Picto Diary - 27 December 2015 - Kaziranga (1)

Above: Elephants make their way to loading station. 6:30 AM. Kaziranga National Park. Assam. northeast India. 27 December 2015.

Drums, FeeBee, and Cat look on.

Above: First selfie ever while riding an elephant. Kaziranga National Park. Assam. northeast India. 27 December 2015.

Above: Mahout, Cat, B1B, FeeBee, and OBGYN on Jumbo. Kaziranga National Park. Assam. northeastern India. 27 December 2015.

Eerie, quiet, early AM atmospherics. Only sounds were rider whispers and elephant steps plodding in the wet grass and mud.

Memories of doing this elephant walk with Espresso 42 years ago came rushing back.

It was a thrill to me seeing the joy on the kids' faces as they participated in this special experience.

Above: The Bishop back at Kaziranga after 42 years, this time not with Espresso, but, with TIMDT and Mahout. Kaziranga National Park, Assam, northeast India. 27 December 2015.

Baby elephant is Joy. Mahout allowed Joy to suckle her mother a couple of times during our ride to see the rhinos.

Above: Rhinos, with elephant spectator beyond. Kaziranga National Park. Assam. northeastern India. 27 December 2015.

Rhinos are not bothered by elephants who can get quite close to the rhinos without spooking them.

Above: Mahout, K, Drums, and GP. Kaziranga National Park. Assam. Northeastern India. 27 December 2015.

Above: Joy. Kaziranga National Park. Assam. Northeastern India. 27 December 2015.

Image captured by Mwah (sic) from atop Joy's mother.

Above: OBGYN, FeeBee, B1B, Cat and Mahout. Kaziranga National Park. Assam. Northeastern India, 27 December 2015.

No one could stop taking images of the animals.

Above: Wild Boar. Kaziranga National Park. Assam. Northeastern India. 27 December 2015.

Above: Elephant poses with Mahout, K, Drums and GP. Kaziranga National Park. Assam. Northeastern India. 27 December 2015.

Above: Big boy rhino. Kaziranga National Park. Assam, northeastern India. 27 November 2015.

Image taken by Mwah (sic) from elephant.

Rinos eat grass all day. The grasslands of Kaziranga are known for their elephant grass, which reaches 14 feet in height.

There are about 100 Bengal tigers in the park... but, sightings are not frequent because of the proliferation of grass.

Our naturalist, Bumani, discovered a tiger track on one of the dirt roads.

In any case, the tigers would have been a bonus... as the principle reason to visit the park is the elephant ride to see the rhinos.

Above: OBGYN, FeeBee, B1B, Cat, and Mahout. Kaziranga National Park. Assam. Northeastern India. 27 December 2015.

Above: Swamp Deer with elephant observer. Kaziranga National Park. Assam. Eastern India. 27 December 2017.

Kaziranga Big Five:

Swamp Deer
Elephant
Indian Water Buffalo
Rhinoceros
Bengal Tiger

We would see four of the five.... missing the Tiger.

The elephant ride to see the rhinos is the main reason to visit the park in any case.