Chakravyuh "the Formation"

appearances can be deceptive , have we heard this before?

Hi all,

Welcome back. A new genre after a 2 week and yet so favorable a response. InFocus could not have asked for more.

As I plunged into readers’ various comments and suggestions, one thing which caught my eye was variety. Some of you were direct and specific, Parag, give us some variety, something new, different, which we may be less aware of yet would be excited to know about.

Tigers, leopards, elephants, lions, cheetahs, sarus cranes, etc we covered a lot. Different aspects too, so what do I dish out this weekend that would interest the readers? Kinderdijk was a new genre, appreciated by all, so this is something I would pursue with a detour once in a while. With these thoughts, I rummaged through my Instagram gallery and a few answers emerged. I chose the Dhole as my subject for this week as during my most recent trip I had a couple of wonderful experiences and one of them was photographically beautiful too. After all the readers gorge on the photographs too.

Dhole: is a ferocious carnivore wild dog also known as an Indian / Asiatic wild dog. Highly social, living in large clans without any rigid dominance hierarchies with multiple breeding females. The clan could vary in size anywhere from 6-40 individuals. Competing with the tiger or the leopard it targets somewhat different species but still with considerable dietary overlap. It is listed as endangered with less than 2500 mature individuals.

Kabini is their favorite habitat. A good prey population of Chital (spotted deer), a habitat for creating a “Chakravyuh” (Hunt Formation) to strategize, surprise, surround, chase and wear down prey makes Kabini a happy hunting ground for the Dholes. They stalk, chase, and lead the prey into a trap, as demonstrated by this lone Dhole who separated from its clan and chased its prey.

Dawn is a fabulous time to get into the jungle. An overnight spell of rain had left the ground wet and an already dense undergrowth had assumed a different dimension as we trudged ahead in our safari. Far ahead on the horizon (the high point of the road where the road dipped giving me a feel of it being the horizon) I spotted some movement. What was it? I peered through the viewfinder and my suspicion was right. The Dhole clan was on the move, plotting yet another kill.

The ground dipped dramatically behind them. Far in the distance, the Nilgiri mountain range was covered by the haze. Tall & handsome was the possible leader. He surveyed the territory. But the numbers looked low to me. Where were the others?

I did not have to wait for long. The numbers multiplied quickly and they were all over the place. Smelling, scenting picking up those vital clues (which only they knew) they got busy.

Alert, agile they took positions. The “formation” was being created. Like missile heads they positioned themselves.

I was amazed at how they organized themselves, taking charge. As one can see here, no apparent 1 leader, but many, and each one knew their job well. Smart predators I thought. The Dholes are smart and highly ferocious. As a clan, they do not take a step back, not afraid of facing up to a tigress with tiny cubs too.

The Chakravyuh lept getting built and different Formations were tested. All nonverbal communication. Highly efficient, they were not wasting any time at all.

Clarity of thought, unspoken communication, testing out whether all understood their individual roles, they went out for the “hunt”.

They spotted the movement inside, took notice, split ranks, and went one by one in pursuit.

Not leaving any gaping holes they covered all flanks. This one stayed back, a chase could lead the prey to twist and turn and change directions. The positioning had to be such that all eventualities had to be considered.

The Dholes, masters of the Kabini forest have tremendous patience to wear down their prey. Those eyes had “intent” that day. The dawn is an ideal time to surprise and attack. Dew-covered grass and the slippery wet ground were a good time to track down a fawn or a young deer and the Asiatic wild dog clan was determined that day.

The Dholes are masters of patience, which we humans are not. Making these gorgeous pictures of their Formation or Chakravyuh was enticing enough. Especially the backdrop and the morning haze added to their allure.

Wishing them luck, I broke ranks with them.

I had the leopard still on my mind. The Dholes and Tigers have impacted the leopard population and movement at Kabini. Once famous for its leopards the Kabini is a tiger territory now as also the Dhole territory. We of course should wish it to be that way. The Dholes are essential for ecology. Their survival is essential.

Hope you enjoyed this rare species Formation and got a peek into their strategizing and operations. Not easy to spot, it was a great day and sighting seeing them as much in the clear in such a mood.

InFocus hopes to provide unique experiences as always.

Do comment, share, and express yourself.

Enjoy the weekend and stay InFocus.

Ciao.

Gear used: Camera: Nikon D 750, Lens: Nikon 400 primes

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