Coorg ... Dubare elephant camp

 The Dubare Elephant Camp near coorg is maintained by the Government and Jungle Lodges. The elephants here are the ones that were previously used in the mysore dasara celebrations and for logging. With all that now stopped, the camp has become the home for these retired elephants.

 

There are several lodges that have been built all around, that are used to house guests and the naturalists/forest rangers.

We saw some interesting trees all around. On the right below is a picture of the 'flame of the forest' - the butea monosperma

The rangers took us on a jeep ride through the forest, where we were fortunate to spot the wild bison.

 

 

The next morning started with a guided walk through the forest and along the banks of the river cauvery.

 I'm not entirely sure if this is the common floss flower.

 

Up in the trees was the giant Malabar squirrel.

Another tree that I need to identify.

 

Seeds of the water lily or perhaps the lotus?

 

A giant anthill. The naturalist, to prove a point, broke off a small portion from an edge while we set out on the walk, and true enough by the time we came back, about an hour or two later, it had been rebuilt. These ants are quick workers.

 

A wasps nest.

Elephants being bathed... can they not do it themselves, I wondered.