The wild ones, up close

The family headed towards the wooded area where the stag had fled. Discreetly scouting around, the man stumbled upon a gory sight seen by few — the canines feasting ravenously on the slain stag.

Care of the young is perhaps best exemplified by elephants. In Munnar I have often seen the pachyderms form a protective circle around their young when they perceive danger. I have also seen adults patiently escort stubborn calves across roads, resolutely nudging them along with traffic honking impatiently. Thankfully, wildlife enjoys right of way here.

The other day I came across a huge boulder jutting out on a jungle path. Strangely, one side was coated with mud. Noticing my curiosity, a local informed me that elephants sometimes stop by to scratch their backs and flanks on the rock, each patiently waiting for its turn. Evidently, the pachyderms need ‘back-scratchers’ as much as humans do!

Early this year a full-grown gaur blundered into an empty water tank near Munnar. Sandbags were dropped in to enable it to come out. But, unnerved by the commotion and onlookers, it refused to budge. Guided by instinct, it patiently waited till nightfall to work its way slowly up the mound of sandbags — and emerge free.

Recently in the Eravikulam National Park, I anxiously watched several frolicsome Nilgiri tahr kids — hardly a month old — literally ‘bouncing’ down a steep rockface on spindly legs while their mothers grazed unconcerned. One slip and they would have plummeted to death a hundred feet below. The young are certainly initiated early in the wild.

When danger surfaces it is usually the male that plays the protective role in the jungle. The magnificently plumed jungle rooster, however, appears to be an exception. Whenever I surprise a covey of jungle fowl on my treks, it is invariably the unchivalrous rooster that flees first, leaving its harem to fend for themselves!

In contrast, the birds frequenting my garden are quite cheeky, parading at will in my front yard and noisily settling their feuds on my window-sill. They regard me as harmless — an impression I reinforce by avoiding any sudden movements that could scare them. Familiarity breeds not just contempt, but trust!