a canine sitting a few meters away in a grassy patch, “Dekh! lombdi jaisa kuch hai!” Mandar, Kalpesh and I almost bounced off our seats. Shivam’s keen eyes had just spotted a beautiful Golden Jackal!

Golden Jackal

At the Camp, we were given a warm welcome with a cool drink of Roohafza. After settling into the comfort of our luxurious tents, a sumptuous lunch was waiting to be devoured in the main dining hall. After refusing to share half a paratha, the one with abundant appetite was now overflowing with generosity and offering half her roti to the rest!!!

With our bellies full, we were off on our first safari into the jungle. The open jeeps would provide obstruction-less views of the pristine forest and its inhabitants. We had two jeeps amongst eight of us, which would take their individual routes once inside the forest.

Panna National Park and Tiger Reserve is tucked away inside the Vindhyan mountain range in Madhya Pradesh which runs in the east-west direction and is traditionally considered to divide India between the north and south. The Vindhyas also provide a link to eastern and western populations of wild animals. This is also the point where the forest belt, which begins from Kanyakumari in the south, is broken, and the great Gangetic Plains begin. Panna is a dry deciduous forest. While natural Teak forests abound in the northern part of the park, the south is given to mixed varieties like Kardhai, Mahua, Palash, Ber, Kaththa etc. and shrubs like Lantana, Ixora, wild Basil, etc. The mystical “ghost tree” Sterculia Urens is in abundance on the rocky patches of the forest. Striking in appearance, it inspired awe and wonder in me. It’s pale bark contrasting with its vibrant red and orange leaves was stark splendour. The ghost tree’s gum is said to have medicinal properties and is used as a laxative and tablet binder. Interestingly, natural Teak forests are not found anywhere in India north of this forest unlike the ghost tree which is found all over the country.

The park has one safari zone which can be accessed from two gates, Madla and Hinauta. We entered the forest from the Madla gate. The air had a magical freshness about it. Driving along the dry paths of the forest, our vehicle kicked up clouds of dust. It was time to pull up our face covers. A group of langurs jumped blithely from tree to tree. On seeing our jeep, some mothers cradled their babies protectively. Others ran to the security of the thickets. Sporadic calls of Plum-headed Parakeets could be heard in the distance.

The forests of Panna are interspersed with riverine forests, thorny woodlands and open grasslands with tall grasses like Needle grass, Kangaroo grass etc. Plum headed parakeets were busy foraging on the grains and seeds in the tall, thick grasses. The plaintive call of the Stork-billed Kingfisher resounded in the distance. A little ahead we came to the first of the many scenic parts of the forest that we were to see during the next two days. A pristine riverine forest. The reflections of the tall slender trees standing majestically on small natural islands in the still and clear water seemed meditative. The serene image will remain etched in my memory forever. Further ahead on a rocky open patch a couple of Red-wattled Lapwings stood silent but alert. A lone Grey Wagtail walked amongst them oblivious of our presence.

Red Wattled Lapwing

As we cruised along we saw a flock of Yellow Footed Green Pigeons perched high up on a bare tree. A Roller sat attentively on a stump. Suddenly there was excitement as our guide had spotted a Crested Serpent Eagle. As we stared at it in awe through our binoculars we noticed another smaller bird of prey sitting close by. At first we weren’t able to identify it in the low light. It was also at an awkward angle. It was much later that Adesh identified it as a juvenile Shikra from the record shots that Kalpesh had taken. I can’t put it in words, but the thrill that these raptors give us birders is almost scintillating! It’s not as if the other birds don’t provide such delight, but it’s different with raptors! Only a birder would understand!

Crested Serpent Eagle

Indian Roller

Spotted Dove

The jungle was mostly quiet as we cruised along. Our driver scanned the ground beneath for pug marks. Suddenly the shrill alarm call of a peacock broke the silence. Already having an ear open for alarm calls, our driver was quick to locate the direction from which the call was coming and started driving in that direction. We would make an attempt at a tiger sighting. Earlier in the day, a tigress P151 was seen with her 3 cubs near one of the water bodies nearby. She would definitely return to the same spot sometime later in the day. We decided to wait in that area and try our luck. As we raced towards the spot my heart began pounding with excitement.

The presence of a tiger in the vicinity is often announced by Langurs from tree tops using a barking sound. This is further relayed by high-pitched, short and intense sounds made by other animals like Spotted deer and Sambar deer. Even peacocks join the chorus. However, these alarms are not necessarily for the tiger. They could also be for other smaller predators like wild dogs or hyenas or even a leopard. But what is interesting to note is that it is the Sambar deer’s alarm call which is a sure-shot indication that it is indeed a tiger on the prowl. The smaller predators do not pose any threat to the enormous sambar deer so it sends out an alarm only when it senses a tiger in the area!

We waited for a few minutes at the spot with hope in our hearts. This time the tigress was to elude us. She must have sensed our presence and taken a different route.

Bay-backed Shrike

Along the way our guide pointed to a shrike sitting on bare, dry branches. It was unmistakeably a Bay backed Shrike with its reddish-brown back. Just a few minutes later we came across a Common Stone Chat perched on the very tip of a tall blade of grass.

As we drove along the open grasslands, we could see the sun setting beyond the distant mountains. A wild boar gave us a quizzical look as he nibbled on some grains. A peacock pranced about daintily in the tall grasses pecking at seeds. We noticed he was without his gorgeous tail which is his breeding plumage. Ever wondered why, amongst avian species, it is the males who are brighter and more colourful than the females? This is because the males have to compete with others for the chance to mate with females. Some male birds grow colourful plumage in their breeding season. The females of their species, in contrast, are dull and drab because in most cases it is the female who sits on the nest during incubation. At this time, they are vulnerable to attacks from predators so they have to blend in with the surrounding environment. This peacock would grow his breeding plumage just before the onset of the monsoons and begin his resplendent dance to attract his lady love.

As the sun was setting, it was time for us to leave the reserve. Tiger reserves in India follow strict timings and rules and all vehicles must be out of the reserve at the designated time.

Back at the Camp, we were greeted with a glass of luke warm water and some jaggery. Jaggery is considered to be a remedy for respiratory disorders and throat problems. It relieves irritation in the throat and eases the accompanying throat pain. So, after a ride in the dry and dusty forests, this wonderful gesture from the resort staff was truly heart-warming.

Dinner wasn’t without its usual fun and camaraderie. Continuing with her refrain of ‘half’, Farhanah was now asking Rama to share half a bowl of curd! But curd was the last thing Rama would share with anyone! Her husband Ashutosh could vouch for that! She could have her curd and eat it too!!!!

After dinner, as per the usual practice in all Nature India camps, we had a quick re-cap of the day’s sightings after which we called it a day.

I woke up to the sublime tune of “ik omkar” my alarm ringtone at 4.30 the next morning. We were to leave the resort by 5.30 to be on time to enter the reserve at the designated time of 6 am. So off we were in our open jeeps excited like school children and looking forward to some great sightings. There was a nip in the air. We were well prepared for the cold with all our woollens. At the gate, as we waited our turn, Sangeeta pointed at some Plain Tiger and Blue Tiger butterflies that fluttered around gracefully. Shivam, who was not familiar with butterfly names sprang to his feet on hearing the word tiger! It was one of the many fun moments that we all shared, pulling each other’s legs and having a hearty laugh!

The Karnavati River flows through the Panna Tiger Reserve for about 55km. This perennial river is considered to be the lifeline of the forest and is one of the least polluted rivers of India. The terrain of Panna has “table-top” topography which is broadly divided into two plateaus, upper Talgaon plateau, middle Hinnauta plateau, and the Ken valley. There are series of undulating hills and plateaus rising on the other side of the river as far as the eye can see! A tiger country, the reserve is also home to a large variety of fauna, including leopard, wild dog, sloth bear, spotted and sambar deer, chinkara, nilgai, wild boar, langur, mongoose, palm civet, etc. There are more than 200 birds, including seven of the nine species of vultures found in India. Muggers and gharials are found in the Karnavati River.

Panna is by far one of the most picturesque forests of central India.

The day was just about breaking. The mist was still hanging low on the distant grasses. It was calm and serene. We could hear a faint ‘pook-pook-pook-pook’ of the Coppersmith Barbet and a sporadic ‘tui’ of the Plum Headed Parakeet. A Nilgai grazed amongst the ber groves as we sauntered quietly by. Langurs hung around amongst the dry kardhai trees. A Roller was perched on a stump undisturbed by our presence. Suddenly the calm of the morning was broken by a sudden burst of excitement. We had sighted a raptor! A White-eyed Buzzard sat majestically on a stump of the dry tree. Like the Roller, he too didn’t seem to be perturbed by our presence and we watched him to our hearts’ content.

White-eyed Buzzard

As we waited in the grassland alongside another jeep which was also doing the rounds, listening for any alarm calls, our guide Sakshi got news that the resident tiger P243 had been sighted near Dhundhwa Seha. It was the second burst of excitement within minutes! But this time it was not just excitement. It was almost like a frenzy. No sooner had Sakshi announced the news than our driver hit the accelerator and off we were in pursuit of the majestic animal. Tigers have always fascinated us with their regal and elusive presence. As we sped through the forest through clouds of dust, I could hear my heart pounding at the prospect of seeing a tiger. It was a long and bumpy ride which seemed endless. But eventually when we reached the spot, I felt an overwhelming sense of exhilaration. The huge and majestic animal gave us a ‘road show’ in tiger safari parlance. We noticed a wound on his forehead as he strode head-on towards us, calmly along the path barely 10-15 meters away from us. I was mesmerised. Shaking myself out of my stupor as I readied my camera to take as many pictures as I could in that window of a few seconds that we had, I saw Shivam posing for a selfie with the tiger in the background!! I struggled to steady my hands at the hilarious sight! As P243 walked towards us, we had to periodically move our vehicle back to give him his right of way. We did this a couple of times and eventually after walking in the open for a few meters, he left the path and disappeared into the forest. Those few minutes seemed like eternity. Every second of this vivid experience will remain etched in my memory forever.

And this memory will also remain special because P243 is a special tiger. He holds the distinction of being one of the rare tigers of India when he was found to have been taking care of his four cubs after the sad demise of their mother. In the wild it is usually the tigress who looks after the cubs till they are about 15-24 months old. A tigress usually chooses a cave or thick bushes to deliver her cubs. The new born cubs are completely blind and helpless. Until they can start seeing, they remain in the security of the den. The tigress is devoted to their needs and will protect them fiercely from predators or intruders. She will help them suckle on her and spend a lot of time keeping them warm by licking them. After they are old enough to eat, she will hunt for them, feed them and as they grow older will begin teaching them hunting and survival skills before they separate to establish their own territories at about two years of age. So, when the mother of his cubs succumbed to some injuries when they were just 8 months old, P243 did something extraordinary. He began providing them with food. Two days after the death of the tigress, the forest search team had located the cubs with the help of camera traps. All the cubs looked healthy, active and seemed neither hungry nor stressed. This was strange. They wondered where the cubs were getting their food from. They probed further. After keeping an eye on their movements, they found out that it was their father, P243, who was providing them with food! He would make a kill and leave the prey in their territory. They observed many such incidents during the course of the next few months. P243 was never seen again with any other tigress. It is reported that he also visited the cremation site of his tigress and the mother of his cubs within an hour of her cremation. The next day, he was found sitting for long hours at the place where she had died. Incredible indeed!

Our craving to see the tiger having been satiated, it was now time to satiate the hunger in our bellies! We proceeded to nearby Dhundwa Seha gorge popularly called Vulture Point which was also our breakfast point. Delicious cheese sandwiches, boiled eggs and a hot cuppa chai were devoured in no time.

Panna is home to seven of the nine vulture species found in India. This gorge provides excellent habitat for vultures to nest and also roost. There were about 7-8 Long-billed Vultures nesting on the rocky edges of the gorge. The sight of the enormous scavengers spreading out their wings to take in the morning sun was awe-inspiring. A lone Shaheen Falcon shared the spot with the vultures. Once numbering a few million, the numbers of vultures in India saw a catastrophic fall between 1990 and 2007. Experts had zeroed in on diclofenac, a veterinary drug used for pain management in livestock, as the main cause of the near wipe-out of vultures alongwith other causes like habitat loss. In view of this threat to vultures that brought them close to extinction, diclofenac was banned for veterinary use in India. Despite this ban, cattle carcasses in India continue to be found containing potentially lethal concentrations of diclofenac. Even today vultures continue to face the threat of extinction and fall under the ‘Critically Endangered’ category in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

An interesting fact about the feeding habits of vultures was explained by Mandar during one of our post-dinner sessions. When feeding, vultures maintain a strict social order based on the size of their body and strength of their beak. As they are scavengers they feed mainly on carcasses of dead animals. They can be categorised into four feeding groups. The first is the king vulture, second, all the long-necked vultures which include most of the vulture species like White-rumped, Indian, Cinerous, etc., thirdly smaller vultures like Egyptian vultures and lastly the lammergeiers or bearded vultures. When a carcass is detected the long-necked vultures will gather around it in huge numbers. But however hungry they may be, they are unable to start digging into their meal. The reason? Their beaks are not sharp enough to cut into the thick and tough skin of the carcass. So, they have to patiently wait for someone else to do that for them. And who else but the King to do the honours! The King vulture or Red-headed Vulture has a beak capable of ripping apart the toughest of skin, tendons and muscle. As the King arrives the others make way for him. He struts around asserting his royalty and then makes a bee-line for the softer outer body parts like eyes and testicles. After all he knows pretty well that once the carrion is open, he would have little chance to have his fill amongst the other long-necked scavengers who simply outnumber him. The number of King vultures is usually a fraction of all the other long-necked vultures. So, our ‘Jack the Ripper’ will now rip open the carcass and hurry to get whatever he can lay his hands on! He will then beat a hasty retreat before the long-necked vultures, who were till now waiting around, rush to thrust their long bare necks into the slit made by him and devour the entire carcass. The ‘gulpers’ should we call them? Their long bare necks allow them to reach deep into the carcass. Smaller vultures like Egyptian vultures must wait for the small scraps left behind by the larger, dominant species. These ‘scrappers’ will now polish off the leftovers. Now what remains are the bones of the carcass. The Lammergeier or the Bearded vulture now comes into the picture. Lammergeiers inhabit the mountains of northern India and unlike other vultures, they don’t have a bald head or bare neck. The bones which remain after the carcass are devoured by other vultures are picked up by Lammergeiers which drop the bones from heights as great as 80-100 metres onto flat rocks below. These ‘chuckers’ thereby obtain access to the marrow of the bones that have broken and polish off the bones with it. Absolutely nothing goes to waste in the natural world. Scavengers like vultures play an important role in the eco-system. Carcasses contain bacteria and other pathogens, which, if left to thrive, may spread within the local environment and infect other animals, including livestock and humans. By feeding on carcasses, vultures eliminate these harmful substances from the environment, thereby mitigating the spread of disease that may otherwise impact the food chain. And the cycle of life and death continues.

The sun was now high above and the temperature was slowly rising. It was time to shed some layers of our warm clothes. A Crested Serpent Eagle sitting on a bare branch created a stir amongst us as does every raptor. It made a pretty picture. Kalpesh and I were soon aiming and shooting. Mandar now calls us ‘sharp shooters’! In a span of 45 minutes we saw yet another Crested Serpent Eagle.

Yellow-footed Green Pigeon

A flock of Yellow Footed Green Pigeons basked on a tall, bare tree. A vivid flash of colour glided across our path and disappeared into the tall grass in the blink of an eye. It was the elusive Painted Francolin. We could hear the cooing of the Turtle Dove in the distance.

It was time to return to the gate. A herd of Spotted deer rested in the shade of palash trees. Peafowl strutted around gracefully near a water body. The inhabitants of the forest were winding down for the afternoon when the sun would be at its zenith.

Back at the resort we were greeted with the usual jaggery and warm water. Sangeeta pointed out some butterflies – Common Rose, Common Mormon, Emigrants, Pansies, etc. within the campus of the resort.

A wonderful thing about going on nature trips with Nature India is that all participants are treated as family. We eat together, have conversations, poke fun at each other…. There is a lot of camaraderie amongst participants. Also, the post lunch and dinner discussions are very informative as Adesh and Mandar share amazing facts, stories and their experiences.

Our afternoon safari began with the sighting of a raptor soaring high above just before we entered the reserve. It was the Bonelli’s Eagle. Sangeeta as usual was busy showing Shivam some butterflies. This time it was not just Tigers! There were a couple of Sailors and Common Mormon. Farhanah posed in front of the gate as she had her picture taken while Rama and Ashutosh waited in the jeep. At the very end of the trip, when I asked if any of us had a picture of the main gate of the National Park, Farhanah promptly sent me one with herself in the picture, saying, “here it is but you’ll have to deal with me in it!” It was then that the wicked half of someone came to the fore who suggested we could do away with the lower half which had her in the picture!!

The rays of the afternoon sun filtered through the canopy of the jungle. As we drove along the dusty path some spotted deer grazing in the tall grasses, couldn’t care less about our presence. We soon came to the meditative spot near the water body with reflections of the tall slender trees. As I stood up to take some pictures on my cell phone, Mandar noticed a baby Marsh crocodile sitting still on a fallen log. Panna is home to two of the three crocodile species found in India. ‘Mugger’ or Marsh crocodiles and Gharials. While the Marsh crocodile is classified as ‘vulnerable’, the Gharial is ‘critically endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and the Saltwater Crocodile found in the eastern part of India, is of least concern on the Red List.

The road along the Karnavati river was uneven and bumpy. Layers of slate were visible on the road sides. Flocks of Egrets, a Grey Heron and a Woolly Necked Stork basked on top of the shrubs close to the water. A Grey Bushchat female took its usual perch atop a teak tree. The landscape with tall green and brown grasses with their white inflorescence looked picture perfect. Following some alarm calls, we once again made an attempt for a sighting of the tigress P151 with her cubs. But there wasn’t enough time on hand as it was time to return to the gate. She remained elusive for the second time. On our way out, a flock of Grey Francolins, were busy feeding on some seeds. They scurried into the tall grasses on seeing us. It was end of yet another satisfying day in the forest.

Grey Bushchat female

Waking up early in the morning to the tune of ‘ik omkar’ feels subliminal. After a hot and refreshing cup of tea we were off on our last safari in the park which I was so looking forward to. Would I be lucky enough to see another one of Panna’s famous tigers today? I took a deep breath of the cool fresh morning air as we entered the forest. A Nilgai family hurried across our path on seeing us. The sun was just about rising and mist hung in the air. A Tree Pipit sat on the edge of a dry branch fluffing its feathers to keep itself warm. Our driver stopped the jeep and switched off the ignition to listen to the sounds of the jungle. It was music to my ears. As we waited, another jeep which was doing the rounds stopped close by. I recognised our guide Sakshi from the previous safari. She was beaming on seeing us! After all she was the one with whom we had shared the exhilarating experience of the sighting of P243 the previous day. As we indulged in small talk with her, she was interrupted by a call on her mobile. The caller had called to say that Kanhaiya, another male tiger, had been sighted in the Bhudhrondh area! The news set our hearts pounding once again. We lost no time in speeding away through clouds of dust, hanging onto the bars of the jeep for dear life. The drive seemed never-ending. From a distance we could see several jeeps lined up along a path. Kanhaiya had just given them a glimpse of his majestic self. We were just on time to see his imposing figure as he ambled across the path, scent-marked his territory and entered the thickets. My eyes followed him as he made his way through the foliage until I could see him no more. I couldn’t but think of William Blake’s famous poem ‘The Tyger’. Such a vivid expression of marvel and wonder at the tiger and its fearsome power!

Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

Panna Tiger Reserve has an amazing story of tiger revival. In 2009, there were no tigers left in Panna Tiger Reserve. They were all victims of poaching. What happened in the next 10 years was really heart-warming at a time when the world's tiger population was under a serious threat. The administration introduced the Tiger Reintroduction Project. Amongst other things, they studied the socio-cultural demographics of the Panna region. Pardhi tribes, known to consider hunting as a parameter of valour and prowess, inhabit the outskirts of Panna National Park. Before the imposition of a strict vigilance in Panna to check tiger poaching, the Pardhis often engaged in hunting the tiger and it is said that they also engaged in the illegal trade of its body parts. But, the main reason behind the extinction of tigers in Panna was not only the Pardhis. There were others engaged in the mindless poaching. These poachers were trained to hunt discreetly at night, evading the forest guards. The poachers brutally hunted down every last tiger in Panna, until no tiger lived in the National Park.

When the Tiger Reintroduction Programme was tabled, it involved a two-pronged approach. While the forest department, under IFS officer R Sreenivasa Murthy’s supervision, focussed on repopulating the tiger reserve, the non-profit organisation, Last Wilderness Foundation, was roped in to relocate the local Pardhi tribes and make them give up hunting. Amidst a series of failures and obstacles, their efforts have resulted in 54 tigers including adult males, females and cubs calling the Panna their home. Amongst the obstacles was one interesting incident of a tiger named T3, who kept returning to his ‘home’ in Pench. T3 was relocated from Pench to Panna as part of the rehabilitation program. But he infamously strayed off after ten days and was found moving in the direction of Pench. It needed an entire army of 70 forest guards with four elephants to track him down. They even collected several litres of female tiger urine from zoos and spread it around the forests with the hope that T3 would be lured by the presence of a tigress. Interestingly, officials believe that perhaps, the tiger wanted to go ‘home’ to Pench, his original habitat. The incident was one of the rare instances in zoological history where a tiger displayed signs of ‘homing instinct’.

I had a smile on my face and gratitude in my heart. For “Deep inside the forest I stroll, to hear the wisdom of my soul.”

Golden Oriole female

A White-eyed Buzzard, some Yellow Footed Green Pigeons and a female Golden Oriole gave us glimpses of their beauteous selves. As we approached the Vulture Point, Kalpesh thought out aloud, “now all we need is one king vulture sighting”. Lo and behold! Our guide pointed out to a Red Headed ‘King’ Vulture perched high up on a distant tree! The great writer Paulo Coelho had so rightly said, “when you really want something, the entire universe conspires in helping you achieve it”! Although the stately bird was too far and against the sun for a good picture, the universe had heard our prayer! We took a few record shots and proceeded to Vulture Point for breakfast. Ohh to relish delicious aloo parathas with pickle and piping hot tea deep in the jungle amidst nature’s music! Gratifying to say the least! It was now selfie time for Shivam! And Kalpesh was his partner in crime! The marvellous backdrop of Dhundhwa Seha provided them a lovely photo-op.

It was time to head back to the gate. A Hoopoe pecking at seeds fallen on the ground took to his wings on seeing us. A herd of spotted deer lazed in the shade of the ber trees, chewing on grass and leaves. Most of them handsome male deer, with fresh antlers made a pretty picture. We discovered Farhanah’s talent when she made a lovely water colour sketch of the deer amidst the grasses.

By the end of the trip, we had seen more than 75 species of birds, 8 species of animals including the magnificent Royal Bengal Tiger and about a dozen butterfly species. Someone in our group, who at the beginning, had a very unidimensional understanding of tigers in the wild, had now learnt that winged tigers also exist!

Nivedita Kothare

23^rd November 2022

The 'other' creatures! :
Dr.Kalpesh Gaitonde, Ashutosh Bishnoi, Rama Bishnoi, Sangeeta Jain,
Farhanah Akikwala, myself, Shivam Priyadarshi, Mandar Khadilkar

Complete list of birds seen by me: