Spotting the elusive Malabar Giant Squirrel

Trekking through the dense forests of Kurumba village on the foothills

of the Nilagiri or Blue Mountains on the foothills of Conoor and Ooty is
a thrill a minute experience.
One of the must see attractions after the novelty of the greenery and
pleasant weather have worn off is an early morning trek through the
tropical rainforests to spot the elusive Malabar Giant Squirrel that live
in the deep interiors of the jungle. Located near the Kurumba Village
Resort, these thick evergreen tropical forests can be reached after a
two hour trek on foot at a leisurely pace. Experienced trekkers can do
the trek in one hour. The wildlife around Kurumba Village Resort is a
rich treasure trove and a fascinating window on the animal world.
Home to innumerable varieties of birds and animals like the elephant,
the gaur and the bison, Kurumba forests are a wildlife lovers delight.
Each bird in the forest represents a living proof of being sculpted by
natures hidden hand. As you complete the first kilometer of the trek,
one finds oneself moving through different shades of green. One has to
climb steadily during this uphill trek but the trek is moderate.
After thirty minutes, one comes across a board announcing that one is
entering the forest reserve. From here, one treks along a mud path
which winds its way through the dense vegetation and giant trees.
One can see several long-tailed macaques either wildly swinging from
trees or darting through the wilderness. A few adventurous ones come
close but scamper away to safety. Several bird species including the
red whiskered bulbul, the Malabar Whistling Thrush, the wood pigeon,
the brown headed barbet and the hill myna can be seen flitting
amongst the trees or perched on treetops during ones trek. As one
penetrates deeper into the forests, the grasslands give way to dry
thorny scrub. After crossing this, one can find a small mountain stream
and a few isolated caves. One pauses to recharge oneself by drinking
the pure mountain stream water and meditate inside the cave to
mentally prepare oneself for the arduous trek ahead. You will be
fascinated by the number and variety of birds that can be spotted
during ones uphill sojourn.
Soon, one finds oneself in thee midst of giant trees which have stood
undisturbed over centuries in the interiors of the Nilagiri Hills. Dried
leaves carpet the forest floor as far as eye can see and meditating on a
bed of dried leaves while lying supine on the forest frloor listening to
the jungle sounds puts one into a mild trance. It is indeed one of the
closest experiences one can have with nature.

Among the giant trees, the tree that stands out is a Nagapushpam tree
whose flower resembles a shivaling which is guarded by a hooded
cobra. Hugging the wide trunk of this giant Nagapushpam tree while
basking in its ancient energy aura was a rejuvenating experience.
Alongside the Nagapushpam tree stands a giant fir, pine and poplar
tree, surrounded by other large trees. Spending time inside this sacred
grove was invaluable.
After one spends an hour resting under the canopy of these trees
enjoying the peaceful ambience, serenity, calmness, quietness and
tranquility inside the forest, one prepares for the return trek along the
same path. The return trek is downhill and can be completed in about
an hour. One sights fresh elephant dung during the return trek. So on a
lucky day one can come face to face with the Nilagiri elephant. During
the return along the placid waters of the translucent mountain streams
that flank both sides of ones bridle path, one hears rustling bushes,
which indicate the presence of the Malabar Giant Squirrel.
However, spotting the elusive squirrel is not so easy. They scatter away
in defence at the sound of the approaching footsteps. A more relaxed
technique to spot these gentle creatures is to sit under the tree in
silence. Nature always rewards patience. One has to wait for an hour
under the tree for the arrival of this delicate darling. Feeding of
squirrels is neither advisable nor expected. Soon, one can see the furry
tail on the branches near ones tree. After keenly observing the
environment, it squeaks and disappears by jumping onto the adjacent
tree. Capturing the Malabar Giant Squirrel on ones digital camera is a
stupendous achievement. One gets only a fraction of a second to
capture it on ones camera. If the timing is not right, one gets only a
small part of its bushy tail or torso. Giant monitor lizards roam the
Nilagiris as did their ancestors during a thousand years ago. There are
ancient species of palms that are endemic to the limestone formations
around these forests. These palms have been around for 5000 years,
and palaeontologists believe dinosaurs fed on them. The other rare
species of palm that can be found here is the bamboo plant, which is
much sought after by Chinese, as they believe it brings in prosperity,
when planted in ones garden. One might see the Malabar Hornbill too,
if one is fortunate enough.

How to get there:

The nearest international airport to reach Kurumba Resort is at
Chennai. There are several options for Indian tourists to get to Ooty
from Chennai.
By bus:
The easiest way to get to Kurumba Resort from Chennai is by bus. This
500 km. trip takes 13 hours.

By train:
There are several trains available to Coimbatore from all over India.
Kurumba Village Resort is a 50 km. drive from Coimbatore Station and
Ooty is located 36 km. away from Kurumba Village Resort
.

Where to stay?
Kurumba Village Resort is an ideal place to stay. It is a value for money
proposition by Indian standards during December to February which is
a low season. A standard double-room costs approximately. Rs.9000
(inclusive of all meals and taxes). Young Indian couples and families
from Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad frequent this eco-friendly
resort at this time of the year. The rooms are spacious and can
comfortably accommodate a family of four (with extra beds). The
bathrooms are comfortable with hot water showers.

Where to eat?
Few small restaurants serving pure vegetarian South Indian cuisine dot
Ooty. Freshly steamed potatoes with coconut milk, served with string
hoppers, is a local dish which melts in the mouth. Boiled lentils (dal)
with ginger and curry leaves are served with boiled white rice at
Kurumba Village Resort. The food at the high profile restaurants is only
for the gastronomically adventurous who like greasy food floating in oil.
Fresh fruits including mangoes, tender-coconuts, bananas and jackfruits are available at the local market.
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Murli Menon, is a travel writer, stress management consultant and
author based at Ahmedabad, India. He is the author of "ZeNLPLearning through stories" published by The Written Word Publications,
"ZeNLP-the power to succeed" published by Sage publications and
ZeNLP-the power to relax by New Dawn Press. He can be reached at
ceo@tips4ceos.com
________________________________________________________________________
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Courier payments/published magazine author copies to:
Murli Menon
E/503, Borsali Apt;
Khanpur
Ahmedabad-380001
Phone:079-25600269
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High resolution digital photographs attached with caption.
The following article and photographs are copyrighted and all rights
are reserved. No part of this article or the accompanying photographs
may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means electronic
or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information
storage or retrieval system without written permission from the author
by emailing us at ceo@tips4ceos.com
________________________________________________________________________
Courier payments/published magazine author copies to:

Murli Menon
E/503, Borsali Apt;
Khanpur
Ahmedabad-380001
Phone:079-25600269
________________________________________________________________________
High resolution digital photographs attached with caption.
________________________________________________________________________

The bushy tail of the Malabar Giant Squirrel

The Giant Malabar Squirrel inside Nilagiris
The trek into the jungle starts here
Meditating at a cave inside the forest
Hugging the Nagapushpam tree
The greenery around Kurumba Village Resort
Meditating on a bed of dried leaves inside the sacred grove of the
Kurumba tribals