BERA An AMAZING Leopard lair Habitat

BERA An AMAZING Leopard lair Habitat

Last year I visited Bera on Valentine's Day. The leopard man of Bera, Oops the title should be of India, took us on an amazing leopard safari in which, heck why say anything more follow this link  ‘Incredible Bera’.

Walter my brother–in–law, and the night before last decided on the spur of the moment over a few drinks that it was time to pay an old buddy and Gijjery dost, a visit. We phoned Kunoo, (Thakur Devi Singh of Bera) and told him we were two old F__ _ _! Were going to gate crash his domain and accompany him on his daily visit to see his love for the elusive leopards. Kunoo has been photographing and keeping records of leopards in his realm for aeons. The massive collection of videos that he has on these animals could possibly make him a contender for a Guinness world record not only in India but also probably in the world. 

“The Leopard Man”

We drove down to Bera after lunch and reached the resort by 4 pm. Kunoo was there to greet us personally and after a hot cuppa,  we went along with him to visit his favourite haunts where the leopards roam free.

“Free” my friend is an understatement; the leopards of this area are fit and surviving because of the herculean labour of love of this man. In his endeavours toward saving these animals “The Leopard Man” has compensated villagers personally for the loss of animals to the leopards. The government's apathy towards the rural folks is a well-known fact if it wasn’t for Mr Singh’s intervention in making the village folks understand the importance of the preservation of these animals they would have gone the same way the Tigers of this area. Tigers were hunted for sport by the ruling British and the elite Rajputs of former times. Today the demand for the leopard’s skin and the price it fetches make it an easy target for poachers and traders of illegal animal skins. Previously that leopard which lifted an animal from the poor herders' flock was got rid of by poisoning the carcass that it would return to. The terrain of Bera supports very little wildlife so the leopard in order to survive picks up grazing animals in and around this territory. I’m pasting an extract from WWF-India's Mission. Can anyone estimate the chances of survival of these graceful predators in and around this area?

The total estimated number of Leopards poached and in illegal trade in the decade of 2001-2010 is 2294.54 ± 403.34 standard deviation (95% confidence interval, 1565.86 - 3139.00). This gives an estimate of at least four Leopards poached and in illegal trade, every week for the past 10 years.

To read more on the report click the link  WWF-India’s Mission

Another recent threat that can be seen on the horizon is commercializing of this area by businessmen setting up safari-style lodgings. After Kunoo set up his resort many followed in his footstep. Land that had abs no value today has fetched massive amounts because of the leopards living in these areas. The Wild West terrain that harbours the free Leopard does not come under the purview of any national park, protected area or wildlife sanctuary hence it’s a free for all for enterprising future prospectors or rich businessmen to earn a fast buck from tourism at the cost of the future of these animals. Gosh, enough of my ranting it's time I posted some photographs of this remote village.
RIGHT-CLICK ON THE PHOTOGRAPH TO SEE A LARGER INDIVIDUAL ONE. 

bee hive

The Yacht that Mt. Singh wants 

Patience is the name of the Game 

Zara  guarding her young   ones

Zara Kunoo's tame cat

One handsome bloke Zara's cub

watching the world go by

Minivat 

On the move 

Striated Babbler 

Peahen atop a    tamarind tr

Relaxing after a good meal 

Charger from Zara's second litter.

Greetings From The Abode "Happy Republic Day"

My country India today celebrates its Republic Day

I wish all my country citizens "A Happy Republic Day"

“Operation Dog-Hunt” echoing “Inhuman methods” Abu

After Mount Abu being declared an Eco-sensitive zone, it has changed the fortune of many a mongrel in our one horse town. The drive taken on by the Abu municipality to get rid of all its pie dogs with a vengeance has left me mind boggled , the cruelty meted out to the strays, caused my blood to boil. Their modus operandi is to sneak up behind the unsuspecting dog and then nab it by its waist with huge iron tongs, the dog writhes in pain and tries to attack the iron tongs hurting its mouth in the process, in the mean time two or three other dog catchers join in the melee with their tongs grabbing the dog by its neck or head, if the dog proves too strong for them then one of them delivers a resounding blow to the dogs head with his iron tongs knocking the poor animal unconscious or semi dazed. The dog is then lifted bodily with these tongs and thrown into a trailer behind a tractor. The dogs in this claustrophobic trailer are covered by galvanized sheets, the mongrels are so terrified in the dark that they lose their natural instinct to go for each other or for that matter to even growl. I’m sure it must have been the same for the prisoners who were led to the gas chambers during the Second World War.
Unfortunately, and fortunately for these dog catchers I did not have my camera on me as I was out walking my Basset hound, the video if taken of the scene I witnessed would have chilled the stoutest heart of any dog lover. I know I ran up to them and barged into them with a barrage of not too sweet words; they were caught off guard and cringed back when they saw me lift my cell phone to make a call. They released the writhing animal and scurried off with their tractor to an area up the road from where they had received a complaint from one of the residents living there, he had complained that his guests could not sleep as the dog made too much of a ruckus at night.
In respect to our mongrels I feel the increasing population of stray pigs should be taken care of. They rummage the surrounding area and rubbish bins by the side of the road causing the place to look like scenes out of some horror movie. Has anyone ever wondered what becomes of the poor mongrels huddled up in the trailer, well it is believed they are driven to some remote area way down the hill and then released to populate some other remote area. Dogs being dog are not easily fooled 50% of the veterans; sooner or later make it back up the hill. Some of the unfortunate ones end up as a delicacy to the dwindling panther population that inhabit this sanctuary of ours.
Meanwhile, animal lovers, if you see or read about atrocities on animals, especially our pariah dogs, you may write to your local animal welfare organization in Abu and the Animal Welfare Board of India, who in turn take action to stop the cruelty. The address
http://envfor.nic.in/legis/awbi/awbi13.html

Will post some snaps when the dog catchers are out the next time doing what they have to do.