ROSETTES IN THE PINK CITY - Experiencing the urban jungle of Jhalana leopard reserve.
Hello readers. Welcome to my new blog post.
In this post, I will be sharing my experiences about my visit to the urban forest of Jhalana leopard reserve.
Leopard. An elusive and well-adapted big cat has always fascinated me ever since I started wildlife photography. Known as an ambush predator; this feline has easily adapted to a wide variety of habitats, right from dense forests and arid lands to the populated urban habitats.
Leopards have been given a Vulnerable status by IUCN due to poaching activities and their conflicts with humans have increased due to excessive habitat destruction. I first came across this feline beauty during my visit to Rathambore national park.
“We encountered a pair of leopard on foot in the backyard of our resort. In the morning we also got pugmarks of their two cubs.
This encounter increased my urge to photograph leopards and eventually bought me to Jhalana in May 2018.
Situated in the heart of the bustling city of Jaipur; Jhalana is only a few kilometers away from the city’s airport and railway station. It’s a delight to see this vulnerable species thriving and ruling the park as an apex predator. Spread over 28 square kilometers; the park shelters more than 25 recorded leopards. The other mammal species in the park include Indian striped hyena, Indian desert fox, Spotter deer, Blue bulls, Jungle hare, Sambar deer and Grey langurs. Some of the forest's avifauna includes Indian paradise flycatcher, Indian peafowl, Golden oriole, Shikra, Grey francolin, Red-wattled lapwing, Spotted owlet, Brown-capped pygmy woodpecker and Common hoopoe. Few species of snakes and two species of monitor lizards represent the reptilian fauna of the park.
Our first evening safari started with abundant sightings of blue bulls and Indian peafowls. We were expecting to sight leopard at waterhole because of scorching heat, but instead, we spent a good time photographing birds like grey francolin, lapwings and other commoners who were quenching their thirst at the waterhole. After an hour, we came across the first leopard of the safari. The female called Juliet was sitting in the small pit among the trees. After sensing the presence of several gypsies; she moved among the deep forest and rested herself on the rocks. We decided to visit the other waterhole for a while as the closing time was approaching. But that day, we were in not for one but two surprises.
At the waterhole, a Striped hyena was waiting for us; giving me an opportunity to see this scavenger closely for the first time. Often considered as ugly animals due to their scavenging behavior; hyenas play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance. Indian striped hyenas often stay in small packs and rarely seen during daytime as they are nocturnal. We spent a good time photographing and observing this individual. On our way back, we saw a small group of alert blue bulls giving alarm calls and the reason appeared shortly. Another sub-adult leopardess entered the frame. After stalking the blue bulls for few seconds; she finally decided to rest herself in the bushes. Usually dusk is often considered as a good time to spot leopards. The day ended for us with the sightings of two leopards and a hyena.
Next day, the second safari began with a peafowl in the courtship display showing all its colors and beauty. The sight itself was truly mesmerizing. Peafowls along with Grey francolins can be seen abundantly in Jhalana. Towards the end of the safari, we again came across Juliet and another leopard.
In the evening safari that day, we received the news of Juliet’s sighting at a waterhole which was not very far from our location. As our gypsy rushed to the spot, we unexpectedly bumped into Flora. Being one of the most photographed leopards of Jhalana; she is the mother of Juliet. She hid behind a tree at the sudden appearance of the vehicle and instead of vanishing in the woods she turned and sat on the road facing our gypsy. A roadblock by a leopard without a single gypsy nearby is a dream for photographers. She gave us enough time and poses to click some memorable photographs before disappearing into the woods.
As we entered another zone for our last round before sunset, the rear tire of our gypsy punctured. Till the rescue vehicle came to our aid and we were back to the gates, it was already dark and the park was closed. It was quite a thrilling experience to stay in the forest after the dark; especially when there was an activity of another leopardess called Leela in the close vicinity.
Our fourth and last safari was an altogether different experience. Though we didn’t spot leopard in the whole safari, we had an encounter with elusive Indian Desert fox and two more hyenas. We also sighted two monitor lizards, a spotted owlet and a tussle between Black drongo and Common hoopoe. On our way back, we managed to click some amazing portraits of Gray langur infants.
At the end of this post, there is an important thing I wish to share. In Jhalana, I came across various sights of habitat encroachment. People involved in cutting down trees in the outskirts of forest and water bottles, beer bottles and plastic litter thrown carelessly inside the park are some of them. Conservation in such cases is not just a requirement but a necessity to maintain the ecological balance of this planet. Even our single step towards conserving the forests can bring a great change and will help these magnificent species to sustain and flourish.
Details about Jhalana:
How to reach: Jaipur international airport (approx. 6 km) is the nearest airport and Jaipur railway station (approx. 9 km) is the nearest railway station from Jhalana.
Best time to visit: The park is open throughout the year but the safari timings may vary according to the season. The bird activity is at peak during the winter while as the leopard activity peaks during the summer around the waterholes.
Species sighted during safari:
Mammals: Indian leopard, Striped hyena, Desert fox, Blue bull, Sambar deer, Spotted deer, Indian hare, Grey langur.
Birds: Spotted owlet, Brown-capped pygmy woodpecker, Indian peafowl, Red-wattled lapwing, Cinereous tit, Brahminy staling, Common myna, Grey francolin, Green bee-eater, Long-tailed shrike, Black Drongo, Bay-backed shrike, Rock pigeon, Laughing dove, Eurasian collared dove, White-throated kingfisher, Purple sunbird, Rufous treepie, Indian babbler, Large grey babbler, Indian paradise flycatcher, Greater coucal, Common hoopoe, Yellow-footed green pigeon, Lesser golden-backed woodpecker.
Reptiles: Monitor lizard.
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