Hey friends,
Greetings from Delhi, India!
Everyone knows about bird watching. Heck, I’m an avid bird watcher myself.
But recently, I’ve begun doing something else. I’ve begun watching squirrels.
since I moved to north India for university almost 2 years ago, I’ve been visiting Lodhi Gardens. It’s basically Delhi’s version of NYC’s Central Park. It is 90 acres of trees, lawns and old Mughal monuments in a city of traffic, smoke/smog and chaos.
It is my Eden in this cityscape. On the weekends, I spend the entire day in this park, either sitting on a bench and scribbling in my journal/sketchbook or strolling about, observing the trees and wildlife.
Over these visits, I’ve had my heart stolen by the Five-striped Palm Squirrels that call this grove home. They are EVERYWHERE. My estimate is that for every tree in the park, there are about 5 squirrels (this isn’t a scientific estimation).
And so, while I make sure to study the bird life during my visits, I also observe these arboreal rodents. Their slippery, squirrelly antics. The way they walk up to you in anticipation of some treat. The way they stare at you with those large, black eyes, knowing full well that they have the power to tug at your heartstrings.
I don’t feed them, but I do study and film them. Here’s a shot I took by leaving my phone camera on a 10-second timer on the ground and walking away.
I’ve written about these squirrels in a previous issue. You can read that here. It details one of my sojourns to this wonderful wild oasis in Delhi.
The Squirrels of Lodhi Gardens
Hey friends, Greetings from Ashoka University, India! The book is slowly chugging along. Along with it, I’m completing some other projects, like creating a fauna field guide for my university. Details are coming soon! This week, I’m sharing another anecdote that I can’t include in the book as of now.
Here are some links I enjoyed this week:
Tracking the Malabar Giant Squirrel: This is an article I wrote for Nature inFocus—a magazine that publishes articles about wildlife in India. This details my journey tracking the Malabar giant squirrel in the Western Ghats of India. This squirrel is maroon in colour and can grow up to 2 kilograms!
Postcard
Mt. Nanda Devi, one of the biggest peaks in India.
No one is allowed to climb it though (not that I was planning on it). The Indian government once carried out a military operation on it and left some equipment up there, which could be dangerous to anyone trying to reach the summit.
Really missing the mountains…
Favourite Quote
“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.” - Henry David Thoreau
Have a creative, wild and inspiring week!
If you’re new, welcome to The Owlet! My name is Ishan Shanavas, and I am an Artist, Photographer, Writer and Student of the Natural World.
Here I talk about my work, along with curating the most interesting ideas on the internet. I confine them to topics like Nature, Culture, Photography, and Art but often fall prey to other genres.
I would greatly appreciate it if you shared my newsletter and work with your friends. It really helps me out :)
So much wonder in her eyes!
Love the inquisitive squirrel.