On safari this evening, we were greeted as usual by herds of beautiful Spotted Deer, also known as Chital or Cheetal.

Spotted Deer (Axis axis)

The Spotted Deer is a common sight at Nagarahole and is the most common species of deer found in India. Yet the scene of a deer suckling its young is one that never ceases to touch your heart.

Atop a tree close by was a family of Langurs. The Spotted Deer and the Langur share a relationship that has evolved over time. The deer have learned that the leaves, fruits and flowers on the trees are easily disturbed by the movement of the Langur and fall to the ground as a result. This provides food for the deer. This relationship is especially useful during the dry seasons when the forest floor is parched. Also, the Langurs on the tree tops see predators approaching from far and their warning calls help the deer as a Tree Bourne Early Warning System.

Black-footed Gray Langur (Semnopithecus hypoleucos)

As we continued our journey, we stopped to watch this Crested Serpent-Eagle majestically perched on a dead branch; it was probably out looking for prey that mostly comprises snakes (thus giving it the name), and other small prey.

The Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela)

Towards the end of our journey, we saw this Wild Boar ploughing the ground looking for some earth worm or juicy tuber to feed on. The boar stopped short in its tracks and shyly moved behind some sparse bushes as if to hide. These creatures are massive and could weigh approximately between 90 to 100 kilograms.

Wild boar (Sus scrofa)

I found that in every safari, there is a story waiting to be told …

This entry was posted on Friday, May 7th, 2010 at 6:55 pm and is filed under Birds, Mammals. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.