Kanjari deer Park, Ahmedabad.[ 24/09/2020 ]

The Kanjari Deer Park is  7 km from the Thol bird sanctuary. 

ALBINO Blackbuck Kanjari Deer Park  

When I go to Gujarat, I become a wandering eagle searching for fresh places to watch birds. Since I’m here now, I visited a few places in and around Ahmedabad. I phoned a few birding guides and Sherwin, who’s based in Ahmedabad, to get the latest on the migratory birds. They informed me that all sanctuaries and wildlife parks were closed till the 15 of October, because of the pandemic. Sherwin suggested I visit a place close to Thol Bird Sanctuary where the wild Blackbuck roams free. This place, although only 25 to 30 km from the city of Ahmedabad, is relatively unknown to the public at large, as it is slightly off the beaten track and not so popular.

Yesterday we left early so we could be at this not-so-famous place called the “Kanjari Deer Park”, This place is a vast open grassland with clumps of Keker bushes. We parked on a dirt road going through this semi-wilderness and within minutes were fortunate to spot a few small herds of blackbucks grazing at a distance. I took some photographs of these majestic animals and the prize was I bagged an albino among them.

I did a bit of birding but wished it was a clear day, photographing birds under subdued light leaves one slightly disappointed. I took photos of some species such as the Zitting Cisticola, Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark, Painted Stork, Indian Roller, and Siberian Stonechat.

The sun over Kanjari Deerpark Sept 2020

Blackbuck Male Kanjari Deer Park

Blackbuck Kanjari Deer Park scampering 

Blackbuck Kanjari Deer Park  

Blackbuck Kanjari Deer Park  

Blackbuck Kanjari Deer Park  albino

Blackbuck Kanjari Deer Park  

Blackbuck Male  Kanjari Deer Park

Blackbuck Male  Kanjari Deer Park

Painted Stork 

Check my birding blog to see the birds.

Mount Abu Birds

The local tribal shifted for comprehensive treatment to Ahmadabad

The brutal attack on a local Tribal by a bear on 20 July 2019 moved to Ahmedabad for treatment. 

Sloth Bear Conflicts on the Rise in Mount Abu: A Call for Practical Measures

In recent years, human-wildlife conflicts in Mount Abu have escalated, with sloth bear encounters becoming a pressing concern. Once elusive creatures of the forest, these bears are now straying into human habitation, leading to tragic and life-altering incidents. On July 20, 2019, a young tribal man was brutally attacked, resulting in disfigurement and the loss of an eye. The young tribal man is currently being treated at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, and this encounter has forever transformed his life, as well as the lives of many others.

These unsettling incidents shine a spotlight on a critical need for Mount Abu to develop comprehensive strategies aimed at minimizing human-bear conflicts. While eliminating these encounters may be unrealistic, practical solutions can reduce the risk.

One of the key factors contributing to these conflicts is the encroachment of human settlements into forested areas and the resulting disruption of the bear's natural habitat. As Mount Abu grows in popularity as a tourist destination, increased foot traffic, waste disposal issues, and habitat fragmentation drive sloth bears closer to populated zones in search of food.

For any meaningful change, a coordinated effort between local authorities, conservationists, and the public is essential. Implementing basic safety guidelines is a critical first step. Educating residents and tourists about bear behaviour, especially during the monsoon season, when they are more active, can save lives. Warning signs and awareness campaigns need to be visible in vulnerable areas, reminding people to avoid trekking at dawn or dusk, when bear activity peaks.

Proper waste management also plays a pivotal role in reducing bear visits to human settlements. Sloth bears are opportunistic feeders, and the improper disposal of food waste only invites them to urban areas. By establishing designated bear-proof garbage zones, both residents and businesses can reduce the likelihood of attracting bears.

Another important consideration is creating safe zones and wildlife corridors, ensuring that sloth bears have sufficient habitat away from human encroachment. This can involve designating areas that are off-limits for human activity, especially near known bear habitats, and implementing stricter regulations on new constructions that may disturb these sensitive areas.

Mount Abu stands at a crossroads. The region has two options: either deal with more conflicts between humans and bears or take proactive and practical steps to create a safer future for both wildlife and people. While sloth bears are an essential part of the local ecosystem, preserving their place within the landscape requires us to create a harmonious coexistence. With collective action, education, and practical steps, Mount Abu can protect its community while respecting the natural world that defines it.

World Sparrow Day Tomorrow 20 March 2018.

World Sparrow Day in Mount Abu: A Success Story of Conservation

In the serene hills of Mount Abu, the community has taken remarkable steps to ensure the survival and growth of the house sparrow. Abuites, the locals of Mount Abu, make extraordinary efforts to promote the population of these charming little birds. Daily, they scatter bajra and other bird seeds in spots accessible to the sparrows, providing a consistent food source. Additionally, they create safe havens for these birds to nest and thrive by carefully placing birdhouses outside buildings.

A few decades ago, the house sparrow population faced a steep decline, raising concerns among bird lovers and conservationists. However, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the people of Mount Abu, their numbers have increased. Today, it’s not uncommon to hear excited exclamations from tourists, those from Gujarat, when they spot a house sparrow. Phrases like, “Juoo Juoo Chakli che... photo leg, photo ley ane gear mokal WhatsApp pur!” (Look, look, it’s a sparrow... take a photo and send it home on WhatsApp!) echo through the hills as these visitors marvel at the sight of a bird that has become a rarity in their own cities.

During a recent month-long stay in Ahmedabad, I felt a personal connection to the house sparrow. As I recorded a variety of bird species during my visit, I couldn’t help but notice the absence of sparrows—a stark contrast to the bustling avian life I was used to in Mount Abu. Imagine my joy when, about two weeks into my stay, I spotted and photographed a single sparrow. It was a moment of triumph, but also a reminder of the challenges these birds face in urban environments.

The efforts in Mount Abu are a testament to what communities can achieve when they come together for a common cause. On World Sparrow Day, let’s celebrate not just the house sparrows of Mount Abu but also the spirit of conservation that has allowed these birds to flourish once again.

 

The single House sparrow I saw while in Ahmedabad.

The population of Yellow-throated sparrows in Mount Abu has tripled in the past 5 years. Local folks call them the jungle sparrow.

 To know more about SPARROWS click World Sparrow Day 

Mount Abu “The Cat Man”

“The Cat Man” Walter

Walter After the accident

What I’m about to venture into is the charmed life of my brother-in-law Walter also known as Peter after the fabled “Peter the Rock” a disciple of Jesus Christ. Walter within his circle has been dubbed “The Cat Man” he’s an individual who seems to lead a charmed life a man who possesses ‘Nine Lives’, over the years this man has led a charmed life, from his youth to the present day on the verge of his retirement from the post and telegraphic office, this man has cheated death or neigh death by a cat’s whisker.



Here are the near-death episodes this man has survived over the years, if there are any other ones I’ll request him to enlighten me or post them on this blog directly.


While in school Walter and Eddie another of his classmates were driving down the steep road via Paddy’s bridge on a bicycle. They lost control and crashed into the boundary wall and were flung into space to land 10 to 15 feet below on the rocks. They were so fortunate that they escaped with only bruises and shock and no broken bones. It was a day to be remembered as it was Brother O’Neal’s Feast day. Even today the ex-students recall this extraordinary accident that took place in the year 1965.


From the humble cycle to the next accident on a motorcycle outside the residence of the CM house Rajasthan on 14th Jan 1971. Walter and his friend were racing down the road at a speed of over 80 km per hour when they crashed into a stray dog Walter who was the pinion, was thrown into the air and propelled like a missile to land on the tar road with his head between his clasped hands and drawn up knees. Here again, he escaped with no major complications only bare bones on his forearms elbows’ and knees.


On 1979 Christmas Eve, Walter the acrobat was atop a 15-foot ladder fixing decorations for the holiday session, he lost his balance and came plunging down head first like a torpedo ready to strike the floor below, to his good fortune his better half was below she caught him in midair breaking his fall in the nick of time. If she had not been there it would have been “Angels We Have Heard on High”


Then in the year 1994, my cousin Bubbles from England and a few others from Ajmer had come to the family home in Abu to condole with us on the demise of our loving father earlier in the year. After spending the day and a late afternoon lunch they all decided they would drive down to Ajmer that night. As all of them were very tired I suggested that they should all spend the night at Abu and leave early in the morning. My suggestions and protests fell on deaf ears; I told them they were taking a very big risk as the road via Beawar was very dangerous for night driving. Walter our hero also volunteered to go with them.


They left Abu Road pretty late on the 12th May 1994 heading for Ajmer, Bubbles who was sitting up front in the jeep requested Walter to change places with him while on the highway as he was feeling sleepy. After stretching their legs and rearranging their seating positions they once again sped towards their destination. “Some destination”, 13th Friday, May 1994, the dreaded ringing of the phones a little after 1.30 am left us all traumatized more so Walters’s wife. She was told that the jeep just outside Beawar had met with a headlong accident with a truck. In the accident, the driver was pinned to the wheel, and Bubbles who had swapped places with Walter died on the spot when his head hit the middle bar in the centre of the jeep. Peter Lee from Ajmer who was sitting on the side was flung sideways out of the jeep, his skull up front had been smashed on the impact of the rod above, and Walter who was up front was propelled through the windscreen to land under the truck. The people who conveyed the message to Abu said in all probability Peter would not survive as he was in bad shape. Aurelia Walters’s wife was in total shock as she thought ‘Peter’ (Walter's nickname) had also passed away or was on his way. To calm her down I literally dosed her with a generous amount of sleeping pills. It did pacify her but did not put her to sleep on our way to Beawar.


The government causality ward at Beawar was full of accident victims when we landed there. The Peter who was referred to was not Walter but Peter Lee, Lee was in bad shape as a piece of his skull had snapped off. Walter was also in a pretty ugly state, his face had been pitted with glass shrapnel which had been removed, besides some ugly bruises and a lacerated face Walter had no other major injuries, ‘Some Cat’.


In the year 2005, Liz and I headed for Goa to spend a short holiday with Walter and family at their Goa home in MudGaon. While there we really had a ball, it was January and the climate was fabulous, fish was plentiful and ample il-vino to quench our thirst. While we were there Walter had to make a run into Bombay on some urgent work. On his return from Bombay on the 26th of January his bus a Volvo while speeding hit an embankment and turned turtle. Can you imagine the plight of the passengers, quite a few of them were pretty badly injured but our ‘cat man’ makes it through this tragedy with minor cuts and bruises.


I had come home on the 5th of 2009 deadbeat after spending a wonderful two days at the Lair. Walter was to accompany us but he had some work in Ahmedabad, hence we missed his witty company. Being abs tired I flaked out around midnight, and then through my mushy grey matter I heard the tinkling of my mobile, with sheer determination and apprehension I reached for my mobile. I heard Aurelia’s voice on the other end and she seemed desperate she wanted a Taxi pronto to go to Ahmedabad as Walters bus which was returning from there had met with a headlong accident with an oncoming truck on the wrong side of the road. It was 1.30am in the morning.


The accident occurred just outside Himmatnagar at a place called Prantij. The truck driver and his assistant were killed on impact; the injured passengers from the bus were rushed by the 108 ambulance to the Prantij Referral Hospital for first aid treatment and then transferred to the Civil Hospital Ahmedabad. Walter had passed out when his head impacted with the seat in front of him. He only came to the Referral Hospital when his head had been sewn in two places he must have been in limbo for at least 35 to 40 minutes. His younger daughter who is doing her hotel management course in Ahmedabad had reached the accident spot along with a colleague an hour later. Walter did not leave with the injured who were rushed to the civil hospital Ahmedabad as he said his wife had left home with a cab to pick him up.


Aurelia his wife picked him up at around 4:30 a.m. and headed back home, she should have rushed him to Ahmedabad which was closer and had an MRI performed on him. She had a CAT scan done later that day at the Trauma Hospital at Abu Road. As nothing turned up in the scan they returned home. It was early morning when I received an SOS call from Cresentia Walters second daughter, she told me “Uncle Dad last night threw some convulsion and he behaved rather strange” I was now worried my sleep vanished I immediately rushed to his house met him and then phone my family Dr. Dr. Sharma told me to immediately rush him to Ahmedabad to a Neurologist Dr.Ajit Soowany in Ahmedabad. I made arrangements for an ambulance and took him to Dr Ajit Soowanty He’s now on the good Doctors medication. Walter will have to go back in the New Year for an MRI.


Till then this “Cat Man” is under observation. When I look into the crystal I see the hazy image of a cat that has outlived its six or so lives. A question mark keeps popping up, has he other lives? Would he have further adventurers after this one?


Take a look at the snaps of the hospital and the vehicles of this ill-fated accident.

The Ill-fated truck

Gujarat travels bus

Referral Hospital Prantej

Referral Hospital Prantej ward

Referral Hospital Prantej dressing room

Consulting room

Discharge cert

Rosy Starling Ahmedabad station