Wildlife – The pack of wolves, Baloo, Baghera, Kak and the sinister Shere khan revolving round the man cub Mowgli, at least for once tickled your conscience to visit the wild. Seeing the animals captivated in the zoos and away from home is always painful. But when they are free in their natural habitat it is a pleasure to see that. The wanderlust soul within you, which never settles in the humdrum, scheduled life is always in search of some adventure. And there can be no place better than a wildlife habitat, to quench your thirst of exploration. So, when the wild calls, don’t settle just answer it and experience the difference.
The essence of wildlife exploration lies in the unpredictable moments, like, when suddenly herd of deer crosses your way, or you spot a leopard in the thick canopy.Seeing the animals in their natural habitat is like visiting an unknown village, which is oblivious to your identity and doesn’t get themselves bothered with ‘atithi dev bhabo’. Other than experiencing the pleasure of watching the wild, you get the scope to explore various corners which registered rare footfalls in the forest. And may meet the hissy buddy in the venture.
Boasting of rich diversity and home for various endangered species, India is the land which beholds beauty in the wild. There are numerous national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, bird sanctuaries and tiger reserves; where you can directly experience the bliss of mother nature and its unchallenged beauty.
Panthera Tigristhe sinister Shere Khan of ‘The Jungle Book’, is not that bad as it is portrayed by Kipling. It is a masterpiece epitomizing beauty with power. The very glance of the feline is enough to make your jaws drop. There are almost fifty tiger reserves in India presently and is home for almost 70percent of the tiger population in the world. Be it Sundarbans in West Bengal, Jim Corbett in Uttar Pradesh or Bandipur at Karnataka, Periyar in Kerala or Pench in Madhya Pradesh, you can meet the felines in their natural habitats. Playing, cajoling with the cubs or enjoying their siesta. If this cat crosses your way, you know it is a blessing in disguise.
Elephas maximus, the Indian elephants can be found in almost thirty-two reserves. They are the most humble, confident and happy go lucky creatures of the nature. They are famous for their emotions and bonding they share with their fellow members of the herd. We have often viewed many videos of little jumbo throwing tantrums and then being chided by their mother. Or one elephant being rescued by other members when in need. But seeing the magnanimous creature in-front in the wild is a blissful experience with the thrill. We have Kameng in Arunachal Pradesh, Kaziranga in Assam, Wayanad in Kerala and Nilgiri in Tamil Nadu are the few reserves where you can see them happily and coolly basking in nature’s delight.
Aves, better known as birds for us also has feathery beauty to mesmerize the birdwatchers. Thick canopy accompanied by the chirpings and cacophony of various known and unknown birds is a heavenly experience.Here in India we have almost seven bird sanctuaries, which are blessed with diverse avi fauna belonging to India and are also shelter to various migratory aves, which chooses India as it is breeding ground during winter season. Bharatpur Bird sanctuary in Rajasthan, is home for more than thirty-five species of birds. Nalsarovar bird sanctuary of Gujrat, homes almost two hundred fifty species of wetland birds during winter and spring. The Chilka lake sanctuary of Odisha offers a breeding lagoon for almost 160species of migratory birds from Aral Sea, Caspian Sea, Ladakh and others. It is good to visit the bird sanctuaries in between October and March, when numerous species flock together to give a treat to your eyes.
The above species are the celebrity, but as you know unknown and hidden beauty is the cherry on the cake. Once you visit the wild, you may encounter numerous other species of snakes, nilgais, water buffaloes, herd, flock, pack and even Simba, the lion king. All depends on the habitat you choose. Just go to experience the unity of flora and fauna in the free air.
This is wildlife – So, what are you waiting for? Pack you bag, adjust your focus and leave for the wild. Don’t forget to pack courage, enthusiasm and lots of patience to meet the wildlife. Who knows maybe you are visited by the king of the jungle while camping in the desolate under the open sky. Whatever you experience in the wild is incredible experience for lifetime. When the wild call, don’t sit!
