Chhari Dhand Wetland Reserve Part XIII: Sandgrouse and Animals

    Chhari Dhand is a seasonal marshy wetland in Banni grasslands (see the intro post explaining about Banni and Chhari Dhand here) on the southern edge of the Great Rann of Kutch. The seasonal lake is home to a large number of birds in winter (See previous posts on Great White Pelicans, Common Cranes, Water Birds, II, Cormorants, Oriental Darter, Painted Stork and other birds (तीतर and बटेर), II, III & IV). The Banni grasslands are also home to animals like the jackal and wild boar etc. This post contains pics of the Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse and couple of animals

    The Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse is a species of sandgrouse. The Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse is a bird of barren, semi-deserts. It is heavily reliant on water, despite living in hot, arid climates and is known to travel up to 50 miles (80 kilometres) in a day to search for water. Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse are selective feeders which primarily subsist on seeds.

A male (lower) and female Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse couple

in flight at Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 200

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   When grounded, the Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse appear as very short-legged birds, with a small head. They will stretch out their long necks when wary.

A wary Chestnut-belied Sandgrouse female, with its long neck stretched out

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 250

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   The Golden Jackal, is a wolf-like canid that is native to Southeast Europe, Central Asia, Western Asia, South Asia, and regions of Southeast Asia.

   Genetic studies indicate that the golden jackal expanded from India around 20,000 years ago, towards the end of the last Ice Age.

A Golden Jackal at Chhari Dhand

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 sec, ISO 800

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   Wild Boar is now one of the widest-ranging mammals in the world. The Central Asian Boar (Sus scrofa davidi) is a small long maned subspecies of wild boar indigenous to Southeastern Iran, Pakistan and Northwest India. It is scientific name is in honour of an Indian zoologist, Padmashri Rueben David, a bene Israeli Jew from Ahmedabad.

Obelix's prized meal at Chhari Dhand, habitat shot of a Wild Boar

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S Nikkor 200 - 500mm F/5.6E ED VR

Exif: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 400

DoP: Nov 22

Loc: Chhari Dhand, Kutch, Gujarat, India

   Below is the screenshot of geographic range of Wild Boars as per IUCN, as you can see, it well deserves the tag of being 'one of the widest-ranging mammals in the world'.

   However and interestingly, as per IUCN's geographic range, wild boars are not present where I spotted them. Below is a closer screen shot of our area of interest.

  A still more zoomed in view, with our sighting marked with a green star.

That's all folks in this post, stay tuned for more...