[VindyWheels]

Hi, We had a trip to Wayand last month. Here is my attempt at a quick travelogue. I would be more than happy to provide more details if required.
The trip: Bangalore to Thirunelli, Wayand
Saty: 2+2 nights at Jungle Retreat Wayand (JRW, Jungle Retreat Wayanad: Wayanad Resort, Wayanad Home stay, Wayanad Farm stay. Perfect place for honeymoon in Wayanad and wildlife in Wayanad) and 2 nights at "Wayand Blooms" (Accommodation in wayanad | wayanad accommodation | homestay in wayanad | resorts in wayanad | wayanad resorts | homestay |organic farm in wayanad)
Route: Bangalore-Hunsur-Nagerhole-Thirunelli

We came across JRW through teambhp and had a hassle-free booking thru mail. JRW has a reputation as a wildlife hotspot, esp elephants. It is situated adjacent to an elephant corridor with forest on three sides. There are 5 rooms in the property with forest behind and a paddy farm in the front which is again surrounded by forests.

The initial impression was not good as the rooms seemed congested, but the location, the natural settings and the wildlife around together with the great staff and Mr Anil, the owner, made us come back to this resort again after just 15 days!!!! (that explains the "2+2" nights mentioned above) There was a magical pull to experience JRW again which made us call Anil for the second visit. Anil is a SW engineer with an amazing passion for wildlife. We were lucky to spent a lot of time with him - listening to him is more exciting than watching animal planet! He has left lot of open space beyond the farm where elephants invariably come after dark. You can walk with him to the electric fence and watch the animals gently grazing just 50 feet away. You can hear the elephants almost allnight breaking bamboo, talking to each other or chasing away others in the forests.



















We did 3 night safaris during our two visits. An expert animal "spotter" from Anil's team will accompany you in their jeap for the night safari. The safari is thru usual tarmac roads, but after 9:30pm when there are hardly any vehicles. We encountered numerous tuskers, bysons, deer and sambhars. Its a chilling, exciting experience to see an elephant on the road when you just turn a bend. I could not click too many snaps as the equipment was not good enough to capture in the dark.



We also did a day safari at the Tholpetti wildlife sanctury (abt 20-30 kms away). Again saw the same animals - bysons, elephants, boars, deer, sambhars etc. The evening safari was a nice experience with the sun going down slowly, bathing the forest with soft yellow hues.



A visit to the Thirunelli temple 7 kms away is also a must. Its an ancient temple built more than 5000 years ago. Its very scenic on all sides of the temple.





On our second trip to JRW we also had some really sad moments. We came to know that a Tiger died that morning a few properties before JRW, stuck in a man-made trap for deer/boar! We rushed to the spot, it was indeed bone-chilling to see the majestic beast meet that kind of an end. Its tail and hind leg were severly wounded while trying to escape the small rope trap. You can see the trap noose tight on its belly. It was a coffee estate bordering open fields. The man who set the trap would have set it to catch a deer/boar (that is also illegal). Anil told the man will definitely be behind bars. Alas, one more tiger less....











We went for a drive in HD Kote/Kabini direction, drove for some 50kms and returned. It was a great drive again thru the forest. There are open spaces with small waterbodies too. The numerous "tree huts" near the fields meant that there would be plenty of animals around.



Saw this interesting board on the road. One more "t" would have made it more interesting as other boards mentioned one should not stop and get out of the vehicle in the forests area



Anil found this dead rat snake near the forest while trekking next day morning. It looked alive and had a huge bulge in the stomach. There were no injury marks, so it could have probably bit more than it could chew!

[VindyWheels]

Wayanad Blooms - 1 night (sorry I mentioned 2 earlier)

We stayed for 1 night at Wayanad blooms. They have three different properties. We got bookings at the "home stay" which consists of a coffee plantation, the owners house, his livestock and an army of dogs! They are also building a 5000 sq ft pond and an indoor badminton court. There are 4 completed cottages/villas. Very comfortable, spacious accomodation srrounded by greenery. They serve good homemade veg and nonveg food. The walk thru the farm, meeting each of the domestic animals (some 15 dogs, plenty of chicken, cow, rabbits, goat and a duck) is a great experience especially for kids. The staff are accomodating, especially the person who takes you for the walk. Organic farming methods are also explained. I would highly recommend this place for an enjoyable family outing. Once the pool and court is completed it would be a fantastic weekend getaway for bangaloreans.












Thank You for your patient reading

VW

[VindyWheels]

Great! Finally the travelogue has been moved!!

[gd1418]

A magnificent adult Tigress lost to human foolishness & greed. The person who put the trap should be subjected to the same treatment that the hapless Cat went through. Very sad, very very sad.

A nice, concise travelogue with some very crisp pictures.

Originally Posted by VindyWheels

On our second trip to JRW we also had some really sad moments. We came to know that a Tiger died that morning a few properties before JRW, stuck in a man-made trap for deer/boar! We rushed to the spot, it was indeed bone-chilling to see the majestic beast meet that kind of an end. Its tail and hind leg were severly wounded while trying to escape the small rope trap. You can see the trap noose tight on its belly. It was a coffee estate bordering open fields. The man who set the trap would have set it to catch a deer/boar (that is also illegal). Anil told the man will definitely be behind bars. Alas, one more tiger less....

[sach.sri]

Originally Posted by VindyWheels

On our second trip to JRW we also had some really sad moments. We came to know that a Tiger died that morning a few properties before JRW, stuck in a man-made trap for deer/boar! We rushed to the spot, it was indeed bone-chilling to see the majestic beast meet that kind of an end. Its tail and hind leg were severly wounded while trying to escape the small rope trap. You can see the trap noose tight on its belly. It was a coffee estate bordering open fields. The man who set the trap would have set it to catch a deer/boar (that is also illegal). Anil told the man will definitely be behind bars. Alas, one more tiger less....

Very very sad!! Heart wrenching to see such a picture!


But amazing pictures and incredible locations and vistas!!

[VindyWheels]

Thank You Sach and gd. Yes, it was a shocking sight to see the mighty animal killed like that. I was thinking aloud as to how this man-animal conflict can be done away with. Farmers will always try to protect their livestock and fields from tigers and elephants. I heard an elephant died nearby because of an unauthorised electirc fence (the proper fence wont kill, but will only give a shock). The animals should not get attracted to anything in the border area. Cultivation of paddy and rearing of llivestock should be alowed only some 20-30kms away from the forest border. Ofcourse people who are currently depending on above means of livelihood will have to be rehabilitated and farm land bordering the forests should be given to others who can sustain crops that do not form food for these wild animals. A proper scientific study could comeup with crops for each forest boundary region. For example I have heard coffee estates wont attract elephants if there are no fruit bearing trees or vegetable plants in the estate.
Atleast the conflict can be minimised if not erdicated completely

Rgds

VW

[sach.sri]

Originally Posted by VindyWheels

Thank You Sach and gd. Yes, it was a shocking sight to see the mighty animal killed like that. I was thinking aloud as to how this man-animal conflict can be done away with. Farmers will always try to protect their livestock and fields from tigers and elephants. I heard an elephant died nearby because of an unauthorised electirc fence (the proper fence wont kill, but will only give a shock). The animals should not get attracted to anything in the border area. Cultivation of paddy and rearing of llivestock should be alowed only some 20-30kms away from the forest border. Ofcourse people who are currently depending on above means of livelihood will have to be rehabilitated and farm land bordering the forests should be given to others who can sustain crops that do not form food for these wild animals. A proper scientific study could comeup with crops for each forest boundary region. For example I have heard coffee estates wont attract elephants if there are no fruit bearing trees or vegetable plants in the estate.
Atleast the conflict can be minimised if not erdicated completely

Rgds

VW

Agree. But this does not sound like a man-animal conflict?

[Fauji]

Vinod,
Nice and crip account of your trip to Wayanad. JRW is on list of "to be visited" now. It is sad to see the death of tiger due to utter carelessness of locals. On the one hand we struggle to increase population of tiger while on the other we lose them due to callousness.

[VindyWheels]

Hi Sach,

Read about a leoperd praying on livestocl in coorg last week. Since the tiger was entering the coffee estate I presumed it might have been attracted by cows and goats in the farm. The trap was laid for boar/deer.

Cheers

VW

Originally Posted by sach.sri

Agree. But this does not sound like a man-animal conflict?

[sach.sri]

Originally Posted by VindyWheels

Hi Sach,

Read about a leoperd praying on livestocl in coorg last week. Since the tiger was entering the coffee estate I presumed it might have been attracted by cows and goats in the farm. The trap was laid for boar/deer.

Cheers

VW

Or maybe the tea-estate being so close to the forest came in her "corridor"? But in both the cases, it is a man-animal conflict.

So yes, you are right - but unless the authorities do something about the people living in the vicinity of the forest one cant really blame the people.

One just hopes that authorities wakeup to this and take some intelligent action and not some hare brained schemes.