In the jungle, we’ve witnessed many fights among the predators. These conflicts arise for various reasons like water sources, territory, food, males competing for females. However, one particular conflict stands out for me: the one between leopards and wild dogs.Since both leopards and wild dogs primarily hunt spotted deer and smaller prey, they often encounter each other. They’re known for preferring fresh kills and avoiding old carcasses, so they hunt and consume deer regularly. Wild dogs typically roam in packs, which makes leopards wary when they’re around. Leopards are always on alert in the presence of wild dogs to avoid any confrontations. But when a leopard comes across a lone wild dog, it will often attack it. This pattern repeats as both animals continue their lives in the forest.
Their clashes are occasionally witnessed but are challenging to document. However, one fortunate day, luck was on our side as we observed a female leopard crossing the road. As we waited for her to emerge from the bushes on the other side, another surprise awaited us. Two wild dogs were approaching from the road where we were waiting.
As expected, the leopard emerged from the bushes at precisely the same moment as the wild dogs approached. They came face to face, and the leopard immediately charged at the wild dog, causing it to flee in the opposite direction.
Left side leopard- Right side Wild dog.
However, the leopard was taken aback and shocked to realise that there was more than one dog. It swiftly climbed a nearby tree with the same speed it had attacked the wild dog. This action excited the wild dogs, and they ran after the leopard while yelping loudly. The dholes went into a frenzy, jumping and attempting to climb the tree for a while.
However, the leopard remained high on the tree, with remarkable patience. After some time, when the dogs dispersed, the leopard cautiously climbed down and swiftly ran away in the opposite direction. Tree vegetation is crucial for leopards as it provides them with essential advantages. Without trees, life would become significantly more challenging for leopards.
Wild dogs don’t have fixed territories like tigers and leopards do. They move around and may stay in one place for a while before moving on. In such cases, predators like tigers need not worry because they mainly prefer larger prey such as gaur and sambar, which are not the primary targets of wild dogs.
For leopards though this will be a challenge because both rely heavily on the main food source – spotted deer. When wild dogs become resident in an area and prey on deer regularly, the deer population decreases over time. This reduction in deer population affects the leopard that lives in that territory.
In one particular area, such a situation arose where a pack consisting of two adult wild dogs and two puppies was spotted regularly. The resident leopard, who had been observing the situation, took notice. During one evening safari, we saw the leopard resting on a tree. At a distance, the same pack of wild dogs were approaching the leopard. Sensing their presence, the leopard swiftly descended from the tree and hid in the bushes beneath it. One of the wild dog puppies was particularly curious, wandering around and exploring its surroundings. On that fateful evening, it strayed a bit farther from the rest of the pack. The curious puppy noticed some movement in the bush where the leopard was hiding and approached to check. In the very next moment, the leopard swiftly killed the puppy and climbed up the tree. The other dogs in the pack were completely surprised and reacted immediately by running in circles around the tree, jumping and attempting to climb it, all while constantly yelping. However, it was too late. After trying for some time, the rest of the pack eventually moved away, allowing the leopard to safely put down the puppy and begin its meal.
picture credit -Somi
After that incident, the pack was not seen in that particular territory again.Wild animals tend to avoid conflict and may even flee from their adversaries. This behaviour isn’t a sign of weakness or fear; rather, it’s about self-preservation. However, in situations where competition needs to be eliminated, conflicts like the one we witnessed can occur.
Written and Narrated By
Kishore. V (Naturalist, Jungle Lodges and Resort)
Bandipura safari Lodge.
Owls may be important predators of the squirrel, as calls of certain owls are loud and scary and tends to make other animals make alarm calls and give away the location in the pitch dark.
Bhadra has a good density of such species of trees and so the landscape promises a supporting home to these squirrels that are already thriving here.
The black stork is a large bird, it has long red legs, a long neck and a long, straight, pointed red beak. We are seeing them since last 3 years, they can be seen from winter to summer. Generally, they move in pairs, up to flock of 8-10. They are observed around water holes, back waters during early morning and late evenings in shallow muddy water hunting and feeding on crabs, toads and fish. They roost on top of dry trees.
The bird is pale grey and is easily distinguished from any of the other geese by the black bars on its head. It is also much paler than the other geese in this genus. In winters, early in the morning we see them flying above back waters in V shape. There will be several individual flocks flying. Sometimes we do see them on the banks of the back water feeding on fresh grass and shoots.
It possesses specialized physical characteristics and exhibits unique behaviour to assist in hunting and catching Prey. Osprey supposed to be winter migrant to Bhadra back water. Due to rich availability of its prey, few have become a resident here. They can be seen perched on tree stumps in Backwaters of Bhadra.
Wide Spread Winter, we get to see them more often in the Back Waters area of Bhadra Reservoir. When water level recedes, more tree stumps are visible, and we can see them perched on the same. Brahminy Kites can be seen chasing them very often. They do mainly hunt and feed on small birds, waders, insects, rodents and fish too.
The Indian spotted eagle is about 24 inches in length and has a wingspan of 60 inches. It is broad-headed, with the widest mouth of all spotted eagles. Adults can be told apart from the greater spotted eagle by its lighter colour, darker eyes, and habitat preference.
This kingfisher is about 11 inches long. The adult has a purple-blue wings and back, black head and shoulders, white neck collar and throat, and rufous underparts. The large bill and legs are bright red. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are a duller version of the adult and show streaks on the throat. The call of this kingfisher is a cackling ki-ki-ki
The Indian pitta is a small stubby-tailed bird, it has long, strong legs, a very short tail and stout bill, with a buff coloured crown stripe, black coronal stripes, a thick black eye stripe and white throat and neck. The upperparts are green, with a blue tail, the underparts buff, with bright red on the lower belly and vent. The bird hops on the ground to forage and has been known to get trapped in ground traps meant for small mammals.
The oriental dollarbird has a length of up to 30 cm. It is dark brown, but this is heavily washed with a bluish-green sheen on the back and wing coverts. Its belly and under tail coverts are light coloured, and it has glossy bright blue colouring on its throat and under tail. Its flight feathers are a darker blue. Its bill is short and wide and in mature animals is coloured orange-red with a black tip. It has very light blue patches on the outer parts of its wings which are highly visible in flight and for which it is named. The females are slightly duller than the males but overall the two are very similar.
The breeding range of this bird is from easternmost Europe across temperate southern Asia. It is a strong migrant and winter in India and tropical Asia. They fly in flock and forage in flocks thus intimidating the local species. They are noisy but at times sing too.in Bhadra we are see them as passerby for few days in late evening. They form too interesting patterns in sky before roosting at night. One has to be an artist to visualize the patterns
Wildlife View 