Chitwan National Park - Southern NEPAL

From the town of Pokhara it was a 7 hour bus ride to the Chitwan National Park. I'm here to see the Indian Rhinos, Bengal Tigers, and the Sloth Bear -- the latter is a lot more bear than sloth and can be quite dangerous. In fact, all three beasts I came to see can be deadly in the wild.

Armed with a long stick, my small-built Nepali guide walked a few steps ahead of me as we found our way through the thick and very high, appropriately named, Elephant Grass. I was armed with my two cameras, of which one sports a long and heavy tele-lens which I trust could provide the necessary protection against any attack from any beast, well, maybe not the rhino. We saw several fairly fresh bear and tiger tracks in the sand, but the real thing evaded us. I often had the feeling that we're being watched by them!

Towards late afternoon (about an hour before sunset) I saw a huge male rhino crossing the path about 300 meters in front of us. We rushed to the area where the rhino went into the tall grasses and I carefully moved away from the path and into the grasses. My guide, not surprisingly, strongly advised me not to follow the rhino and he stayed at a safe distance behind me. I was determined to get close to the beast! I didn't even make it more than two meters into the tall grass when a sudden rumble in the grass made it obvious that the rhino was charging at me and made the most amazing noise I have ever heard. I was back in the path in a flash stepping back slowly waiting for the rhino to enter the path so I can take close-up photos. By this time my guide was already safely in the nearest tree! Well, to my disappointment the rhino crossed the path about ten meters from me, and to my further disappointment - he was chasing a female and not me! So, my story ended with "....I guess the rhino never even noticed me" and I only got one out-of-focus picture of him!

Anyhow, at the Chitwan I saw many birds, crocs, many different types of deer, a few rhinos, and several domesticated elephants - including a 3-day old 95kg baby!