[Leica] Kanha National Park - Herbivores

[jhnichols at lighttube.net (Jim Nichols)]

Hi Jayanand,

Thanks for sharing your excellent images of these rare animals. I'm 
happy to hear that the conservation measures are working.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA

On 5/2/2016 11:49 PM, Jayanand Govindaraj wrote:
> 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
>
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