Wild (and Not-So-Wild) Life
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Some of the first cows I saw in India. Unlike most of them, these
were actually in a park (near Karol Bagh, New Delhi), rather than in
the middle of the road... or worse...
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This cow was hanging out with us in the train station outside Delhi as
we waited to board our overnight train.
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Bull in a chinashop? No, actually a cow in an India shop.
Ironically, it was a shop selling leather goods!
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We stopped for lunch at the Shangri La Hotel in New Delhi, and while
we were eating, we noticed a fairly large raptor flying pretty nearby.
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The raptor we were watching at the Shangri La Hotel took to flying
overhead -- maybe trying to get someone's leftovers.
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This dog (seen through a fence) was more 'purebred' looking than most
of the ones wandering around. Whether it really is a German Shepherd
or not, it did not look like the typical feral dog. Near Red Fort, Delhi.
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An egret on the lawn of the Red Fort, Delhi.
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These ubiquitous little creatures look like a larger version of
American chipmunks, but they move more like squirrels and are referred
to as squirrels by the Indians. The place I heard the term most
often, however, was in reference to the squirrel-hair brushes used for
the incredibly fine detailed paintings (on silk and earlier on ivory)
that are a tradition in much of Rajasthan. Near Red Fort, Delhi.
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Bird on a wire. In this particular case, I'm not sure what the bird
was, but I know what he was sitting there for, because my father
happened to walk right under him at an unfortunate point in time.
Near Red Fort, Delhi.
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Feral dogs abound in India, but only on a few occasions did we see
cats, and every time I can recall, it was in a palace of some sort,
including in this case the hotel we were staying in. Guess that
reinforces a stereotype about cats, huh? Hotel Bhairon Vilas,
Bikaner.
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Parrots were also common in the hotels where we stayed. Look for them
here on the small ledge halfway down the left wall. Hotel Bhairon
Vilas, Bikaner.
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I think this is my cutest monkey photo. Really, though they look
cute, they can be quite mean. Our tour guide Margriet told us about
one previous tour participant who got bit by a monkey and had to keep
stopping for the rest of her tour for rabies shots.
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And then sometimes, they just walk away when you want their photo.
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The "Rat Temple" in Deshnoke near Bikaner is probably its most famous
attraction. The rats are believed to be the reincarnated spirits of
the devotees of the particular saint who built this temple. They run
around all over inside, although concerns about stepping on them (for
which one is expected to make a sizeable donation in apology) were
seriously overblown. Although relatively tame, they are still shy and
tend to stick close to the food and hide in dark corners.
You do have to go through the temple in socks or bare feet, but even
my mom, who was quite apprehensive at first, enjoyed the visit in the
end.
Karni Mata temple, Deshnoke.
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This baby rat is so cute!
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Rats snoozing?
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Toss out a little bit of food and they come from all over.
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... including all over each other.
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Are you sure your tail is enough to balance that whole slice of
orange? Don't fall down!
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The rat mess hall. Emphasis on the mess.
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To keep the little guys safe (after all, they might be your
grandparents reincarnated) there is a wire net over the whole temple
to keep out the hawks and others who might otherwise think it was
their own mess hall.
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The smaller birds, however, find a way in and get their own share of the food.
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I guess this rat figured that if it was going to be worshipped, it
ought to have its own pedestal. Either that, or it was the first to
find something yummy left there!
Karni Mata temple, Deshnoke.
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The pigeons, not being quite as smart as rats, thought standing on top
made more sense.
Karni Mata temple, Deshnoke.
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While we were sitting down to lunch in the outdoor restaurant at
Junagarth Fort museum, we noticed a rather striking bird of prey
above. There was also a cat prowling around below, and I'm not sure
which one was planning on having the other for lunch.
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A different outlook for our bird of prey. Restaurant at Junagarth Fort museum.
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Dog on cow. Doggone cow? Something like that. They both wander the
streets, but more than once we saw them teaming up in this fashion.
Luckily for the dogs, we never saw the converse. Bikaner
auto-rickshaw tour.
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Bird-on-pig. Not a very efficient way of getting around, but better
than flapping your own wings, I guess. And anyway, he's making more
progress than the cow. There are some monkeys in the background, if
you look for them.
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In the midst of the Thar Desert, we stopped at an oasis of sorts.
This particular one was known for its cranes (the bird kind) rather
than for its vegetation.
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Finally, here is the birds-in-flight picture I'd been trying to take
for twenty minutes. Oasis in the Thar Desert. (5MP, 1.6MB)
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Here is a small group of cranes, in flight, against the sky.
Oasis in the Thar Desert. (5MP, 1.3MB)