Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2016/05/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Barasingha, the southern, or hard ground sub species of the Indian Swamp Deer, is possibly the greatest success story of Indian conservation. Because of their magnificent antlers, and historic use as bush meat, the population had dwindled to around 60 individuals in Kanha National Park in the mid 1960s. From this low level, when active conservation commenced, there are around 600 in Kanha, and two more separate breeding populations have also been established in other parks with similar habitat, and the status has been reduced to "vulnerable" from "endangered" in the Red List. The growth in population is a slow business, as each doe only gives birth to a single fawn every year. To me, this deer, and not the tiger, is the greatest attraction in Kanha - with the added bonus that if you do find them (not too easy, especially the big antlered males, as there are so few in a huge area), you can photograph them in total peace, as every other tourist is hell bent on careering around the park in a mad search for the tiger, and scarcely gives a second glance to these unique animals, which are much rarer, and found nowhere else in the world: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/WIndia/Kanha2016/Kanha+2016-7407.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/WIndia/Kanha2016/Kanha+2016-7458.jpg.html >From one of the rarest to the most common! I caught this herd of Chital, or Spotted Deer with a single shaft of light hitting them through the trees: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/WIndia/Kanha2016/Kanha+2016-2305.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/WIndia/Kanha2016/Kanha+2016-2319.jpg.html The majestic Indian Gaur is the largest species of wild cattle in the world, with the very biggest biggest tipping the scales at 1.5 metric tonnes. They are also mistakenly called the Indian Bison, as they are not bisons at all! http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/WIndia/Kanha2016/Kanha+2016-7462.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/WIndia/Kanha2016/Kanha+2016-7494.jpg.html Finally, a Sambhar Deer, a deer of forested areas, the largest in India, and the tiger's staple prey - this guy just popped his head out of a rock gully as we were passing. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/WIndia/Kanha2016/Kanha+2016-1231.jpg.html All taken with either the Nikon D4+300mm f4 with TC 1.4x, or Nikon D800E with 70-200mm f4. Please see LARGE! Comments and criticism, as ever, welcome Cheers Jayanand