Walk in the woods: Periyar Tiger Reserve

Periyar Tiger Reserve

There was something unrealistic about standing within 10 ft of a pack of Indian wild dogs. Popularly known as Dholes and classified as an endangered species, this elusive pack of wild canines was busy gnawing at what appeared to be the skeletal remains of a deer. It was 7.00 on a crisp Thekkady morning and we had just embarked on our three-hour nature trek from the Periyar Tiger Reserve nature interpretation center.

Earlier, we had crossed a small creek that was part of the Periyar reservoir, standing precariously on a bamboo plank. We had just commenced our walk along the fringes of the forest when we came upon an open meadow. The Dholes were stationed here. I did the only thing I could possibly do in those circumstances – pull out my camera.

Nature at its best

We were on the last leg of our five-day drive from Bangalore to Munnar and Thekkady. Having already covered Munnar in the last three days, we had reached Kumily the previous day and had put ourselves up at a home stay, Pepper County, owned by the lovely and enterprising couple, Mr. and Mrs. Cyriac.

Periyar Tiger Reserve is situated in the southern part of the Western Ghats spread across the Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala. The reserve is also the catchment area of the river Periyar.  Periyar National Park is one of the few national parks in India to remain open even during the monsoon.

Enchanting jungle path

We had earlier decided against the mandatory boat ride, the most common activity that tourists prefer to do when visiting the Periyar Tiger Reserve.  We didn’t want to look touristy in our own home state by going on an hour and a half long boat ride with a load of other tourists ‘just to spot some wildlife’. There is no advance booking for the boat trip and there is a mad rush in the mornings to reach the booking counter and we did not want to be a part of that.

Traffic jam at the Periyar Tiger Reserve entrance gate

At 6 am we were standing behind a file of about 20 vehicles, autos, buses, taxis, and cars, before the closed gates of the Periyar Tiger Reserve – all of us patiently waiting for the gates to open. It was astonishing to realise that, at that early hour, there were so many people lined up for entry tickets. We were almost sure that most of them were here for the boat ride. From the entry gate, one is only issued the entry ticket and a parking ticket. To get a ticket for the boat ride, you have to drive another 2 km from the entry gate, park your car and then run to the ticket counter, another 500 m from the parking lot, and join the jostling queue. It was a wet and cold morning, but tempers were definitely hot and short. Once the gate was open, there was a small rush as every car was aiming for that first spot in the queue.

On the way to the parking lot

Nobody was overtaking but positively speed driving, way above the 20 km/h speed limit.  We joined the mad rush till the parking lot. From the parking lot, the others continued, most of them probably boosted by the idea of having an upper deck ticket so that their chances of ‘spotting wildlife’ improved.

Boat ride

We had already booked a slot for the nature trek, the previous day, which was supposed to start at 7 am. As we were at least an hour early, we thought we would do a recce of the place. We first watched the excited tourists get packed onto the boat. After the boat tragedy of 2009, the authorities have limited the number of boats at Thekkady.  Later, we remained on the porch of the ticket counter from where one could get the best views of the reservoir. Early mornings are the best time for animal sightings as most of the wild animals come to the water. We watched a herd of Sambhar deer coming to the water and prancing around.

Sambhar deer

By 6.45, we had assembled at the Nature Interpretation Center and were busy struggling with the khaki leech socks that were being provided to us by the forest department. These long leg covers, to be tied over your legwear, are supposed to protect you from poisonous insects, reptiles and the scariest ones, leeches. We were also asked to fill in forms with our contact details and the next of kin’s contact numbers and address.

Struggling to keep the leech guards on. The leeches didn’t have to !!!

The nature walk is a light trek where every group is led by an experienced forest guide and can have up to a maximum of six individuals. The prescribed fee is Rs. 200/- per person but as the minimum fee for the trek was Rs. 800/- and as there were no other members in our group we had to dole out Rs. 800. It was also surprising to note that there were no other Indians in any of the other trekking groups. So much for the love of the forest!

The Kerala Forest Department has employed local tribesmen from the Mannan community, who have a good knowledge of the local flora and fauna, as guides for the treks. The Mannan community, the oldest tribal community in the Periyar Tiger Reserve area, was primarily into fishing and cultivation.  With the spread of tourism, many have now become guides. Under a program in association with the German government, they are trained to speak English, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, and even foreign languages like French, German and Spanish.

Brahminy Kite in action

Our guide, Mr. S, who had 10 years of experience, seemed to be quite knowledgeable about the jungle. After gearing ourselves with the leech socks, we started our trek. We had to cross a small creek first. It took a huge amount of practice and balance to stand still on the bamboo plank. There was the uneasiness of one’s footwear getting wet or, even worse, the dismay of plunging into the reservoir in its full glory.

The bamboo raft

Neither of it happened and we started walking along a forest path. Before reaching a clearing, S gestured with his hand and told us not to move. He cupped his ears and told us to listen carefully. We could hear a high-pitched whistle. We slowly walked towards the clearing and hid behind a few brittle bushes. It was then that we spotted the Dholes. There were around 7 or 8 of them, some of them busy gnawing, some of them cautiously looking around and a few of them just moving around. The Dholes must have sensed human presence as they suddenly got up and moved a bit further even as we silently pursued the pack.

Dholes on the prowl

Dholes are supposed to be shy and cautious animals and are found to tolerate a minimum amount of human disturbance. Dholes are probably the only carnivores found in India which has never been accused of attacking humans. On the other hand, it is a common practice of the tribals to often steal Dhole kills, many a time right from underneath their noses!!!!

Dholes live in packs and almost look like larger dogs but with a more reddish coat and a black bushy tail. Dholes, like dogs, are very social and communicate with each other by whistling.  Dholes hunt together, teaming up to take down smaller animals like hares, rodents, pigs, and even larger preys like Sambhar deer, wild boars, and Chital. They are also quite ferocious and always end up tearing rapidly into their prey, sometimes feasting while the prey is still alive.

Sadly, the Dhole is an endangered species.

As we walked further, the Dholes kept moving away from us, crossing over a patch of marshy land, half-swimming, and half-trudging and finally disappearing into the cover of the forest. Right on the side of the marshy patch was the skull of an Indian Gaur supposedly killed and eaten by a tiger about a year ago. The forest department had not removed the skull so that visitors could get to touch and feel it.

Gaur skull

Suddenly the forest was reverberating with the unmistakably large whirring sound of the Great Malabar Hornbill. We had already seen some of its cousins in Arunachal and were quite familiar with the sounds and sights of the bird.  S pointed to us where a hornbill nest existed and told us to wait. In less than a minute, we saw a hornbill swoop down from the skies and hop onto the tree.

Great Malabar Hornbill in flight

We were now walking towards the forest. Throughout the three hours trek, we learned about several different types of trees, birds, and animals.  Though we were not expecting a few tigers or leopards to pose in front of us, we were quite satisfied by spotting a great variety of birds and also listening to the beautiful songs of Malabar whistling thrushes, the hoots of the coucals and the calls of the hornbills.

Indian Gaurs grazing on a nearby hill

We also came across Nilgiri langurs and a couple of Gaurs which were grazing up on a nearby hill. The most beautiful find was the Giant Malabar Squirrel.

But what took our breath and a lot of blood away was the leeches. It is really amazing to see how these tiny creatures can jump onto one’s body like an acrobat. Also, stuck to our shoes were plenty of leeches that we constantly flicked away with twigs. At one point, S sprayed some tobacco powder on our shoes which he said would keep the leeches away – not that it did. Guess our leech socks were not thick enough!

The jungle is alive. You just have to look around.

We realized that, apart from providing an opportunity to experience forest life, this trek also creates awareness in the prevention of poaching and other illegal activities like sandalwood smuggling. A lot of the night patrollers were once poachers and had been given an opportunity by the forest department to be a part of their special protection team. The plus point, of course, is that they know the forest inside out.

The most dangerous and unpredictable animals are sloth bears and elephants. S’s brother, a night patroller, was once attacked by a sloth bear and fractured his arm and had a rod inserted. Sloth bears are at their highest alert during breeding time and when they have cubs.

Elephant tooth

We also came across a huge elephant tooth, belonging to an elephant which was killed by another two years ago. In that same year, around seven other pachyderms were killed by this very elephant. We had read in the previous day’s papers that a wild elephant had run amok in the jungle and a lady got injured. We asked S about it and were surprised to hear that he was witness to the whole incident. He had been leading a group of 6 people when the elephant came running through the jungle, catching a group of tourists unaware. In the melee that ensued, a lady fell down and fractured her leg. S said that he did not even have the time to warn the tourists.

Giant Malabar Squirrel

My hiker’s eyes did travel longingly to the summit of a small hill across the river. Seeing our enthusiasm, S mentioned that the forest department also conducts a day and night trekking/camping program. Another interesting program is the Jungle Patrol where tourists are given an opportunity of taking part in the regular night patrolling inside the reserve. It is interesting to note that this is the only tiger reserve in the country where night patrol is allowed.

Innovative signboards within the park

The objective of this activity is to not only explore the jungle at night but to also understand how tough the work of the forest department is. As all the forests of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala are contiguous, sandalwood smugglers travel all the way from the other states, bare feet and barely clothed with oil applied all over, making it difficult for the patrolmen to catch them.

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Another recent addition to the activities is bamboo rafting, a full day activity which includes both hiking and rafting. Tourism is highly regulated as only 30 sq km of the park is open to tourists and trekking is only done around the buffer area.

Do Indians hate a walk in the jungle? Go figure!!!

In spite of the fact that this reserve being home to a vast assortment of wildlife species, wherein a number of birds and animals are unique here, we found that most of the times these activities are only booked by foreigners. This reserve is visited by wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers in crazy numbers, all round the year, but most of them only make it till the boat ticket counter.

Move away from the crowds. Explore the nature. It is bound to leave you gasping in wonder. Step away from the usual path. It can be a rewarding experience. In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks. Peace, clarity, happiness……?

Endless trails and happy feet

Our feet were definitely happy.

The tide, the tiger and the Sunderbans

I planned to visit Sunderbans right after I read ‘The Hungry Tide’ by Amitav Ghosh.

The book had everything. The sun, the sweat and a secret; the tide, the tiger and the dolphins; the romance, the research and an uprising; the black, the white and the Goddess. I wanted to see that all.

Between the Bay of Bengal and the higher lands of West Bengal lies one of the largest mangrove forests and the world’s largest delta, the Sunderbans – the beautiful forest. This archipelago is made of more than 100 islands with a maze of numerous waterways and creeks, where the sea merges into the rivers.

 

 

A birds eye view of Sunderbans

 

It is also a Biosphere reserve, a national park, a world heritage site and home to the Royal Bengal Tiger, not to mention estuarine crocodiles, dolphins, otters, monitor lizards, olive ridley turtles, monkeys, cheetals, boars and a variety of birds ranging from raptors like osprey, eagle and brahminy kites; waders like sandpipers, redshanks and greenshanks; smaller birds like kingfishers, flycatchers, minivets, bee eaters, woodpeckers, orioles and barbets; storks like lesser adjutants, egrets, herons and bitterns.

Sunderbans is also home to more than 4 million people whose daily life mainly depends on the highs and lows of the tide.  They

are mostly fishermen and farmers, some are wood collectors, and during the summers when the Sunderbans is in full blossom, they are honey collectors.

On a hot, sweaty day in the month of May 2008, we boarded a mini bus to Sunderbans from Priya Cinema in Deshapriya park in south Kolkata. It was only 8am and we were already feeling the heat.  The first 30 minutes took us through some crowded city roads till we passed on to the fringes of the metropolitan city of Kolkata.

 

Passing through Kolkata

For the rest of the journey we passed through some vast plains with fields interspersed with palm trees and wide canals flowing through.  We were passing through the 24 Parganas district. With the urban fringe of the metropolitan city of Kolkata on one side and the remote riverine villages in the Sunderbans on the other, 24 Parganas district has agriculture and pisciculture at the peak.

We reached Sonakhali by 11. From there we were to take a ferry to Sajnekhali. Sonakhali turned out to be a small port front overlooking a murky river. The river had all kinds of boats lined up. The boats ranged from the small oar held one-man boats mainly used for fishing, to the slightly larger country boats with hand-pulled diesel motors used to ferry people to the other side of the river or for short distances, to the larger touristy ferries with chairs fit on the decks that go down the river to the various resorts on other islands. It was rush hour when we started our trip down the river and we came across a lot of boats with school children and people going to work. The sun was already overhead and the dark greyish water was gleaming in the light.

 

At Sonakhali

When we started our journey it was high tide, during which the water level rises as much as 15 feet.  As the sea water flows into the rivers, the salinity is intense. The main rivers we were passing through were Gumdi, Gomor, Hogal, Peechlali and Bidhya.

 

The boat is on time!!!

I was expecting to see mangroves right from the beginning of the journey. But what welcomed us was a muddy river bordered with slate coloured banks. Small children were seen sliding on the clay banks while adults were seen engaged in prawn seed collection (which I learnt later) with fine nets along the river banks. The houses on the banks were mostly made of mud with thatched roofs, though there were a few concrete houses here and there.

 

Passing villages on the way

The ride was slow, and we were getting used to the rocking of the boat and the sound coming from the motor as well as the nauseating smell of diesel emanating from the engine. It had been around 2 hours since we had started our journey. We were leaving the village settlements behind and the date palms and coconut trees gave way to the mangroves.

 

First glimpse of the mangrove forests

 

Mangroves are trees which can survive, grow and propagate in sea water or in marshy and swampy brackish water in a tidal zone. Mangroves are adapted to survive in extreme saline conditions by maintaining a suitable water balance. The roots are modified to stand firmly in the alluvial soil. Since aeration is poor in the soil, some species have evolved special aerial roots called pneumatophores.  The tide was slowly receding exposing the mud surfaces, called flats, with the pneumatophores jutting out.  Some of the main trees found here are Heritiera fomes, locally known as Sundari and after which Sunderbans is named, Rhizopora apiculata.

Our guide said that it was the wrong time of the year to spot animals. During winters it’s a normal sight to see crocodiles basking in the sun, and tigers coming out of the cover to drink water. But still we were in full alert.

By 2pm, we reached Sunderbans Tiger Camp, situated in Dayapur, our home for the next 3 days.  Tired from the heat and journey, we decided to freshen up, have lunch and then rest for a while. Located opposite to the Tiger Reserve Forest at Sajnekhali, the Sunderbans Tiger Camp stands on a lush green field and is totally eco friendly.

 

Sunderban Tiger Camp

Sunderbans Tiger Camp started on 1st April 2004 as a basic camp providing 8 Swiss tented canvas accommodation with a common toilet facility and buffet meals. Later they added Cottages (A/C and non A/C) and  Huts with attached baths, which only increased the grandeur of the natural environment.

By 4.30 we were ready to visit the Sajnekhali Tiger reserve just a ‘shell’ throw away from our camp.

 

Sajnekhali Tiger Reserve

 

Sajnekhali is supposed to be the gateway to the Tiger reserve. It has a mangrove interpretation center with a museum, an estuarine crocodile pond, a turtle pond which houses olive ridley turtles and a watch tower from where wild life can be spotted. Though we did not see any animals we saw the turtles and crocodiles in captivity. We spotted a water monitor lizard which is found in abundance in the Sunderbans. At the mangrove interpretation center they had a small model of the Sunderbans map.  The museum had a collection of specimens that threw a lot of light on the flora and fauna in Sunderbans. It was getting dark and we decided to go back to the camp.

 

 

Sunrise over Sunderbans

The next day we were up early, got ready and watched the sunrise from the launch.  We were visiting Dobanki camp. The camp has a canopy walk of about 150 m leading to a watch tower. A walk on this elevated structure gave us the feeling of walking on top of the canopy of the mangroves. There were spotted deers in plenty.  There was also information about the different species of trees, animals and birds in the form of hoardings. We did spot the largest stork found in Sunderbans, the lesser adjutant stork. Later we cruised down the Matla-Sea face from where the Bay of Bengal can be seen and then we cruised back through the 5 river junction  to Pitchkhali. Gangetic dolphins have made this part their home. But somehow like the other animals they remained elusive.

 

Where the river meets the sea

 

In the evening we walked to the nearby village to take a look how they survived in this tough terrain.  The village had a very clean and serene look. The roads were paved with bricks. After dinner the camp had arranged a folk dance by the locals. Most of the songs and dances were based on the legend of Bon bibi and how she saved a village boy Dukhey from the hands of the Demon king Dakkhin Rai.

 

 

Bonbibi

 

There are small temples dedicated to the goddess of the jungle, Bonbibi, in every village.  Bonbibi, the lady of the forest, is worshipped by the honey collectors and wood collectors before entering the forest. Bonbibi is supposed to protect them from tiger attacks. Around 150-200 people are attacked every year in Sunderbans.

 

Cruising through the rivulets

 

By 5 am, the next day,  we were up and ready to visit Sudhanyakhali watch tower and cruise through the rivers and narrow creeks and the islands of the Sunderbans. At Sudhanyakhali, as the tide was low, we came across a lot of marine invertebrates like fiddler crabs and mudskippers on the flats. We climbed up the watch tower but no animals, other than some spotted deers,  were found around.

 

Model of Sunderbans

 

It was time for our journey back. We did not spot the Bengal tiger, the gangetic dolphins or even a crocodile. The only animals we spotted were,well the spotted deer.  But what we learnt from this journey is that we  have to appreciate the rich diversity of the flora and fauna in this area. The fact that the Sunderbans itself acts as a natural barrier and saves the people of West Bengal and Bangladesh from the various cyclones that hit that area every year. Cruising along the sanctuary itself is natures’ own never ending lesson. And the mangrove forests with the crisscrossing rivulets and creeks are absolutely unique to Sunderbans.

 

I am definitely coming back here.

 

Ranthambhore: a Jungle, a Fort and the King

 

 I had crossed many streams, trekked many hillsides, even rolled on the beach, but the jungle and its inhabitants always eluded me. The mention of visiting a wild life sanctuary was always accompanied by a raised eyebrow and a word of advice. ‘Visiting a sanctuary. Go and see a zoo instead’. I wanted to go through the whole jungle experience, breathe in the jungle air, listen to those sounds you would never listen outside a jungle, and if lucky see the King and his people in their natural habitat.

At the gates of Ranthambhore National Park

So in the month of December, 2007, we decided to go to Ranthambhore National Park. Named after the Ran and Thambhore mountains and situated 14 kms from the Sawai Madhopur railway station, Ranthambhore National Park spans over 392 sq km  of area. When we got out into the freezing cold of the red bricked Sawai Madhovpur station from the comforting air-conditioned railway coach of the Dehradun Express, we didn’t know what to expect. Somewhere on the other side was another world, totally unknown at the present. It was a new morning, a new beginning. I was about to venture out into the jungle for the first time.

Mr. and Mrs. Sambhar

Cooling down

Mama's boy

Nilgai's resting after a hard day of grazing

Grooming session

and the rest waiting for their turn

Crickey

After the night shift

A friendly treepie

..and the King