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Wildlife of Northwestern India

David Waterhouse shared photos and stories of the wildlife he encountered in Gujarat and Rajasthan in January 2019

At the OFF meeting on 24 th May David Waterhouse shared photos and stories of the wildlife he encountered in Gujarat and Rajasthan in January 2019. David travelled in the cool weather season of NW India (December to February) and visited open plains, forests and wetlands in national parks, reserves and sanctuaries. He discovered Gujarat had a big tourist industry(pre-COVID) that attracted many Indians as well as overseas visitors, and acknowledged the help of Alan Fairley and St George Travel in planning visits to lesser-known locations.


David said the experience and keen sight of his driver and local guides helped him see some rare and unpredictable mammals and birds such as Laggar Falcon and a pack of Indian Wolves. His own skill in spotting wildlife was also valuable. He commented that the fauna seemed generally undisturbed by human interference. David photographed large flocks of Greater Flamingos, Eurasian Cranes and Eurasian Spoonbills in the wetlands; large mammals in drier areas included Wild Asses (in the Little Rann of Kutch), handsome Blackbuck with elegant spiral horns, Asiatic Lion and Tiger. Some of the birds were familiar to David because they migrate to the UK; one was the attractive and quaint Hoopoe whose flight he described as resembling that of a giant butterfly.

Video of the talk has been uploaded to our You Tube Channel

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