Arquivos de periódicos de abril 2017

17 de abril de 2017

Bandvahgarh National Park, India

Bandvahgarh comprises a dry deciduous forest and is one of the best places in India for spotting the Bengal tiger, numerous deer species, and a very considerable number of bird taxa. While it is a Sal tree dominant forest, the diversity of tree taxa and forest architectural features is astounding. I went on approximately 40 hours of jungle safari, including jeep and on foot.

Highlights of this adventure included tracking of Bengal tigers, Leopards, Sloth bears, Golden jackals and other mammals using pawprints and alarm calls of indicator prey. The guides and rangers were not allowed to use radio communications for animal tracking, so that this was a throwback to life without technology....a good throwback. I was lucky enough to have good sightings of Bengal tigers, Golden jackals and one Leopard. Some of these sightings were at ranges of two to five meters.

For me, the forest architecture was quite exciting....and a challenge to identify the great diversity of tree taxa, which are entirely different from forests in the Americas or Europe. I was lucky enough to have a superb guide, Saurabh Agrawal, who taught me enormous amounts about not only tree identification, but also forest ecology. Consequently I was able to assemble ecological relations to animals as well as lichen species

Posted on 17 de abril de 2017, 04:51 AM by c_michael_hogan c_michael_hogan | 14 observações | 0 comentários | Deixar um comentário

26 de abril de 2017

Satpura National Park, India

Satpura is an extraordinary experience with its rich river system, including the mainstem Denwa River and numerous tributaties. The dry deciduous forest architecture is complex and boasts a great diversity of tree species. Correspondingly, the birdlife features a large number of taxa, including the magnificent assortment of waders and other aquatic oriented birds visiting the Denwa. The prize sighting was a close up of a female Indian Leopard, who was near for over twenty minutes, eventually sauntering to within three metres of me in the safari jeep. I was lucky to have an expert guide, who used the old fashioned method of pawprint tracking and use of prey alarm calls to triangulate and find this leopard as well as one other. The Sloth Bear mother with two cubs on board was another exceptional close range sighting. Canoeing on the Denwa River was spectacular and offered unobstructed views of many avafauna; the banks of the Denwa are a surreal expanse of mud, rendered depauperate of vegetation from the massive flows during monsoon. My March visit was perfect, missing the monsoon and intense summer heat; moreover, many trees had shed their leaves, permitting less obstructed views of mammals and birds. Let me know if you want tips on the best guide in the region and best place to lodge.

Posted on 26 de abril de 2017, 04:21 AM by c_michael_hogan c_michael_hogan | 18 observações | 0 comentários | Deixar um comentário