Monsoon Habitat Animals
Summer may conjure up thoughts of beaches, BBQs, ice cream and fun in the sun (when it does shine in the UK!). However, in Assam, in northeast India, summer brings entirely different conditions: the monsoon.
In the Indian sub-continent, summer starts with baking hot weather. The sun beats down on the land, heating it up quickly. The air above heats up and rises, creating a deep area of low pressure. This drags in cool air, laden with moisture, from the Indian Ocean like a vacuum. Monsoon winds are followed by biblical downpours, and the vacuum effect is so strong that the rains start in the southwest of India and spread across to the northeast of the country, more than 1, 500 miles away.
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Here, the monsoon reaches Assam. With the Himalayas rising to the north, the monsoon slows down as the mountains force it upwards, meaning that Assam and the rest of the northeast receive the most rain.
Monsoon Forest Habitat Hi Res Stock Photography And Images
Kaziranga National Park, home to the largest population of Greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) in the world, sits on the southern banks of the mighty Brahmaputra River, which runs through Assam. In mid-July, a month after the first rains fell in Assam this year, the river burst its banks, inundating land on either side of its vast width. At the flood’s peak, as much as 95% of Kaziranga was underwater (up to a depth of 4.5 m), causing massive disturbance to the wildlife that calls the park home.
By 1 August 2019, 91 people lost their lives and more than 3 million were displaced or otherwise affected by the flooding in Assam alone. Additionally, 220 large animals have died in Kaziranga as a result of the floods, including:
Whilst the flood sounds disastrous for people and wildlife alike, this annual phenomenon plays an important role in maintaining the balance of the local ecosystem. Firstly, when the river floods, rich alluvial soil is deposited on the grasslands surrounding the river. This adds vital nutrients to the land and, once the floodwaters have receded, will allow the grasses to flourish. Fresh growth benefits the Park’s large populations of herbivores, like rhinos and deer, by providing a renewed, plentiful food source. In turn, animals higher up the food chain, such as tigers, benefit too.
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The flood also prevents the grasslands from becoming woodland. Without the floods, the grasslands would, over time, naturally convert to woods. This would be disastrous for the rhinos and many other species relying on this important grassland habitat.
Monsoon waters also tackle a newer threat facing the park. In recent years, the Park has had to deal with the spread of the invasive water hyacinth. This plant (originally from South America) outcompetes native flora, including the natural food plants of rhinos and other species, and clogs waterways, threatening the ecology of the Park. During the monsoon, the floods wash away the water hyacinth, giving native plants a chance to recolonise Kaziranga.
Another interesting effect of the floods is on animal populations as a whole. The animals that have died during the monsoon tend to be the weakest; those that are old, young, ill or injured. The floods are a mediator of natural selection: the strongest, fittest animals tend to survive. These animals can then continue to breed and produce the next generation, passing on the genes that made them so successful, meaning that future generations will be better adapted to cope with the floods.
Tiger Walking In Lake Grass. Indian Tiger With First Rain, Wild Danger Animal In The Nature Habitat, Ranthambore, India. Big Cat, Endangered Animal, Nice Fur Coat. End Of Dry Season, Monsoon. –
Focusing on rhinos, although it is always incredibly sad to hear of rhinos dying, the number lost represents less than 1% of Kaziranga’s total population of Greater one-horned rhinos (yet this is more than the number of Assam’s total rhinos lost to poaching in a year (in 2017, only nine rhinos were killed by poachers in Assam State). However, this loss is unlikely to have a large negative impact on the population or its future growth, and Kaziranga will retain its status as the home of the largest population of Greater one-horned rhinos in the world.
However, whilst the floods are a natural, annual occurrence in Assam, their impacts on rhinos and wildlife can be exacerbated by human development. As roads, shops, restaurants and hotels have been built around Kaziranga, this has impacted the movement of wildlife, blocking their passage to higher land, where they would naturally retreat during floods. To try and redress the balance, conservationists in the Park have constructed artificial highlands to act as refuges for animals fleeing the rising waters. Some of the Park’s rhinos have been seen using these highlands, showing their importance as an alternative to natural refuge areas.
In some hopeful news, 72 animals have been rescued from the floodwaters, including five rhinos. They have received expert care, and many have already been released, giving them a second chance to thrive in the Park.
Indian Tiger, Wild Animal In The Nature Habitat, Ranthambore Np, India. Big Cat, Endangered Animal. End Of Dry Season, Beginning Monsoon. Tiger From Asia. Stock Foto
The rainy season will continue until October, but for now, the floodwaters have started to recede in Kaziranga National Park, taking the pressure off both the wildlife and people that call the area home.
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Insects often enter a state of temporary dormancy known as ‘diapause’ when they are surrounded by unfavourable conditions. However, their activity significantly escalates after rain spells. A large number of butterfly species can be spotted in congregations which include Plain tiger, Lime butterfly, and Common emigrant. Bees and moths also engage in extracting nectar from flowers that bloom in rain. Other invertebrates such as ants and beetles appear during or right after rains. Known for their excellent chirps and songs, cicadas emerge once a year, right before the monsoon season. Male cicadas ‘sing’ to attract their female counterparts.
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Invertebrate species like worms and snails generally thrive in cool and moist environments. They find safe homes in wet soil, shrubs, and logs. Earthworms can frequently be spotted crawling out of their water-logged burrows to catch some air. Showers also compel other animals like crabs to venture out from their hiding spots.These critters are preferred meals for reptiles, amphibians, birds, as well as mammals, who follow them as they come out in the rains.
Often considered indicators of the weather forecast, frogs and toads can easily be spotted in rain puddles. From bush frogs and tree frogs, to ornate toads and gliding frogs – amphibians indeed enjoy the pitter patter! Indian Bullfrog is known to come out of hibernation as the monsoon arrives in the country. The feeding activity of frogs and toads significantly increases due to prevalence of fresh vegetation and insects. Moreover, it is in the monsoon that they mate with their partners.
Male frogs and toads create advertising calls to attract females, which indicate their health and help females choose a fitting mate. The season sure brings about a romance in them! Rains ensure frogs and toads get sufficient microhabitat spaces for breeding, without them drying. They are also able to care for and carry their eggs through ponds and small streams.
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Another group of animals that are extremely active during the monsoon season are birds! Common species such as bulbuls, cuckoos, robins, barbets, sparrows, and babblers are found perching in our gardens. It is believed that the Pied cuckoo is the harbinger of rain. The local migratory bird gradually spreads over major parts of India as monsoon arrives. Even aquatic birds including pelicans, storks, storks, herons, ducks, coots, and grebes become a common sight.
As the weather becomes cooler, flocks of hundreds of birds — residents or migrants — begin congregating. They receive abundant nesting as well as feeding resources. Many birds lay their eggs just before the monsoon season. It is also the best time for parent birds to extract an ample amount of scurrying food like insects and worms for their chicks!
Reptiles like lizards and snakes can commonly be spotted in gardens during monsoon. This is because the rains generally flood their living spaces, offer an ample amount of prey, and the season is most suitable for mating. Thus, reptiles may often be encountered seeking refuge in buildings, under dense thickets, or in rocks and crevices.
Indian Tiger Female With First Rain, Wild Animal In The Nature Habitat, Ranthambore, India. Big Cat, Endangered Animal. End Of Dry Season, Beginning Green Monsoon. Tiger Walking On The Gravel Road. Stock
While venomous coral snakes spend most of their time burrowed or in hiding, they surface only during the monsoon season. Malabar pit viper is also frequently encountered on rocks near water bodies in the Western Ghats. Monitor lizards and Fan-throated lizards are carnivorous species that rely upon small animals that form an excellent source of food in the rains.
One can even find turtles steadily trudging through vegetation or on roads. For instance,
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