{"id":8997,"date":"2017-09-21T23:51:09","date_gmt":"2017-09-22T05:21:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/?p=8997"},"modified":"2023-06-22T05:32:14","modified_gmt":"2023-06-22T05:32:14","slug":"in-search-of-king-cobra-in-agumbe-rainforests-with-the-i-travel-group-the-wettest-place-in-south-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/in-search-of-king-cobra-in-agumbe-rainforests-with-the-i-travel-group-the-wettest-place-in-south-india\/","title":{"rendered":"IN SEARCH OF KING COBRA IN AGUMBE RAINFORESTS WITH THE i TRAVEL GROUP: THE WETTEST PLACE IN SOUTH INDIA!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This blog is about my experience in the rainforest of Agumbe,<\/strong> Karnataka, India . We spotted many species during our trails. It is one of the finest wildlife experiences<\/strong> in the Western Ghats of India. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Signature Spider. Agumbe Rainforest Expedition. The wettest place in South India.
<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Agumbe is the wettest place in South India<\/strong>. For obvious reasons it is also known as the Cherrapunji<\/strong> of South India. In August 1946, the highest rainfall in a single month was recorded at 4,508 millimetres. In 2014 it even surpassed Cherrapunji when it received 5,625.4 mm rain. Agumbe received 7000mm rain on an average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Green Vine Snake – Ahaetulla nasuta<\/em>. <\/strong>Agumbe Rainforest Expedition. The wettest place in South India.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

July is mostly the wettest month in Agumbe. Located in the Shimoga<\/strong> district of Karnataka in India, it is one of the richest bio diversity hot spot. The Western Ghats (World Heritage site<\/strong>, UNESCO) is home to some of the rarest species in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Signature Spider. Agumbe Rainforest Expedition. The wettest place in South India.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In my 2016 failed trip to Agumbe, I wandered around in vain trying to spot exotic species of<\/strong> snakes, amphibians, insects etc. My only wildlife experience in Agumbe that year was catching a fleeting glimpse of a long fat snake, few frogs and fish in a reservoir that gnawed at my feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Green Vine Snake – Ahaetulla nasuta<\/em>. <\/strong>Agumbe Rainforest Expedition. The wettest place in South India.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Little did I know that you need an expert\u2019s guidance<\/strong> to spot the well camouflaged creatures. I visited again in 2017, this time under the tutelage of the i travel Group, a Mumbai based company founded by Ritesh Kadam<\/strong>. I was also better prepared to brave the rains this time. I wore a very effective rain jacket<\/a> which had protected me through harsh rains during the trails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An unidentified spider. Can you pls help me identify the species in the comment section below. Agumbe Rainforest Expedition. The wettest place in South India.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I have known Ritesh online since 2014. So, when he presented an offer to accompany him for the trip, I instantly agreed as I had admired the carefully curated trips he takes. It turned out to be the most enriching and intellectually stimulating experience of the year so far. Ritesh\u2019s sincere passion for wildlife reflects in the way he handles wildlife expeditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Signature Spider. It leaves behind a signature trail. Hence the name.  Agumbe Rainforest Expedition. The wettest place in South India.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sensitive to the ecosystem, Ritesh takes small groups of discerning travelers who are genuinely intrigued by the mysteries of the wild. Janani<\/strong> Krishnan, Ritesh<\/strong> Kothari and Rochana<\/strong> Poddar from Mumbai took a break from their busy corporate lives and accompanied us. Their enthusiasm for the trip was palpable when they spotted some well camouflaged species themselves and listened attentively when Prashanth P<\/strong> (Research Station Master) and Sujan Bernard<\/strong> (naturalist) discussed snakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Can you help me identify the name of the species in the comment section below? Agumbe Rainforest Expedition. The wettest place in South India.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Both Prashanth and Sujan work at Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology<\/strong> founded by P. Gowri Shankar<\/strong> in 2012. They research, conserve and even rescue King Cobras<\/strong> (Ophiophagus hannah)<\/em>. Gowri Shankar has been featured in documentaries like <\/p>\n\n\n\n