Reader John O’Neall sent us some wildlife photos from a place we rarely see: India! He hasn’t identified some of them, so feel free to suggests your IDs in the comments:
These were taken in Madya Pradesh, India, an hour’s drive (or less) from Khajuraho at Panna National Park in 2006 and the Ken River Reserve 2014. The two are separated only by the Ken River, which is now threatened byan upstream dam(n) project. Unfortunately, I am not sure what they all are. Hope you have some Indian readers who might know what.
Some sort of deer, maybe a female Sambar (Rusa unicolor):
A colorful Indian Roller [Coracias benghalensis] in flight. Good thing it’s colorful, because colors are about all you can see.
Here’s a photo of the roller from Wikipedia:
Nice spots on this chital (Axis axis):
Langurs (Simia entellus):
Not sure, might be a nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus):
Magnificent male chital:
Nice antlers on the same chital:
A vulture:
Mother and child, but what?
Picture 1 is indeed a sambar hind. Picture 6 is a nilgai bull,the final photo is a nilgai cow and calf. The bulls are bluey-grey, while the cows are tawny-brown. I haven’t been to Panna but I have seen all these species in Kanha National Park, also in Madhya Pradesh. Vulture is the Indian King Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus).
Very nice! The langurs look like they were having a conversation that was interrupted by a photographer.
Great to see these creatures from India. We don’t see them often enough.
Most of these critters are new to me. Thanks for sharing!
Interesting how fauns indigenous to the states have spots that disappear as they grow up. It is apparent that the chital don’t grow out of their spots (assuming they are born with them).
Correct, they don’t lose their spots and they are born with them. The fauns also peep like little frogs when they get separated from their moms.
Chital were introduced to some of the Hawaiian islands in the 19th century and have, predictably, not been good for those ecosystems. The more remote areas that are nearly inaccessible to hunters have greatly suffered as the deer debark native trees when they’re ridding their antlers of its velvet.
Their antlers don’t have many points, as the pictures show, but older bucks can have racks nearly three feet in length. I was able to collect a pile of sheds when I lived on Moloka’i and some are long and stout enough to use as table legs.
Very interesting info, thanks!
(And guys, it’s fawn, not faun.)
Likewise!
Thanks for the added info, much appreciated. Fawn! Got it. 🙂
Maybe they just choose to not grow up.
Fascinating set of critters, John! Thanks for sharing them!
Yeah, thanks, John!