The faraway wolf

An Indian Grey Wolf we saw in Velavadar National Park two weeks ago.

There were three wolves visible beside the wetland, spotted from a distance by our eagle-eyed guide Allarakha. Earlier in the day we had seen a single wolf resting in a meadow, surprisingly close to blackbuck and a nilgai (blue bull).

Read the earlier post Brother Wolf for an account of my wolf sighting in July. That was in a fairly remote area in the Little Rann of Kutch.

Sadly one can spot Indian Grey Wolves only in remote or protected areas nowadays, because they are widely persecuted thanks to their predation on livestock. Since their wild grassland habitats are shrinking and wild prey becoming scarce, they have little option but to prey on domestic animals like goats, sheep and calves. And in retaliation they get killed.

I can't resist posting this poem about a wolf, a lamb and a human, from "Archy and Mehitabel," one of my all-time favourite books. Brilliantly captures the irony and hypocrisy inherent in the human attitude to wolves. Hope you like the poem as much as I do.

Velavadar National Park
Gujarat

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At Nicole's

Two weeks ago Kiran and I passed through Ahmedabad on our way to Velavadar National Park, so we dropped in at Nicole Poyyayil's and finally got to meet Shalini and Somu!

You can follow their stories through this earlier post.

Both dogs were really excited about meeting new people. There was lots of racing around the garden and kicking up of mud!

After playing with the dogs for a while we went for a walk to one of Shalini's favourite routes. It's a path beside a canal; a picturesque lane bordered with bushes and trees, where Nicole has spotted interesting local wildlife including a Bengal Monitor.

Then back to the house for a truly delicious lunch and a play session with Rakhi the kitten; after which the dogs finally sat still for a bit so I could take some photos!



Shalini poses at the window



Somu suddenly pops up at the window sill



Above, below: Beautiful Shalini





Somu enjoys a belly rub from Nicole



Trotting in the garden







Above: Gladiators! Can you see Shalini peering out from under Somu?



Both dogs are impressive diggers. You can see their work all over the garden. Here they are working on a new project!



We couldn't even see the bottom of this hole. Didn't I say they're impressive?

Nicole and Vinod, thanks for a lovely afternoon. And Shalini and Somu, it was great to finally meet you!


Ahmedabad

Please do not use photos or content from this blog without permission and acknowledgment.

Could people please ask for permission before using pictures from this blog?

First the good news: the media have covered the topic of noisy crackers and their effect on animals several times this season. I hope this will lead to a quieter, less traumatic Diwali for dogs and cats.

The not-so-good news, for me at least, is that one of these newspapers has used a photograph from this blog without acknowledgment or permission. If you've been following the posts here you might recognize the dog in this article. She's my lovely old girl Puppy who died in January this year, and the source of the photo is this post from November 2010.

Probably I should just feel pleased that more people are visiting this blog than I had previously imagined, that my photography is more widely appreciated than I had imagined, and that Puppy is "modelling" for a cause even months after her death. But funnily I am not feeling pleased at all. Apart from the issue of courtesy, Puppy was my family member though to others she may be "just another dog." I would have given permission if asked; what's so difficult about asking?

"Proof that good intentions and good manners don't go together. Feeling does not justify stealing!" as my husband remarked. I couldn't have put it better.

The Mer-dog

Early October: the monsoon is receding, the sun is out and we are finally back in the sea!


Nagaon

Temple dog

An INDog sleeping in the Biligiri Rangaswamy temple premises, August 2008. I was visiting the BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and went to see the ancient temple on the last day. Couldn't resist clicking this sleeping beauty!



More pictures of "temple dogs" in this earlier post. There's a picture in this post of a temple dog in Kutch, and here's one of a temple dog in Bali.

There is of course no rule or ritual demanding a dog's presence in Hindu temples; no doubt they live there for the handouts from pilgrims and priests.

Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple
Karnataka