TRAVEL SPECIAL..... A WILD EXPEDITION Tap into the wild side

TRAVEL SPECIAL A WILD EXPEDITION Tap into the wild side

Embrace the biodiversity and creatures that call the wilderness their home

A dip into the rain forest, desert outback or alpine wilderness assures that we are not alone on this beautiful planet. As the population is growing more sensitive towards the animal kingdom, there is a reasonable shift from zoo excursions to watch the creatures in their natural habitat. If you are looking for excitement, rough it out and go pay a visit to your friends in the wild and watch them in their natural habitat. The anticipation and excitement to observe the creatures play that little game of hide-and seek or peer out for their prey also gives an honest insight on the food pyramid. The sweet perk is to watch those stills that you watch on the television -of a predator chasing its prey -jump to reality .Besides, a safari is a lot more than just wildlife; it offers an insight into the natural lungs of our planet too. Here's picking out safaris that are wilder than your wildest imaginations, so pack your binoculars and cameras and just go.

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

Where: Namibia

Spot: Kalahari Lion, meerkats, giraffes, brown hyenas, antelopes, the eland, gemsbok, springbok, hartebeest, steenbok, kudu, duiker, birds and reptiles

Best time to visit: April to October

Etosha National Park is one amongst Namibia's 26 parks and reserves. Sprawling across an area of 22270-sq-km, it is set against a backdrop of wilderness, red desert dunes and the floodlit water hole at Okaukuejo Restcamp. The park is home to some rare and unusual wild animals, boasts of the Big Five of Africa. The park houses the tallest elephants one can spot on the planet. The waterholes are the lucrative spots during evenings; predators use it as an ambush point when the many animals visit to hydrate. The sparse vegetation is another plus making it the best place to enjoy game-drives.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Where: USA

Spot: American bison, bears, bighorn sheep, Canada lynx, Coyotes, Elk and Moose.

Best time to visit: April to May or from September to November

It's not just the geysers that make Yellowstone National Park as renowned as it is; its two million acres are home to the largest concentration of wildlife in the lower 48 states. With 60 species of mammals in the park, Yellowstone is widely considered to be the finest megafauna wildlife habitat. To top it all, it has a combination of natural beauty, rugged wilderness, majestic peaks that's decked with a variety of flora that blooms during the spring and early summer. Depending on the type of wildlife you want to see, Yellowstone is a crowd puller all year long.

TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK

Where: Costa Rica

Spot: 57 species of amphibians, 111 species of reptiles, and 60 species of mammals

Best time to visit: February, April and November

Tortuguero National Park, located on the northeast Atlantic coast of Costa Rica, sits in a rather remote location, reached only by an airplane or boat. The park packs in a unique mix of landscapes: Beaches, lagoons and a few volcanic hills. The park sees a variety of vegetation such as palm swamps, mixed rainforests, tropical wet forests and premountain forests, which in turn attracts a diverse wildlife. Although, Tortuguero National Park is particularly attractive to amphibians.On one end, the Caribbean coast serves as a nesting area for a population of the endangered Green Sea Turtles, on the other, it has threetoed sloths, iguanas, basilisk lizards and spider monkeys. More than 400 species of birds have been recorded along with manatees, peccaries, tapirs and various members of the cat family harmoniously inhabiting the area.

THE DANUM VALLEY THE TABIN WILDLIFE RESERVE THE KINABATANGAN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Where: Borneo, Malaysia

Spot: Borneo Pygmy Elephant, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Tembadau, Orangutans, gibbons and macaques

Best time to visit: March and October.

Borneo, an island that falls under Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, boasts of many wildlife sanctuaries. The region is renowned for its orangutan population. Take your pick from the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Danum Valley or the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary . The 400sq-km Danum Valley rainforest reserve is considered Borneo's premier wildlife location, housing all ten of Sabah's primate species.Tabin, on the other hand houses a large number of endangered animals in its forests.Its list of the protected wildlife residing here includes: the three largest mammals of Sabah, nine species of primate and three species of cats. Lastly, Kinabatangan's vast hinterland serves as a perfect backdrop with its jungles and limestone caves, which also include the renowned Gomantong Caves. The sanctuary is one of only two areas in the world inhabited by ten species of primate, four of which are endemic to Borneo.

Compiled by Shireen Kanchwala Nov 09 2017 : The Economic Times (Mumbai)