With its diversity of flora and fauna, the Nagarhole National Park is one of the best-known wildlife reserves in India. The National Park not only has multiple species of plants and shrubbs but also mammals, reptiles, and rare birds.
The reserve has more than 250 species of birds including the critically endangered White Backed Vulture, Greater Spotted Eagle, Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon etc. Reptiles in the National Park include crocodiles, vine snakes, wolf snakes, rat snakes, bamboo bat viper, Russell’s Viper, Indian Rock Python.
Crocodiles of Kabini:
In 1974, a dam was built on the Kabini River which resulted in the submergence of the valley between Nagarahole and Bandipur, causing ecological disruption. The reservoir is home to a good population of mugger crocodiles, many of which can be seen basking on its banks. You can spot crocodiles basking in the sun, with their mouths open sometimes while enjoying a jungle safari in Kabini.
Indian Rock Python:
The Indian rock python (Python molurus), like all other giant snakes, is an ambush hunter. Three species of pythons are found in India, the Burmese python (Python bivitatus), Indian rock python, and the longest known snake, the Reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus). They wait for prey to come close enough to capture; for them, the bigger the meal, the better. The rock pythons are most often seen in areas with thick vegetation near water bodies, ranging from small village ponds to massive rivers.
Monitor Lizard: These Indian dragons can be found in the Kabini Forest. Young monitor lizards are more colourful than adult ones. Young ones have a series of dark crossbars on the neck, throat, and back. With white belly, banded with dark crossbars and are spotted with grey or yellow. Bengal monitors are solitary and usually found on the ground, but can climb well. Bengal monitors sometimes stand on the hind legs to get a better view or when males fight other males. They can also swim well and can stay submerged for at least 17 minutes.
Bengal monitors are usually shy and avoid humans. They have keen eyesight and can detect human movement nearly 250 m away.
Chameleon: As we all know about the chameleon’s skin colour that it has a mechanism that has the relational function of making the chameleon’s skin match that of its environment. Its ability to change colour has less to do with camouflage and more to do with mood swings. While primarily found in shades of green or brown, it changes colour to communicate with others of his tribe, and its tone is often an indicator of his physiological state. When fearful or agitated, it often becomes a much darker shade. They are carnivorous and their diet consists mainly of insects, although the larger species can be cannibalistic. Some small species of chameleons can extend their tongue by more than their body length. You can get a view of these in the Red Earth, resort in Kabini. They can turn pink while you are looking at them
Indian Pond Terrapin: Staying buried and unmoving underwater offers great camouflage for this predator. But it also poses the challenge of it not being able to breathe constantly. They have very long necks with extended nostrils that look like a pig’s snout. This enables them to stay still, very slowly extend their necks and stick the extreme tips of their nostrils above water for a deep breath before they return to ambush position.
These are most active during the early morning and evening it spends the day basking in the sun. And they can be seen enjoying the sun during the jungle safari.
You can choose to stay with us at Red Earth, our resort in Kabini and enjoy the safari in Kabini and get a view of the amazing flora and fauna of the Kabini forest.
