Free Ranging Dogs — A Serious Threat to Wildlife in PAs

-  Photos Leave a Comment

During my visit to Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (Keoladeo National Park), Rajasthan, in February (2019), I had the opportunity to witness a rather ghastly moment in the wild.

A female spotted deer, which was apparently ill and was unable to move was killed by two feral dogs. When I reached the spot, I could see them feeding on the carcass.

These dogs also chased a spotted deer fawn which was able to escape to live another day due to intervention of … Read More

Parakeets Attacking Monitor Lizard, Bharatpur

-  Photos, -  Picture of the Week Leave a Comment

I photographed this sequence of a pair of Rose-ringed Parakeets (Psittacula krameri) attacking a Monitor Lizard (Varanus bengalensis) in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

Parakeets use cavities in tree trunks to nest, and the parents diligently protect the eggs from predators, including snakes. Monitor lizards are egg thieves, and this one’s attempt to steal the parakeet’s eggs resulted in an aggressive attack by the parent birds. 

Monitor lizards are tropical reptiles that belong to the family Varanidae. Due to rampant … Read More

Jackals and porcupine, Bharatpur

-  Photos, -  Picture of the Week Leave a Comment

On 15th October 2016 at about noon in Bharatpur National Park in Rajasthan, three jackals were seen by us around a fresh carcass of a porcupine right on the edge of water. They fled, and, try as we could, they did not approach the carcass in our presence. The carcass had injury marks on the neck and foot and a small opening at the rear.

Later, at 5.40 the same evening we found the jackals tugging away and feeding on … Read More

Bharatpur — Can we Regain this Bird Paradise?

-  Articles, -  Featured Article Leave a Comment

The year 2004 was a fateful one for Bharatpur, India’s most famous bird sanctuary. In order to appease farmers belonging to particular community, the then Chief Minister of Rajasthan, issued an order diverting water from the Ajan Bund away from the Bharatpur marshes and into the fields surrounding the park, unleashing catastrophic consequences for this 250 year-old artificial wetland. Since then, Bharatpur has never been the same. While various schemes to bring water to the park are under consideration, bird Read More

Elusive Bharatpur Tiger Tranquilised; Relocated to Sariska

-  News Leave a Comment

Tiger T-7, an elusive and habitual wanderer was lured by the recorded calls of female tigers and tranquilized by Wildlife Institute of India’s P.K. Malik. A team comprising of Keoladeo Field Director Anoop K. R., and Sariska Field Director R.S. Shekawat, have been after the cat since February 14th. The Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Mr. Jairam Ramesh had announced last month that T-7 would be relocated to Sariska. T-7 is the sixth tiger to be relocated … Read More

The male tiger that intruded into the Keoladeo National Park no hurry to leave

-  News Leave a Comment

The male tiger that intruded into the Keoladeo National Park bird sanctuary near Bharatpur in Rajasthan this past Sunday is seemingly enjoying his stay and is in no hurry to leave. The animal, now confirmed as T-7 of Ranthambhore National Park, which announced his arrival in Keoladeo with the killing of a blue bull, has over the past two days hunted a wild boar and a calf of feral cattle and fed on the former ignoring the calf. Though the … Read More