[Leica] Kanha National Park - Herbivores

[Jayanand Govindaraj]

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