The Blackbuck

The Blackbuck in India are almost entirely grass feeders. They have been observed feeding on legumes of exotic Prosopis juliflora and native Prosopis cineraria and in captivity take to a variety of food sources. However, the food intake in India mainly consists of grasses, hedges, herbs and agricultural crops. Indian Blackbuck is also one of the most exclusive grazers of all bovids of the Indian plains. Like the Barasingha, blackbuck crop the grass very closely and this has direct bearing on their feeding methods. It makes them remain at a place for longer periods of time as compared to browsers. The main difference between grazers and browsers being the former feeds mainly on grass while the latter feeds mainly on plant material. Apart from grasses they are very fond of salt licks for their mineral intake and is probably the reason why some of the greatest horn and body development, I have observed is in natural dry salt pans like the ‘Tals’ of Rajasthan. Photo #7, May 2018 Fathebad, Haryana.

Feral Dogs and Blackbucks

With the exception of the Cheetah, blackbuck has no rival in speed and grace in motion. The fact that in India, cheetah was the primary natural predator of the blackbuck has some poetic beauty in it. Cheetahs by nature are single feed predators, their prey is eaten usually in a single session after the killing, making them much more prolific hunters than leopards. The Indian cheetah was mainly dependent on two species, Blackbuck and Chinkara and with its extinction in India the biggest natural threat to our blackbuck was lost. Apart from Cheetahs, the other predators like Caracal and Wolves have also practically disappeared. The main threat now, comes from Jackals and feral dogs. Jackals follow pregnant bucks till the fawn is born and attack in the first hours of birth, usually under the cover of darkness. While feral dogs make packs and try and isolate the young, weak, lame or old ones from a herd and attack it under broad day light. This peril is threatening the growth of our young bucks herd. Here a blackkbuck fawn taken by a feral dog, while the rest stare with heavy eyes. Photo #5, May 2018 Fathebad, Haryana.

Indian Blackbuck

However, in the recent past man has been the main predator of the blackbuck. In our times wanton habitat destruction has greatly reduced their feeding grounds, leading to growing incidents of crop raiding, which in turn becomes a pretext for killing/hunting of these lovely beings. Outside of protected areas, relict herds have survived mainly because of the religious sentiments of the local people. This has to be taken advantage of fully. Suitable individuals from the community could be appointed honorary wardens and made custodians of these herds. I was taken to meet our blackbuck by one such Green Warrior, and unless conservation measures are improved and implemented intensively, the future of Indian Blackbuck is bleak in most parts of its current range. Photo #6, May 2018 Fathebad, Haryana.

The Indian Blackbuck

The Indian Blackbuck started its spread across our nation slowly. It appears to have been a slow colonizer owing largely to the heavy vegetation of the times, it follows that the existence of heavy forests during that period slowed the spread of this grassland species. Eventual spread of human settlements and agricultural fields resulted in clearance of large swathes of this forest and the blackbuck was at hand to take advantage of this fortuitous situation. No ungulate species has derived greater benefit from the clearance of forests and high grasslands and their substitution by agricultural crops and short grasslands, than the blackbuck. Being prolific and taking advantage of this ecological niche, it became the most numerous and most conspicuous of ungulates seen by human beings on the subcontinent. It seems for the time being our young buck’s destiny is entwined with mine. Photo #4, May 2018 Fathebad, Haryana

Indian Blackbuck

These references are no surprise! Fossils of species closely related to the blackbuck have been recovered from distant places like Turkey, Iran and Ethiopia, but the fossils of Antilope cervicapra have been recovered only from the mainland of the Indian subcontinent. This is in keeping with its present distribution, making it very likely that this amazing creature has always been endemic to India,especially north-western tracts of the subcontinent. It has also achieved its best physical proportions in these areas, even in modern times. The earliest fossils of the true Indian blackbuck date back to a period when modern continents were more or less at their present position and the period witnessed the evolution of many modern day mammalian species of the world. End of this geological epoch corresponds with end of the last glacier period and the end Palaeolithic age in archaeology, it is also commonly known as the Ice Age. To put all this in perspective this also is the time of the evolution of anatomically modern humans. So that means the ancestors of our beloved blackbuck were here to witness the actual formation of our Nation. Through all this time the urge to procreate has endured and our story is of once such incident. Photo #3, May 2018 Fathebad, Haryana.

Blackbuck

The earliest reference to the black buck can be found in the rock paintings of Central India dated as far as 5000-2500 BC. They are even seen on Indus valley seals dated 3500-1500 BC. Over time it became a favorite subject for Rajputs, Mughals as well as Pahari painters. In fact, no wild mammal of its size or smaller, figures as frequently as does the Indian Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) in our cultural history. They have been venerated as conveyance of Vedic gods- Chandra, Vayu and Soma. It has association with classical Indian raga’s like Bhimpalas and Todi. A tale I read somewhere went that the Emperor Jahangir even built an imposing burz surrounded by a moat when his favourite Blackbuck Mansaraj died. As the tale goes the monument still exists. They even have a modern Bollywood reference with an infamous shooting incident. Carrying on in that tradition, I thought I will make a Bollywood reference of my own (of course not the shooting bit). Here the Indian Blackbuck is setting the mood Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge style for the story yet to come! Photo #2, May 2018 Fathebad, Haryana.

There is hardly a wild animal more representative of India than the male Blackbuck. It is one of the most spectacular beings of India and one that is used to living in close proximity with humans. Consequently it features prominently in our nation’s history, religion and art. Today it’s one of the most isolated and threatened animals of our subcontinent but I must say I have been lucky to spend time around it and study it closely before it vanishes completely. This is the story of one such bull, I call Hurricane. Photo #1, May 2018

I see Ibis!!

Badopal, haryana, india.

May 2018

The blue Bull (Nilgai)

Sometimes I need to mind my own Business!!

Badopal, Haryana, India,

May 2018

Horn ok please!

I haven’t traveled to too many, but their remoteness, vagaries in getting there, their habit of being stacked lustily with all sorts of life makes them awe-inspiring places to visit. Tropical Islands, put on such a show of spell bounding beauty that when you scratch the surface, more is the splendor that beholds you. It’s the ease with which they warm my heart and make space in my consciousness that strikes me most vividly. In this small slice of one of the largest islands on Earth, I found a place that is truly Jurassic!! Sunset at Bako National Park, Borneo, Dec 2018

Oriental Scops Owl, 

Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, New Delhi,

2018

You have NO idea how fast my heart races when I see you!!

The Bornean bearded pig (Sus barbatus), also known ambiguously as the bearded pig, is a species in the pig genus.

It can be recognized by its prominent beard. It also sometimes has tassels on its tail. It is found in Southeast Asia—Sumatra, Borneo, the Malay Peninsula, and various smaller islands like in Sulu archipelago such as Tawi-Tawi, where it inhabits rain-forests and mangrove forests. Bako National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia, Dec 2018

The Painted Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis pictus) is a widespread and adaptable species occurring in a broad range of habitats. In its native habitat it is probably a forest edge species, as it is rarely encountered in dense forest. It has adapted to a broad range of disturbed and man-made habitats including secondary scrub, parks and gardens. It is fully diurnal - by day it actively searches for its food prey, which comprises mainly lizards and frogs, but by night it rests on narrow tree branches a few metres above the ground.

This snake is nervous in disposition, and will flee swiftly when disturbed. When threatened, or when consuming prey, this snake will inflate its body slightly to reveal bluish or turquoise skin underlying its body scales.

I got real lucky to see these colors when it popped out to scare the beejesus out of our guide... Bako National Park, Sarawak, Borneo. Dec 2018

Most of the approximately 1,110 species of Hermit crabs have an asymmetrical abdomen that is hidden in a scavenged mollusc shell carried around by it. As the hermit crab grows in size, it must find a larger shell and abandon the previous one. This habit of living in a second-hand shell gives rise to the popular name "hermit crab”. As hermit crabs grow, they require larger shells. Since suitable intact gastropod shells are sometimes a limited resource, vigorous competition often occurs among hermit crabs for shells. The availability of empty shells at any given place depends on the relative abundance of abalone, conches, periwinkles, whelks, and numerous other sea snails that produce seashells that are coiled in the adult stage (gastropods) and hermit crabs, matched for size. An equally important issue is the population of organisms that prey upon gastropods and leave the shells intact. When properly sized gastropod shells are not available, hermit crabs have been known to resort to wearing other objects such as tree nut hulls or pieces of beach litter rather than go unprotected. This has become very common in some areas, due not only to the increased prevalence of marine debris, but also due to depletion of seashells from beaches due to humans collecting them. Bako National Park, Sarawak, Borneo, Dec 2018

Bornean Keeled Pit Viper (Tropidolaemus subannulatus) F. As with other pit vipers, this is a venomous snake, with heat-sensing pits on the sides of the head. It is exclusively arboreal, and may be found at heights ranging from low vegetation to mid-canopy levels of around 20 metres or so. Its diet comprises birds and arboreal rodents. At present this species is listed as occurring in Borneo, Sulawesi and many islands of the southern Philippines, however it is clear that the populations in the Philippines and Sulawesi are different species. Thus, Tropidolaemus subannulatus should really be considered as endemic to Borneo. Bako National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo) Dec 2018

The silvery lutung (Trachypithecus cristatus), also known as the silvered leaf monkey or the silvery langur (Near threatened). It is arboreal, living in coastal, mangrove, and riverine forests in Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. It is the type of its species group. The young are well developed, with a strong grip for holding onto the mother. Silvery lutungs are born with orange fur, and with white hairless skin on the face, hands, and feet. The skin rapidly changes to the dark adult color, but the fur does not reach the adult pattern for three to five months after birth.

They are specialist leaf eaters and also able to feed on tougher and more mature leaves than any of its close relatives. These extremely shy creatures do not normally live in the same parts of the forest as other monkeys due to such dietary preferences.

Unusually susceptible to human diseases, including AIDS, they have been widely used in medical research. Here a orange fur ball is not letting go off the mother! Bako National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia. Dec 2018