Travelogues

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The Magician of Masinagudi

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Mark Davidar, a blessed son of the well-known conservationist E.R.C Davidar is no more. Rivaldo, his most cherished tusker will miss him more than anyone else. Having lost a good portion of his cheek and trunk to heartless poachers, Rivaldo was all at bay, when Mark decided to take care of him, and the rest is history. Though fortunate to have spent a bit of time during my visits to his wonderful place, it took me a long time to see beneath and beyond Mark's complex, sometimes intimidating yet mature persona.  Yes, he had a short fuse, true the huge influence of alcohol was disturbing, agreed that his profanities (especially when drunk) were annoying, yet here was a simple man, with a mature head on his frail shoulders. A man who had an uncanny ability to have a serene, calming approach to the wildest of the wild, and a love for the wilderness which is simply unmatched even today. A wonderful human being, like his illustrious father, Mark was a great lover of the wild...
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Indian Gaur

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Often mistaken for a bison, the Indian Gaur is part of the cow family. The bison is a species found in two places – Europe and the USA. The gaur is amongst the largest and most powerful wild cattle found across the world. Found in abundance across the country, they are very adaptive to the environments and surroundings. An average gaur stands over 180 cm tall and weighs a little under a ton (1000 kg). This gives you a picture of its massive structure. It’s normally found in herds of at least eight to ten and is extremely aggressive – especially when it comes to protecting its young.   The massive size normally makes one believe that no predator gets close to these mammoth bovines, yet these gaurs are easy meat for the tiger, which is known to regularly hunt full-grown adults. As you may have guessed, these huge animals provide a tiger with enough meat for a few days, if not weeks!   The gaur plays a very crucial part in maintaining the ecological balance of the fore...
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Striped Neck Mongoose

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The Stripe-necked Mongoose The Stripe-necked Mongoose is the biggest mongoose found in Asia. Confined to India and Sri Lanka, it can be sighted in well-wooded habitats, particularly in dry and moist deciduous forests where it prefers streams and rivers. Stripe-necked Mongooses have short limbs, with long fore-claws and the colour of their fur can be dark brown, gray-yellow, or orange-yellow. The male weighs around 3 kg and the females weigh much less. This large mongoose is identified in the field by its tail which is three fourths of its body length and has a black tip which is pointed upwards. The prominent brownish black stripe running from its ear to shoulder gives it its name.   A litter of the Stripe-necked Mongoose ranges from 2 to 3, and the newborns hunt with their parent until they are independent. This mongoose is frequently sighted during the day at the open sea, and more often than not, is a solitary species. Its diet consists mainly of crabs, birds, sma...
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