Living with nature

Tharanga Vipulaguna

It was November 2012, just as the rainy season started, when I along with three other nature lovers visited the Yala National Park. The day was exceptionally beautiful with the blue sky setting the scene for an unforgettable safari adventure for us. Our driver was moving his Land Rover along the gravel road very slowly and carefully. Driving through the jungle was rewarding. The Tracker who came with us was focusing his eyes thoroughly for any movement across the jungle.

On either side of the wild track, we passed numerous little water holes dominated by beautiful birds such as Herons, Egrets, Kingfishers and Painted Storks. Crocodiles, large and small were seen dozing near these water holes. Quite a number of wild buffaloes were basking in the hot sun with mud all over their bodies. Suddenly a herd of deer sprung across the gravel road in front of us and stopped a few yards away very watchfully. The deer is a harmless animal and lives always in fear because of the leopards - his erstwhile enemy. Large birds of the jungle like eagles, peacocks and hornbills also were confronted occasionally.

After a short while we reached the Uraniya Plains, a massive location where plenty of wild animals are found. Really we were very lucky to see a countless number of wild elephants briskly plucking grass, eating and roaming around. We stopped for a while to record the wonderful sight while a few distance away from them, near a water hole stood another herd bathing themselves with mud and water. Some male elephants that were new to the herd were going around courting females. Normally a herd of elephants consists only of females and cubs while males normally live alone and joining the herd only at the breading season.

Two young bulls on the far side were having a trial of showing their strength. They pushed each other, entwined their trunks and roared. The other elephants close by paid no attention at all. Sometimes they were moving slowly towards us, swaying their trunks and throwing us strange suspicious looks. Within few seconds we were surrounded by wild elephants, young and old with some even trying to push the jeep. But a few minutes later they peacefully moved about their daily routing. As the jungle is their kingdom and we are merely just visitors, we have to be quiet and patient.

In the eastern border of the Uraniya plains we saw one large elephant - thought it's head was hidden in the bushes it was definitely a massive animal and then within few minutes he appeared bearing two huge shafts of ivory. We were so relieved as what we wanted to see so impatiently was right there before us.

A blue sky, land covered with green grass, without a visible boundary, waterholes scattered around, hundreds of giants of the jungle behaving freely with varieties of birds like peacocks, bee-eaters singing, feeding, bushes with colorful butterflies flying around makes it truly a lovely environment. We all forgot of the outside world as we were so taken back with the beauty of nature surrounding us.

This is my short experience of wildlife career. Eating, working and sleeping are considered routing duties when we are out of the jungle. Just like machines working on fuel. According to my experience, if we live with nature it can balance our busy life style. As working in offices or any kind of places our job could become boring sometimes - but living with nature is the correct medicine.