Marsh Crocodile
Sighted on: 4.May.2023
On the 4th-morning boat, safari saw this beautiful crocodile resting on the banks. Do you know that a crocodile's posterior head portion forms a flat plate attached to a short, powerful neck? On the dorsal side of the neck are two groups of bony scales called scutes. The upper surfaces of the back and tail are covered with large, rectangular horny plates arranged regularly in longitudinal and transverse rows. Most of the dorsal plates have a longitudinal ridge or keel. Under these plates lie bony structures called osteoderms of about the same size. This configuration occurs in all but one species; in the estuarine crocodile, the bony plates are smaller. These scales work as protective armour.
Content Creator / Photographer:
Shanmuga Kumar
Lemon Pansy
Sighted on: 3.May.2023
The lemon pansy is a very active butterfly and can be seen basking with its wings open, facing the sun. It sits very low to the ground and can be approached easily. It feeds with its wings half open. It is a fairly strong flier that flies close to the ground with a rapid wing beat and often returns to settle in the same spots.
Content Creator / Photographer:
Shanmuga Kumar
Queen Ant
Sighted on: 5.May.2023
Queen ants have two primary roles. First, early in their lives, they are programmed to begin creating a new colony. After exiting her birth colony and mating, this young queen will find a new nest site and lay her initial group of eggs. Once those larvae have matured and can care for her, the queen turns her focus to the next stage of her life: Becoming an egg-laying machine. Some queens can produce millions of eggs in a lifetime.
It should be noted that the queen ant has no real authority over a colony despite the royal title. She does not direct other ants or make decisions for the colony. Instead, just like every other ant in the colony, she is motivated by instinct and a general sense of how she can provide for the colony's needs. The only royal pampering she gets is that other ants will bring her food and keep her clean.
As with other ants in the colony, the queen ant has a role to play. She's the egg layer of the colony. Other ants provide for the colony by taking on different roles. In an ant colony, there are multiple castes – most are female worker ants, which forage for food, clean the colony or tend to the queen. Other castes are the soldiers (for protection), drones (the only males) and princesses (up-and-coming queens).
Of course, not every species' colonies share a queen-focused civilization. Some colonies have more than one queen, which helps a colony expand quickly. Other colonies have no true queens. Instead, some worker ants have the ability to reproduce.
Content Creator / Photographer:
Shanmuga Kumar
Wild Dog
Sighted on: 6.May.2023
The water level is lower than in the typical summer season; however, we did receive a few summer showers. During the morning boat safari, we were lucky to spot a pack of six wild dogs. This pack consists of the alpha male and female and four pups. They were seen trying to track prey movement by attempting to pick up their scent.
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