Elephant charging #3

[Mrudul Godbole]

This is from the same series of elephant charging in Bandipur, which I had posted earlier. After she charged at our jeep she went back and trumpeted and was still in quite a bad mood.

Canon 50D, 100-400mm L IS USM, ISO 400, 1/500, f5.6, hand held, full frame

Comments and Critiques welcome

[Lakshminarayanan Nataraja]

The threat display is well captured.

At times I feel, in Bandipur these gentle giants are often put at great stress by casual tourists.

During rains when forage is abundant, elephants can cope with the stress, but during hot days when food and water are scarce, they get famished and cannot endure this threat.

TFS

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Redirected aggression well captured. Frontal lighting would have been good. Composition is good.

In Bandipur, one of the major reasons for the elephants getting irritated is due to the traffic in the main road. The level of stupidity displayed by people is amazing. In comparison, the number of tourist vehicles entering the forest is less. However, I was told that a few photographers knowingly irritate the elephants. The other day a juvenile charged at the vehicle from nowhere and before I could get a decent shot it ran away. These imprinting of their minds at a young age determines their behaviour later.

Sabyasachi

[Praveen Siddannavar]

Nice action captured Mrudul, the raised tail, feet and the trunk tell us the story.

I agree with Sabyasachi these days we see more charging by elephants in Bandipur, especially becoz some young photographers intentionally go close to get their shots. Once I was asked by a driver of the jeep if I want a charging shot, I had to give him my piece of mind and then educate.

[Roopak Gangadharan]

Action packed.The pose conveys all the pent up aggression.Excellent timing

My take on charges @ bandipur this is more or less the story all along the popular tourist spots of niligiri biosphere except a few locations.The Gundulpet -Muthunga strech of the NH thru bandipur, Moyar road and Bokapuram roads @mudumalai, Katikulam-Bavali-Balle strech in Nagarhole, Katikulam-Thirunelly strech, etc.Elephants in all these areas are regularly harrssed by insensitive tourists.Blocking their way , trying to get close for mobile pictures, shouting, even throwing stuff at them.

Last weekend i saw three vehicles blocking a herd trying to cross on the bandipur main road. Intrestingly the matriach charged at one of the smaller females instead of the vehicles ....

Roopak

[Mrudul Godbole]

It seems we are definetely making them more agressive. When I photographed this, our jeep had just came and we stopped to see the elephants at a distance. We never expected her to charge this way and all this behaviour she displayed was surprising.

This is just becoming worse and worse every day. Till now we have heard of elephants charging on people on the main roads. If things continue, surely there will be more worse incidents.

[Lakshminarayanan Nataraja]

A friend told me that it is getting increasingly difficult to walk along the transect lines in Bandipur & Nagarahole as elephants are turned aggressive these days. Normally they are placid and retiring.

Foot patrolling will also become difficult if this trend continues. Need to contain this menace.

[Roopak Gangadharan]

A friend told me that it is getting increasingly difficult to walk along the transect lines in Bandipur & Nagarahole as elephants are turned aggressive these days. Normally they are placid and retiring.

Foot patrolling will also become difficult if this trend continues. Need to contain this menace.

Pertinent issue Sir.even i heard the same news.while on foot the whole equation changes and this comes to life and death.Not just patrolling and transects, a lot of field activities will get affected and getting volunteers will become difficult.