Tusker - Full frame

[Prashant Jois]

17/10/2011 5:27 pm @ Bandipur National Park
Canon 7D with 100-400 mm
Aperture priority
Tv 1/100
Av 5.6
EC -2/3
ISO 1600
Fl 100mm

I was literally dying to get some shutter speed here. Please pass on your C&C.

[Mrudul Godbole]

Nice tusks. Its good that you could include the whole body. The light seems to be very low, but the details look fine. If possible moving a bit more to the left would have been good as it seems to be moving to the left. Thanks for sharing.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

I am wondering how the tail got cut. Some more space at the bottom would have been better.

[Prashant Jois]

I am wondering how the tail got cut. Some more space at the bottom would have been better.

This is was I got from another site "Usually tail will be lost during fights. It will be bitten by other elephants". Yeah, I agree with you about the space at bottom of the frame. :(

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

I am wondering how the tail got cut. Some more space at the bottom would have been better.

I could find one photograph of a Tusker with half-length tail taken by M. Khishnan with the caption:
"Tusker with tusks over 3 ft long---presumed winner of the fight.Note: raised weal above thigh---a tusk wound" No comment made about the half-cut tail.

Nice tusks.Photograph of the same tusker having different pose has been posted by Suraj Bhai captioned- 'Ivory Man' on 16.11.2011.Thanks for sharing.SaktiWild

[Sabyasachi Patra]

This is was I got from another site "Usually tail will be lost during fights. It will be bitten by other elephants". Yeah, I agree with you about the space at bottom of the frame. :(

When someone uses the word "will" it becomes a very strong statement. Whoever has made that quote indicates that it happens 100% of the case that elephants bite each others case. Or may be just improper use of english.

I have not seen it so can't vouch for it. I think P D Stracey had written that he has seen instances of elephants biting the tail during fights. (Sorry I haven't copied that quote. Will try to find it)

I don't remember Douglas-Hamilton writing about such a situation in African elephants.

Unless it is personal observation, it is best to quote the source, as Shaktipadaji does. That increases the overall knowledge base without people doubting if it is true or not.

Unfortunately the only book of M Krishnan that I have is the "Eye in the Jungle" which is a compilation of his photos and a few of his writings put together by Ashish and Shanthi Chandola and the images developed by T.N.A. Perumal. Wonder how much of knowledge has been lost with the passing of people like M Krishnan.

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

1.India's Wildlife in 1959-70
M.Krishnan was awarded Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship in 1968 to study the status of India's wild animals which have suffered considerable depletion and change as a result of human enchroachment on their habitat.The fascinating report(171 pages) with superb photographs(242 photographs) was brought out in the form of a book titled-"INDIA'S WILDLIFE IN 1959-70 ,An ecological survey of larger Mammals of Peninsular India,by Bombay Natural History Society published in 1975.

The Book contains,inter alia,(1) Introduction(2)Some of study areas(3)General account of Mammals studied(4)Individual account of 35(Thirty Five) Large Mammals covering details on each of them separately giving (a) Size:Morphological characters;(b)Distribution;(c)Habits:Behavior etc. based on and supported by Field Notes,Observation records,Locations,Photographs etc.
2.The Handbook of India's Wildlife ,1982
3.Jungle and Backyard,1967
The First book is a reference material.How much pains he took in those days and how every paise of the J. N. Fellowship he utilised to document lives of 35 species of large mammals of India with the hope that the generations to come will take care of them.
SaktiWild

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Great to have this information. Let me try to find out if this book by Shri M Krishnan is still in print.

I just checked the book Elephant Gold by P. D. Stracey who started as an elephant catcher in Assam. he writes under the chapter Elephant Drives where he describes the activities of frightened captured elephants in a stockade "A group of captured elephants is a group of frightened wild creatures; huddled together head to tail, the picture is a pathetic one. In the pushing, seething mass the adolescents bear in towards the centre, trying to hide their heads like ostriches under the adults. The larger elephants are more dignified, but the strain and tension tells on them too and occasionally they burst into furious assault on each other. Particularly unfortunate are the calves which have got separated from their mothers. Tusks are used freely to push aside those elephants which get in the way, while tails are bitten and makhnas and females open their mouths wide and use their tushes to bear downwards on head and shoulder. Kicking and butting add to the damage, which is only revealed later in the depot and sometimes seriously affects the prices fetched."

Cheers,
Sabyasachi