A Rhino ate the Lino...
2 Dec, 08 - 03:59
So...after riding about on one...I've learnt a few things about the gentle elephant of Nepal.
The Elephants, here in Chitwan, have 3 'handlers' each:
-The Mahoud...Driver and food gatherer.
-The Phonid...Main caregiver and confidant.
-The Potchwa...Cleaner of stables and 'sandwich' maker. 'Sandwiches' for the elephant are comprised of rice, sugar, salt surrounded by grass. This person also makes food for the Mahoud and the Phonid.
Elephants have mandatory retirement at 60 years of age...and generally live to be 80.
Elephants are certainly the most pampered ethnic group of Nepal!
An elephant can eat 250kg of food and 160L of water a day. Even I can't compete with that! =^P
There are about 100 domesticated elephants in town I was based out of and, apparently, there are about 20 wild elephants in Chitwan National Park.
A typical morning scene in Chitwan
Said park is 932 square kilometres and houses many types of animals.
There are:
-Leopards
-4 types of deer
-Peacocks
-Sloth bears
-55 kings of reptile...including pythons king/common cobras
-2 types of crocodiles ...fresh(4-7m) and salt(3-5m long).
-Etc...
In 1973, the Nepali Royal family's hunting park became the nature preserve now called Chitwan National Park.
Yesterday morning I got within 5 metres of a number of Rhino. That was the one of the reasons I came to Chitwan...so mission accomplished! B^]
Rhinos don't smell like fresh cut roses or your favorite meal. =^]
Rhinos are known for their incredibly tough skin and aggressive behaviour. I mentioned two rather randy beasts in the last dispatch. The next three rhinos we saw were just cold chillin'.
Daddy Pants has a snack
I managed to snap some close ups of the Daddy Pants nibbling on some foliage...as well as Mother and Lazy Baby lounging around. Lazy Baby was moving from shady spot to shady spot...imitating a sack of wet rice hitting concrete as it flopped its carcass down in its chosen rest spots. Never have I heard a louder sigh than from the Lazy Baby Rhino...=^]
Momma seemed quite protective of her little one, but didn't seem to think we were a threat...so we were able to get in close proximity to the creatures.
Momma Rhino and Lazy Baby
Rhinos have incredibly strong skin...and there back end is rumou red to be so resilient that it can repel small calibre bullets. There are about 400 rhinos in Chitwan National Park and the numbers are said to be growing.
Rhino truly are a unique specimen of wildlife to be amongst.
Tigers!? There are approximately 110 in park. Did I see one...no...but that won't happen until my next visit to Chitwan...when I'll sleep in a tower and cavort with the prowlers by moonlight.
As relaxing as Chitwan was...I was dying to get back to Kathmandu and plan my next Himalayan outing. I miss the high altitude activity! Dawa's village awaits...and maybe a trip to the Gorhka region!?
It's easier to fly within Nepal right now...than it is to fly out. Tens of Thai Airways planes(and a host of others) and hundreds of thousands of passengers(the number goes up by tens of thousands daily) are currently stranded in Bangkok. Some anti-Thai government protesters have laid siege to Suvarnabhumi international airport...nobody is flying in or out of there right now. I think they are on day seven of the siege. =^o
It's going to be an interesting December in that airport...
A less than a half hour flight from Chitwan sounded many times better than the contortions of a five hour bus ride...so here I sit...back at the Kathmandu Guest House...on a Monday afternoon.
Dawa will be here in about ten minutes...and we will get to some scheming...B^]
I hope you are enjoying virtually exploring Nepal with me via the dispatches at www.secretspoteverest.com and/or my blog!?
If you have not subscribed...you should...right now. I invite you. =^)
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
SecretSpot.NET
SecretSpot7Summits.com
SecretSpotEverest.com
Blog.SecretSpotEverest.com
So...after riding about on one...I've learnt a few things about the gentle elephant of Nepal.
The Elephants, here in Chitwan, have 3 'handlers' each:
-The Mahoud...Driver and food gatherer.
-The Phonid...Main caregiver and confidant.
-The Potchwa...Cleaner of stables and 'sandwich' maker. 'Sandwiches' for the elephant are comprised of rice, sugar, salt surrounded by grass. This person also makes food for the Mahoud and the Phonid.
Elephants have mandatory retirement at 60 years of age...and generally live to be 80.
Elephants are certainly the most pampered ethnic group of Nepal!
An elephant can eat 250kg of food and 160L of water a day. Even I can't compete with that! =^P
There are about 100 domesticated elephants in town I was based out of and, apparently, there are about 20 wild elephants in Chitwan National Park.
Said park is 932 square kilometres and houses many types of animals.
There are:
-Leopards
-4 types of deer
-Peacocks
-Sloth bears
-55 kings of reptile...including pythons king/common cobras
-2 types of crocodiles ...fresh(4-7m) and salt(3-5m long).
-Etc...
In 1973, the Nepali Royal family's hunting park became the nature preserve now called Chitwan National Park.
Yesterday morning I got within 5 metres of a number of Rhino. That was the one of the reasons I came to Chitwan...so mission accomplished! B^]
Rhinos don't smell like fresh cut roses or your favorite meal. =^]
Rhinos are known for their incredibly tough skin and aggressive behaviour. I mentioned two rather randy beasts in the last dispatch. The next three rhinos we saw were just cold chillin'.
I managed to snap some close ups of the Daddy Pants nibbling on some foliage...as well as Mother and Lazy Baby lounging around. Lazy Baby was moving from shady spot to shady spot...imitating a sack of wet rice hitting concrete as it flopped its carcass down in its chosen rest spots. Never have I heard a louder sigh than from the Lazy Baby Rhino...=^]
Momma seemed quite protective of her little one, but didn't seem to think we were a threat...so we were able to get in close proximity to the creatures.
Rhinos have incredibly strong skin...and there back end is rumou red to be so resilient that it can repel small calibre bullets. There are about 400 rhinos in Chitwan National Park and the numbers are said to be growing.
Rhino truly are a unique specimen of wildlife to be amongst.
Tigers!? There are approximately 110 in park. Did I see one...no...but that won't happen until my next visit to Chitwan...when I'll sleep in a tower and cavort with the prowlers by moonlight.
As relaxing as Chitwan was...I was dying to get back to Kathmandu and plan my next Himalayan outing. I miss the high altitude activity! Dawa's village awaits...and maybe a trip to the Gorhka region!?
It's easier to fly within Nepal right now...than it is to fly out. Tens of Thai Airways planes(and a host of others) and hundreds of thousands of passengers(the number goes up by tens of thousands daily) are currently stranded in Bangkok. Some anti-Thai government protesters have laid siege to Suvarnabhumi international airport...nobody is flying in or out of there right now. I think they are on day seven of the siege. =^o
It's going to be an interesting December in that airport...
A less than a half hour flight from Chitwan sounded many times better than the contortions of a five hour bus ride...so here I sit...back at the Kathmandu Guest House...on a Monday afternoon.
Dawa will be here in about ten minutes...and we will get to some scheming...B^]
I hope you are enjoying virtually exploring Nepal with me via the dispatches at www.secretspoteverest.com and/or my blog!?
If you have not subscribed...you should...right now. I invite you. =^)
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
SecretSpot.NET
SecretSpot7Summits.com
SecretSpotEverest.com
Blog.SecretSpotEverest.com
Posted by Scott Stanko at 12/2/2008 10:08 AM 
Categories: SecretSpot.TV, secretspot7summits.com, Nepal, Surefire, Sherpa, Kathmandu, Oakley, Everest, SecretSpotEverest.com, SecretSpot.NET, Tilman Trek, Medtronic, Phill Michael, Seven Summits, Frick, Food, tibet
Categories: SecretSpot.TV, secretspot7summits.com, Nepal, Surefire, Sherpa, Kathmandu, Oakley, Everest, SecretSpotEverest.com, SecretSpot.NET, Tilman Trek, Medtronic, Phill Michael, Seven Summits, Frick, Food, tibet
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