After having looked at the boars, we moved forward with eyes darting to the left & right to spot some game. Suddenly the jeep stopped and Manoj pointed at a tree faraway. I could see a Rhesus perched on a thin branch and looking intently at one direction.
Manoj said the monkey is agitated and is calling and that means a predator is on the move and nearby. I whispered - is it a Tiger?
He said - no, it is a leopard.
Intrigued, I asked him how did he know? He said, that the monkey is perched too high and at the edge of a thin branch and this indicates it is a leopard. Leopard can climb the tree, but that thin branch wouldn't support its body weight, hence the monkey is safe.
Had it been a Tiger, the monkey wouldn't have been that high and on the edge. Wow, pythagorus theorem solved.. Jungle teaches you to read nature and react accordingly.
I asked, can we wait and maybe the leopard will be visible. Manoj said, it is a very shy animal and as the park closure time was approaching fast, it was not advisable. He said the best time to spot a leopard would be to enter the park at 6 in the morning. I was also told that there were 9 Tigers and 10 leopards in the park.
Surprisingly, till now we did not see a single pugmark, unlike during my last visit in 2005/6.
Moved further and saw this lone spotted deer running away fast to safety. He too had heard the monkey calling.
When a predator is on the move, practically the whole jungle comes to know of it. Further down we saw this magnificient male spotted deer with young velvety antlers, looking alarmed and staring in a particular direction with ears cocked-up. As we neared, looked at us and gave a yelp and vanished into the bushes.
Going further, we saw this collection of various animals grazing under a tree in a distance near a dried river bed. There was this male Neelgai, a few spotted deers and two Langurs.
Oh, what a lot of sightings in an hour.
As we turned a bend, a flat opening appeared on the side and boy, was it an aviary. You bet. So many peacocks and jungle fowls having supper. The deepest of the deep blue of the peacock neck is just mindblowing.
There was this lone bird running on the ground. I'm not an ornithologist hence couldn't identify, but Manoj said something about it being a road-runner. I didn't hear properly.
As the jeep moved forward standing at one corner of the foliage was this magnificient male spotted deer with its full grown antlers. Even the occupants of the jeep in front stopped to admire him. No sooner the driver stepped down, one leap and he bounded into the bush.
Today, we were destined to see Tuskers. And this is what we saw. Two tuskers, one young and the other fully grown were trying their strength against a solitary tree.
Nearing the park gate this was the last animal that we saw - a lone stag deer deep in the grass.
We were the last to enter the park and the last to come out at 6 pm. A very satisfying two hour journey inside the jungle.
After freshening ourselves at the washrooms out side the Park gate we proceeded back to Doon.
As we left the park complex and neared the Ganga barrage, I saw a commotion and crowd. Some Forest Guards with weapons and sticks were stopping the vehicles. I was also stopped. I asked one of the guards what was it all about.
A big lone Tusker was blocking the road and feeding. I couldn't see anything, but could hear the rustle of the leaves and cracking of the tree branches. Adrenalin rushing, took out the camera and came out. Bad luck.
The rustling of leaves stopped and it was gone. It was almost dark and I couldn't have shot hand held although I had upped the ISO. If allowed through the barrage road, I would've reached the highway within 7 to 8 minutes otherwise the regular road was about 6 Kms bisecting the jungle and would've taken atleast 30 minutes. Who knows another lone tusker might have decided to block the road & my wife & I would have to spend the night in the company of .............!
Luckily, one of the forest guards asked for the lift to the highway and said that he would take me through the barrage road. I was delighted. Dropped him on the highway and sped towards Doon. Ramaswamy had invited me over for dinner. Reached the Club around 9 and freshened up. The escort vehcile had arrived to take me to Ramu's home. Reached there, savoured some fermented grape juice and snacks and then went to Hotel President on Rajpur Road, for a chinese sit down dinner. Thanked him & Meena for the lovely evening and bid-goodbye. Next day morning it was going to be a drive back to Gurgaon...
To be continued.....