INDIA – UTTARAKHAND – Rishikesh

Welcome to Rishikesh, “Yoga Capital of the World”, and land of the countless ashrams, temples, and diverse inhabitants!

This image says it all about Rishikesh

Sacred wandering cows

View from the Lakshman Jhula (bridge) with our host Mr Rhesus Monkey

Let me introduce you to Mr The Common Hanuman Langur

 

Acquiring more in-death knowledge into the PATH of YOGA, and learning to teach the same

Learning from one of the masters ;)

Learning and sharing the newly acquired essentials

Beautiful closing ceremony

Beautiful closing ceremony

The Holy Ganges River, the famous and the infamous touristic attractions...

 

Holy Ganges River

Near Ram Jhula (bridge)

 

Temples, temples, temples...

One of the oldest and most famous Indian restaurant in Rishikesh

Chotiwala Restaurant. One can find the pink guy sitting on his chair every single day

!

 

Ruins of the famous Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram where the Beatles rocked up in the late 60s. It is said that the ashram closure was later forced by the government under the pressure of the citizens who did not approve foreigners behavior in this sacred region

Ruins of the famous Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram

Sunset in Lakshman Jhula

India's blurry line between past, present and future ...

Wise words defeating time and religious beliefs from any nation...

Species seen so far...

Our field work have not been really productive so far. This might be due to temperatures below seasonal normals and increased precipitations. 

Anyhow, let me introduce you to my new little friends...

Commonly found around 2000 m and widespread across Nepal, the Hill Jezebel (Delias Belladonna)

 The Indian Forest Skink

The Variegated Mountain Lizard

The Collared Back Headed Snake. Their eggs where found on the trail and hatched under the monitoring of our herpetologist... Cute little guys!

 Himalayan Mountain Keelback

And here a closeup view allowing to see his forked tongue and glottis

Our young Common Leopard, rescued after being abandoned by his mother. The animal was relocated in order to reassure the inhabitants and receive necessary care.

 One of ours Himalayan shoe eating cat... There are tree living around the Guest House, all the same color. These guys are really good hunters as they bring us dead shrews and rats every single day!

Rescaping one of the many shrews found in our pitfall traps!

 After much expectation, it is on our way to the Annapurna Base Camp that we finally encounter the Hanuman Langur!

Regardless the fact that 240 species of birds have been identified in Ghandruk, I only had the chance to
observed the following ones: 

• Black Eagle
• Himalayan Vulture
• Large Billed Crow, in great numbers throughout the crops
• Blue Whistling Thrush
• White-collared Blackbird
• Himalayan Bulbul, who hangs around the house gracefully wearing a punk type headdress
• Various Warbler species
• Green-backed Tit, who keeps coming every day for the “all you can eat moths” on our dining room window!
• Common Myna
• Grey Buschchat