Chitwan National Park - Part II

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Chitwan - Part II

Chitwan National Park of Nepal used to be the Royal hunting preserve of the kings of Nepal. While Nepal is more famous for its lofty mountains, the southern part of Nepal, which borders on India, is in the flat ‘Terai’ region, which is hardly 200 meters above sea level, and characterized by marshy grasslands, forests and savanna type land. Given these characteristics, it is no wonder that it supports diverse wildlife. It is mostly famous as the habitat of the Indian one-horned rhino.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terai

The Rapti river demarcates the southern part of Chitwan from civilization, while the Narayani river forms the boundary along the southwest. These rivers also are home to marine and amphibian fauna like Gangetic dolphins, crocodiles and the ‘gharial’.

The previous day, we had taken a ‘jungle safari’ and seen the denizens of forest, now it was time to take a boat ride and see the river fauna.

I particularly wanted to see a ‘gharial’, because I had not seen one before. I had seen crocodiles and alligators in captivity. (The San Diego Zoo. Where else?)

The boatmen particularly impressed upon us that it is dangerous to put your arms or feet in the river, because both the rivers were full of crocodiles and gharials. All the tourists were so scared that nobody took a chance, even though it was hot and the temptation to scoop up water in your hands and wash your face with it, was strong.

The boatmen punted (Yes, the rivers are so shallow that oars are not needed. I had to really search for this term ‘punting’ on the net.) the boat towards a sandbank on which we could see the crocodiles basking. Of course we did not go too near.

Suddenly, on the right, a small gharial (about 5 feet long) poked its snout and head above the water and looked at us. It even had a small fish in its snout. It just stared at us for a little time and then again sank below the surface of water.

All the tourists were in a tizzy. We were very lucky to sight a gharial.

We had seen medium-sized crocodiles, and along the bank, in one particularly shady spot, the boatman showed us a baby crocodile sleeping peacefully. It was hardly one and a half feet in length, and it was pale, almost white, not dark like older crocodiles. Can you believe it? It looked CUTE.


http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Gharial.cfm

http://www.wii.gov.in/envis/crocodile/laks.htm

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/cnhc/cbd-faq-q2.htm

The boatmen also took us near a spot, where a very large ‘mugger’ dwelt. I asked them how big? They told us twice the size of those crocodiles on the sandbank. That would make that big mugger about 12 to 14 feet in length. We were rather happy that the fellow did not show up. Our boat did not look any too robust. Supposing that mugger takes into his head to capsize the boat?

Frantically I searched in my memory about what you should do if a mugger clamps his teeth on you. I had read a story long back, in which a boy thrust his fingers in the mugger’s nostrils that had him by the leg. The mugger could not breathe and had to open his mouth, and thus the boy escaped. Shall I try that? But just suppose this particular mugger is suffering form cold? HORRIBLE, perish the thought.

Fortunately, the mugger did not show up.

I had read somewhere that the crocodiles never stop growing. I mean their growth does not stop on reaching the adulthood. This would cause tremendous problems for crocodile mamas and papas. Imagine having to provide clothing for their offspring on a continual basis. No fixed sizes like MR, ML, LR, LL, XLR, XXL for them.

I could well imagine the scene in Papa croc’s house as the school prom is nearing.

Mama Croc “ Pops, we need to go to the mall this Saturday. The children need clothes”

Papa Croc “What, again? We went there only last Saturday. Do you think money grows on the reeds?”

Mama Croc “Come on Pops, they are growing children. Charlie has a growth spurt and has grown another six inches over the week.”

Papa Croc looked at the sand bank and saw Charlie Croc. How the boy had grown!! Already he had started taking undue interest in McAlligator’s Mona. Charlie, unaware of his parents’ scrutiny, was whistling,

I am going to the party, I am going to the fair,
To see a senorita with scales on her back, bare.
Hey, shake it, shake it, shake it shake as you can
Here he gave a stylish twist to his tail, shook it vigorously and looked at Mona covertly.
Turn around and turn around till you make it stop
Hey rumble to the bottom, rumble to the top
Turn around and turn around till you make it stop

Papa Croc “Just look at the crocodilics (This word is derived from and is similar to ‘antics’) of the boy. All day long he does nothing but sprawl on the sandbank”

Mama Croc “Oh, don’t you remember? You were just the same at his age.”

Here Gina Croc stormed into the house.

“Mama, this Sunday is the school prom and I have NOTHING to wear”.

Mama Croc “Why, what happened to the crepe dress we bought last week?”

Gina Croc “Oh Mama, it is already short. I have over grown it”

Mama Croc “What about the satin one? It is new.”

Gina Croc “Mama, I WORE it for Tina’s birthday party.”

Mama Croc “But surely you can wear your Tulle skirt?”

Gina Croc “Oh Mama, it has become a mini-mini skirt now. I have grown another foot, in case you haven’t noticed.”

Mama Croc “Why, that is true. You do need clothes”

Papa Croc growled “Expenses, expenses, expenses!” but paid for the dresses all the same.

I can well sympathize with Papa Croc. It is difficult for human parents to satisfy the demands of their progeny, who do not grow after achieving adulthood. Just imagine how difficult it must be for parents of the crocodiles and gharials who keep on growing even after achieving adulthood.

Meanwhile, the gang of young gharials was hatching a plot.

“Those crocodiles have become too uppity. Just because they are rich and come to the college all decked up in finery, they seem to think they own the sandbank. We will teach them a lesson.”

“But those muggers are bigger than us”

“But we are more in number. We will attack on the prom night and rob them of all their finery and wear it ourselves. Then we will see who looks handsomer. Us or them!”

The melee at the Prom was unbelievable. At last the sandbank elders put together heads together and reached a momentous decision.

They banned all clothes, thus solving the problem of ever-growing species.

I must be clairvoyant. I actually saw all this in my mind’s eye, when I looked at the baby crocodile sleeping so peacefully on the bank.


Elephant Breeding Centre

The most remarkable thing I noticed here was that a nursing elephant mother has her udders near the front legs, not like a cow, which had udders near the back legs. How come this placement of udders differs in these two mammals? Can a zoologist enlighten me?

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