The elusive Nilgiri Marten |
The sighting of a lifetime! I actually saw and
managed to get a picture of a Nilgiri Marten. This small is
so elusive, even people researching this animal don’t get to see them much,
forget getting photos. Truly blessed to be at the right place at the right
time.
The plan to visit the Anamalais started with my
desperate desire to see the Nilgiri Tahr. Originally, I’d planned to head to
Eravikulam (near Munnar) to see them, but Ramki suggested I head to the
Anamalais, with easier sightings of the Lion Tailed Macaque (LTM), Nilgiri Langur,
Great Hornbill and the Frogmouth as well. So we planned to head to Coimbatore
and hit Topslip for the Hornbill and Frogmouth before heading towards the tea estates
of Valparai for the others.
But the powers that be at the Tamil Nadu forest
department shut down entry into all the state’s forests due to fear of forest
fires. Which meant that the only open patch of forest bordered the winding,
climbing highway from Pollachi (near Coimbatore) to Valparai, the tea estate
town deep in the Nilgiri mountains. And believe it or not, we saw every one of
these species (except the Frogmouth) from the main highway.
The Lion Tailed Macaque |
Malabar Giant Squirrel |
We stayed at the Waterfall tea estate, on the 29th
(of a total of 40) hairpin bends on the Valparai road. Even as we were en route
there, we saw our first Lion Tailed Macaque and Nilgiri Langurs. After a quick
lunch, we headed back out on the road. Our plan was simple, drive up and down
the road and look out for the animals in the forest alongside the road. Not
that we had another option!
Our guide Ganeshan took us to Valparai town to
meet Divya Mudappa, a researcher who’s been doing pioneering work in the
Nilgiris for well more than a decade. She recommended that we hit the 5th
through 13th bend early the next morning to catch the Tahr, there’s
a herd of 11 that usually moves through that area. And with that advice, we
headed back to Waterfalls, seeing more LTM and Langur (which proved annoyingly
difficult to photograph) and Malabar Giant Squirrel on the way.
Nilgiri Tahr Male |
Tahr calf trotting through a vertical rock face |
Calves on the road |
Just the way I'd always wanted to see one - on the edge of a sheer cliff |
The next morning, we drove back and forth through
bends 5 to 13 but no Tahr. Then we stopped for a break and joined other
tourists at a lookout point to admire the Aaliyar dam and lake below. And
there, a few metres from the lookout point sat 3 Nilgiri Tahr. The sighting was
so sudden and so close, I really couldn’t react at all! They were then joined
by the rest of the herd as all of them made their way down the steep, rocky
slopes with astonishing ease. Not once did they lay a false step or slip on the
near vertical rock-face, even the calves. An amazing hour we spent with these
incredibly beautiful and rare goats.
Marten in action |
And on the way back, the highlight of the trip
and maybe of the whole three months. I saw a movement in the trees and first
thought it was a giant squirrel. But the yellow patch on the neck meant it was
a marten and I quickly motioned the driver to stop as we quietly lined up our
cameras and got a couple of quick pictures, as he jumped from one tree to
another, posed for a second and vanished into the undergrowth. It was only as
we drove on did the magnitude of this sighting really sink in!
That afternoon we drive beyond Valparai passing
through some interestingly named villages like Rottikadai (literally meaning
Roti-shop). Near Puduthottam village, Ganeshan stopped at a patch of forest and
whispered ‘LTM’. And there they were, more than a hundred of them, adults and
youngsters and a mum with her little one.
After a great half hour or so, we headed further
towards the beautiful Nirar Weir and the ever-green forests beyond. As rain
clouds gathered, we spent the whole evening enjoying the view, the breeze and
the rain.
Tahr nursing on the highway |
The next morning, we headed out for Tahr again
and followed them down again, we took the winding route and they got the
shortcut! At one point, the whole herd was on the road and one mother actually
nursed her calf right there. In the middle of a highway!
Tea Estate views |
That afternoon, we spent watching birds around
the tea estates. At the Anamalai Estate, one of the largest, we went all the
way to the edge to get unbelievable views of the forests below, said to be so
thick that light doesn’t reach the forest floor at places. I also got a glimpse
of the enormous Great Hornbill, though from really far away.
Virgin Forest |
Bonnet Macaque |
Bee-eater struggling with prey |
On the way back, we got saw a green bee-eater
trying to swallow an insect that was too big for its mouth. After a few
minutes struggle in the open, he flew away, as if embarrassed to display his
‘incompetence’ so publicly. We also saw a red-whiskered bulbul with his snack,
oblivious to our presence.
Our last day and the only thing really left was a
picture of the Nilgiri Langur. There are hundreds around but extremely skittish
and would duck their heads or disappear every time I raised my camera.
Frustrating for a photographer, but great survival instincts for the langur;
after all that lens could well be a gun barrel.
Patience my friend, the langur seems to be saying |
It was finally on our way back to Pollachi that
we finally managed to spot one guy in the open, and willing to pose. He sat and
stared at us till we clicked to our hearts’ content, then limbered off to the
higher branches. And as a good-bye present, a couple of Nilgiri Tahr, right
next to the hairpin bend marker (No. 12), as if to provide us with a reminder.
We’d only seen a fraction of the Anamalais and
we’d seen everything we’d set out to see – Tahr, LTM, Langur, Hornbill. The
next time, I’d love to go into Topslip and walk around to explore this amazing
forest some more. After all, if we have luck even a fraction of this time, who
knows what amazing sightings are in store?
What's in this picture? |
Anamalais
(Valparai) Trip Guide
Getting
there
Pollachi is the nearest town for both Valparai
(65kms) and Topslip (35 kms). Coimbatire (40 kms from Pollachi) is the nearest
rail and air head with excellent connections across the country.
Road Travel
Best to hire your car and driver at Coimbatore.
You’ll be better served by a driver who knows the area and understands
wildlife, especially if you’re into photography.
We had a Tavera organized through A1 Travels in
Coimbatore (owner Mr. Karuppaswamy - +91 98942 33555) with Ramakrishnan (+91
90920 28484) as our driver. I would rate him very high – reliable and
enthusiastic, good steady driver, excellent in the hills, and does a fair
amount of wildlife spotting himself.
There are several options available on the
Valparai road, almost all in the tea estate bungalows. We stayed at the lovely
Waterfall tea estate (on Hairpin Bend 29), in their ‘Tennis’ bungalow. It’s a
lovely 3-bedroom cottage, very well maintained and we were looked after really
well and had excellent home-cooked food by the caretaker Mr. Veeran.
To book, you can call the
owner, Ms. Rasha Karumbaiah on +91 94433 37022
Safaris and Guides
There are no real safaris, at least not on the
Valparai stretch. So all you have to do is to get your car and drive, back and
forth on that stretch of road. If the forests are open, you should be able to
drive or walk in them. Best to check with the TN Forest Department before
getting there, so you can plan your trip.
As guides go, we had probably the best. Ganeshan,
a 20+ year veteran of the area (he lives in Erumaiparai – near Topslip) is
amazing. He knows the area, the animals and his spotting is near miraculous. He's assisted several research projects over the years, so the experts turn to him as well. You can reach him on + 91 94881 74221.
Other
tips
Coimbatore - Annapoorna’s is a must for their
amazing breakfast. There are many around, so make sure you ask your driver to
take you to the big one.
If you need to freshen up, there are many good
hotels around the station who let out their rooms for a short while for a quick
wash before you hit the road.