It's amazing how close we are to places of incredible natural beauty despite the ongoing destruction. It is nothing but a joy and a rare privilege that we are able to whisk away to somewhere exotic overnight. One such incredibly exotic place is Dandeli, a densely forested area hiding rich treasures. I started 2014 with a rather nice visit to Dandeli where brilliant views await. Here's a glimpse of what I saw.

Here is a GIF loading, please be patient! :) This is what the stars were doing while we were busy finding the flying squirrel in the tree you see lighting up here.

In the hinterlands, even 10PM seems like the dead of the night. It was pitch dark and three of us were out in the open in potential Black Panther teritorry.There was an eerie glow to the jungle path in front of us as parts of it were illuminated from the ambient light escaping from the camp next to us. Then came the heart-stopping noise that startled us, and had us running towards the camp gate - the sound of rustling leaves as if something big was lurking behind those trees in the dark. We flashed our torchlights but nothing comforted the paranoid mind. We stopped and I continued shooting the stars. Again, the same noise. Meanwhile another loud rustle came from the huge tree next to us, something was surely creating a ruckus above there. The local boy who accompanied me and my friend quickly, and thankfully identified it as the Giant Flying Squirrel! In the excitement that ensued we comfortably forgot about the noises from the other side. Giant Flying Squirrel is a nocturnal rodent and it’s eyes glow in a brilliant orange under the flashlight. It moved around the branches and we moved under the tree trying to spot the orange glow. The camera was busy capturing the stars moving and we were busy stalking the squirrel - a perfect night in the jungles of Dandeli, where wild things are!

[Running after Jackals]

One morning we were walking in the forests of buffer zone adjoining Anshi National Park. The trail was wide and passed through dense forest. The early morning sunshine was painting the forest in a bright light. The vines were hanging from the tall trees and the fresh green leaves glowed while shafts of light pierced through the high canopy painting a magical scene. The loud machine-gun sputter that reverberated in the forest stopped us in our tracks. Later that morning I learned that it was the call of a Giant Malabar Squirrel. On our way back, we joined the joined the jeep track that leads to the forest and our guide who had gone a little bit ahead of us came back running to ask if we were up for a chase. We said yes! He had just seen three jackals [or could be foxes or dholes, we couldn’t identify] crossing the path and we went after them into the forest through the bushes. While they skillfully evaded us, we only could see them whizzing past in the bushes - just the ears or the bushy tail or a quick glimpse or a fleeting eyecontact was all we got but it was exhilarating to be in wild with its wild inhabitants. 

One evening, after the joyride in the Dandeli WLS, on our way back through the beautiful countryside of Dandeli, we stopped for a while to see the setting sun paint the sky red. Discussing about Black Panther sightings, our very experienced forest guide told us they were nothing but Leopards! I had no idea, I always imagined the elusive Black Panther to be some exotic species but turns out it is just a leopard. But it is a melanistic Leopard, meaning it has excess of melanin that makes the Black Panther look black. If you look closely, you can spot the rosettes(rings like markings on the fur) too. This was a revelation to me. Later, talking to an expert naturalist, Karthikeyan Srinivasan, I learn that the very dense and dark forests of Dandeli might have caused the evolution of Black Panther as a camouflage mechanism. I was even suprised when I found out that Black Panthers and normal leopards mate as well and depending on the dominant gene, the offsprings are either melanic or normal. The forests of Dandeli and Anshi are one of the few areas in India that are home to these fascinating creatures! Someday I hope I spot a Black Panther.

I woke up to the hushed tone of Anuradha(fellow travel blogger) calling out to her son to see something. I looked out of the window to see a Malabar Giant Squirrel having its breakfast on a Acacia tree right oppsite our rooms at Dandeli Jungle Camp. I woke up in a frenzy, grabbed my camera and ran out of the room. Turns out I didn’t have to rush because the squirrel was in no hurry to leave. Covered in a bright rusty red coat and with its long bushy tail, the large squirrel looked very beautiful in the morning light. It moved through the branches and was busy eating for more than an hour. I had seen these shy animals before but it was always just a quick glimpse before they disappeared. In Dandeli, however, they are abundant and not easily disturbed. I guess they live peacefully in harmony with the humans in these forests. Over three days we spotted these squirrels many times and every single time, they were a treat to observe - playful and irresistibly cute. 

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[A date with the gorgeous Hornbills]

I was told by our forest guide that the presence of Hornbills indicate the presence of dense and healthy forests. Considering they are so huge, their nests are even bigger and they need a lot of food which is why it is a good sign if you see hornbills in your forest. One afternoon we were kayaking over River Kali surrounded by dense forest, I was alone as I went upstream away from the resort. The water was calm, it was a clear sunny day with blue skies and the only noise was that of the jungle. When I turned back I saw Malabar Pied Hornbills fly over the river from one side to the other. It was a zen moment, being all by myself in the middle of the river and seeing those huge graceful birds glide towards the tall trees, if I had to keep only one memory from the trip, this would be it. Later that evening in our camp, many hornbills would stop by at the trees but surprisingly, the crows would manage to chase them away. On the last evening, boating over River Kali for one last time, we saw crocodiles and hornbills, both Malabar Pied and Malabar Grey, amble by the river, eat fruit and fly from one side to the other. Our necks were strained tracking their movements but what beatiful birds and when they fly, it is pure wondrous magic! I was very glad Dandeli had so many hornbills, our forests are healthy and safe, at least for now. 

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