Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com) 2026 started off with a brief mid-January visit to the Western Ghats with Cory Cravatta and was duly entertained by his bear stories (and at least some of the local wildlife!) from the Katmai Peninsula and around the world. One night in the Munnar area and three nights at Valparai, producedContinue reading “Western Ghats, Gujarat and much Assam: Trips Summary”
Tag Archives: Endemics
Western Ghats Endemics, October and November 2025: Trips summary
Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com) Two back to back guided trips to the southern Western Ghats, in late October and November this year, revealed much of the region’s specialities, including Lion-tailed Macaque (including those raiding coffee berries), Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Langur, Great Pied Hornbill (in a dwindled annual congregation around Valparai), Grey Slender Loris, Brown PalmContinue reading “Western Ghats Endemics, October and November 2025: Trips summary”
Endemic Mammals and Birds: Western Ghats, February 2025
Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com) Dates 1st to 11th Feb 2025 Locations Visited Valaparai (Anamalai Tiger Reserve); Chinnar WLS; Eravikulam WLS (and surroundings); Thekkady (Periyar Tiger Reserve) Tour Participants Clients: James and Jill Hammersley Naturalist: Ravi Kailas A 10 night visit to the southern Western Ghats turned out to be interesting for a gamut of itsContinue reading “Endemic Mammals and Birds: Western Ghats, February 2025”
Endemic Primates, Brown Palm Civet and More: Western Ghats, January 2025
Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com) Dates 26th to 31st January 2025 Locations Visited Valparai (Anamalai Tiger Reserve); Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary; Eravikulam National Park (and surroundings) Tour Participants Clients: Elias Filho, Flavio Coutrin, Ana Camargo, Waldir Carvalho, Monica Vale and Milton Filho Naturalists: Ravi Kailas and Ganesh Ramachandran A brief, mammal-watching focussed effort in the southern WesternContinue reading “Endemic Primates, Brown Palm Civet and More: Western Ghats, January 2025”
Brown Palm Civet, Brown Mongoose and Lion-tailed Macaque: Western Ghats Feb 2024
Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com) A brief mammal-watching oriented visit to the southern Western Ghats produced 27 species of mammals, including many of the ecoregion’s specialities, namely Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Nilgiri Tahr, Brown Palm Civet, Nilgiri Striped Squirrel and Brown Mongoose (seen only by me and Kumaraswamy). Sightings also included Leopard, Gaur, Indian Chevrotain, NilgiriContinue reading “Brown Palm Civet, Brown Mongoose and Lion-tailed Macaque: Western Ghats Feb 2024”
Lion-tailed Macaque, Indian Porcupine and Wayanad Laughingthrush, Western Ghats, Feb 2024: Trip Report
Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com) Dates 1st to 5th February 2024 Participants Client: Hugh Lansdown (For a trip report from Hugh Lansdown and for much other interesting content please follow this link which leads to his informative website with quality wildlife images and reports from across the globe) Naturalist: Ravi Kailas Locations Visited Kabini (Nagarhole TigerContinue reading “Lion-tailed Macaque, Indian Porcupine and Wayanad Laughingthrush, Western Ghats, Feb 2024: Trip Report”
Endemics and Megafauna, Western Ghats Winter 2023: Trip summary
Author: Ravi Kailas Dates 20th January to 4th Feb 2024 Participants John Wright, Karen Baker, Philip Telfer and Mark Bibby Guides Ravi Kailas and Ganesh Ramachandran Itinerary Outline Day 1: Galibore (Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary). Transfer from Bangalore AirportDays 2 to 5: Kabini (Nagarhole National Park). Days 5 to 7: Bandipur Tiger ReserveDays 7 to 10:Continue reading “Endemics and Megafauna, Western Ghats Winter 2023: Trip summary”
A walk and bit at Pampadum Shola NP
Author: Ravi Kailas (ficustours@gmail.com) This tiny patch of montane forest, where the High Ranges meet the Palani Hills in the Western Ghats of South India, is packed with (the often unique) biodiversity. I have had the privilege to visit numerous times, and this is a brief account from a recent visit in September 2022. AsContinue reading “A walk and bit at Pampadum Shola NP”
Bugun Liochicla, Hairy-footed Flying Squirrel, Arunachal Macaque and more: Eaglenest WLS Dec 2021
Author: Ravi Kailas Dates: 25th to 30th Dec 2021 This off-peak season to Eaglenest WLS in western Arunachal Pradesh, turned out duly interesting, with this globally acclaimed birding haven, oozing out its treasure trove of local specialities, including a duo from the only known population of Bugun Liochicla on Earth, the lovely Ward’s Trogon, BeautifulContinue reading “Bugun Liochicla, Hairy-footed Flying Squirrel, Arunachal Macaque and more: Eaglenest WLS Dec 2021”
Great Pied Hornbill and montane endemics, Nilgiris November 2021
Author: Ravi Kailas Dates: 3rd to 6th November 2021 A somewhat unplanned visit to the southeast corner of the Nilgiris, in what turned out to be one of the rainiest Novembers in the region, turned out interesting from a natural history perspective. The initial plan was to spend three nights close to Ooty and exploreContinue reading “Great Pied Hornbill and montane endemics, Nilgiris November 2021”
Ficus Wildlife and Natural History Tours 