My days in the Mountains Woods in the exalted company of wild Animal

My book is based on the experiences in different phases of life of more than forty years working is different places and wildlife areas which includes mountaineering courese working in Gir National Park Gujarat on Gir Lion had memorable experiences in search of Snow Leopard in Trans Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh than Uttar Pradesh Laddakh area and finally Swamp deer was reported in Jhilmil Jheel Conservation Reserve. Uttarakhand True wilderness has become a matter of the bygone era as the damaging footprints of mankind even in the remotest of forests have gradually diminished them along with their jewels - the wild animals.In my forty years (from 1976 to 77 and 1980 to 2018) of active involvement in the field of mountaineering wildlife research conservation and surveys I had a number of opportunities to work in different National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in India. But you may find it unusual to learn that I had begun with my post-graduation dissertation in Brain mapping research. There is no doubt that the task of studying wildlife involves hard work and one who pursues this field has to face a number of constraints and challenges in the field. If anybody is interested to work in this field he or she must be prepared physically and mentally to face numerous hardships. In nature one cannot retrieve the bygone moments but nature always repays you by giving a life time lesson.In my forty years (from 1976 to 77 and 1980 to 2018) of active involvement in the field of mountaineering wildlife research conservation and surveys I had a number of opportunities to work in different National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in India. But you may find it unusual to learn that I had begun with my post-graduation dissertation in Brain mapping research. There is no doubt that the task of studying wildlife involves hard work and one who pursues this field has to face a number of constraints and challenges in the field. If anybody is interested to work in this field he or she must be prepared physically and mentally to face numerous hardships. In nature one cannot retrieve the bygone moments but nature always repays you by giving a life time lesson.I had sighted swamp deer for the first time in Uttarakhand and those in the dry semi-arid lands of Gir in Saurashtra Gujarat - the last home of the Asiatic lions. They were totally indifferent to the presence of humans around them. There is no doubt it was a fascinating experience to see lions in the wild. Their magnificence stirred in me an ardent desire to work on the lion in detail and I decided to do my doctorate on the Gir lions. Thereafter as of my resolve from 1980 to 1985 I became a part of the Gir sanctuary and its lions.In 1985-86 a Snow leopard Survey was launched jointly by some of the international conservation agencies and the Ministry of Environment and Forests Government of India to assess the status of the snow leopard and its prey. I was offered the task—intensive monitoring of the re-introduced rhinos leading to establishment of their population. A well-wisher had told me that it may prove a challenging assignment as not many have endured the hardships of living and working under the harsh conditions of those forests that were dominated with terai vegetation—swamps and tall wet grasslands with dense sal forests on the upland areas.On 1st February 2005 I visited Jhilmil jheel to ascertain the habitat quality. While surveying the area on foot and on the elephant back we found hoof marks of what appeared to be those of the swamp deer and also heard the unmistakable call of a stag from within the tall grasses. Finally from a newly built watchtower with great excitement we observed 34 Swamp deer in an open patch of the grassland along a water channel. Nine fully grown stags along with adult does and yearlings were seen in the herd. Later some shed swamp deer antlers were also collected from the area for the record..