india

Sarus cranes are beautiful, majestic birds found in parts of the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia. They are one of the tallest of flying birds, growing to a height of around 5ft 11" (1.8m). Usually found foraging around open wetlands, marshes and agricultural lands, these birds are considered as ‘Vulnerable’ species owing to the rapid urbanisation and vast depletion of its habitat. Sarus cranes are known to form long-lasting pair-bonds and maintain territories....

A few weeks back was Father’s day. When my daughters wished me with a lovely card they had made, it got me thinking. There are so many hard at work dads in the natural world as well whose efforts go quite unnoticed. They carry on with their paternal duties without expecting any appreciation in return. These highly motivated and dedicated fathers deserve every bit of praise and it was time to hail them too....

Great Hornbills are majestic, large sized birds of the high canopied rainforests, across the South and Southeast Asia. It is one of the larger species of hornbills, growing to be anywhere between 3 & 4 ft in length, weighing between 2.5 to 3.5 kgs and a wingspan of around 5 ft. They are mostly seen moving along the canopies, foraging on various kinds of fruits, which is their primary diet. Fig trees are their most favourite, with they attributing to around 73% of their source of food....

Nights in a rainforest are far from being a silent affair. The whole forest seems to come alive as the darkness sets in. While the day time performers of a musical symphony are the cicadas, the nights belong to the crickets. And if it is monsoon season, the multitude of frogs chime in with their vocal contributions. The rhythmic music of crickets accompanied by the high pitched tones of the frogs, the spooky calls of a nightjar or an owl, the gurgling sounds of the many streams breaking through their rocky paths, the soft, chill breeze blowing through the leaves and branches of tall trees, among many others, are what characterise a rainforest night....

Elephants can swim. I had heard and read about that. The sea faring elephants of the Andamans and Sri Lanka are very well known. Legends like the elephant named Rajan, of the Andamans, was featured in a Hollywood movie too. However, I had not been lucky enough to see one actually swim, until this March, in Kaziranga, when I was a first hand witness to that. We were on our afternoon safari....